Theme: Synergy: Connections & Intersections

Synergy: The interaction of two or more parts to give rise to a single, stronger entity. Whether this model is applied to substances, people, or corporations, we cannot deny the powerful value collaboration brings to a community. Individual perspectives are the crux of progress that merge to form a holistic solution. Just by reimagining how we combine singular pieces of the puzzle, the new systems we create may be limitless.

TEDxUF’s 2021 Annual Conference is dedicated to showcasing the success we achieve just by harnessing the power of partnership and collaboration. As a hub for research and innovation, the University of Florida is now regarded as the top 6 public research university. This status is attributed to its many entities which make the whole. At TEDxUF 2021, delve deep into the minds behind entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and creativity in the Gainesville and UF community.

Please visit TEDxUF.com to view more detailed information about the schedule each day.

Heartwood Soundstage
619 S Main St
Gainesville, Florida, 32601
United States

Carla Lewis-Miles

Carla Lewis-Miles, a Gainesville native, is a community activist who is dedicated to finding solutions to addressing the plight of underserved communities at risk for gentrification. Previously a nurse, Miles left the field after realizing that our communities are under attack by predatory developers, unfair development practices and a lack of protective city policies. She works closely with local, state, and national leaders to develop policies to protect citizens and promote healthy and equitable community development.

Della Mosley

Dr. Della V. Mosley is a Black, queer, feminist, scholar, activist, and healer committed to liberation. Today, she is an Assistant Professor in the American Psychological Association accredited Counseling Psychology Program in the Psychology Department at UF. She leads the Wellness, Equity, Love, Liberation, and Sexuality (WELLS) Healing and Research Collective and co-founded the Academics for Black Survival and Wellness (#Academics4BlackLives). Dr. Della’s research focuses on facilitating the wellness of Black and/or queer and transgender People of Color and has been published in top-tier journals.

Giselle San Filippo

Giselle Felice is an accomplished performer, songwriter, and creative entrepreneur from Orlando, Florida. She holds a BA in Business Administration with a specialization in International Studies and a minor in Jazz Studies from the University of Florida Honors Program. Giselle has also worked at the U.S. Department of State in their Music Diplomacy division and has taught two undergraduate music industry courses at UF. As a songwriter, Giselle is particularly passionate about advocating for the empowerment of girls and women. Giselle is currently the vocalist and manager for the music duo, @giselleanderik, and is pursuing a Masters in Entrepreneurship at UF.

Hannah Diasti

Hannah Diasti is a Second Generation Egyptian-American woman and Senior Undergraduate student at the University of Florida studying Biology, Women’s Studies, and Health Disparities in Society. In the Gainesville community, she has served various populations in many capacities as the President of a non-profit student-run volunteer organization, Footprints: Buddy and Support Program, Co-Founder and Co-Editor-In-Chief of a Gainesville based publication designed to be a platform for diverse voices and experiences, DayDream Magazine, and patient advocate for the underserved community through her role as a Care Coordinator with the Mobile Outreach Clinic. Following graduation, she will be attending medical school in the hopes of continuing her passion for service in underserved and marginalized communities. Outside of academics, she finds happiness in spending quality time with her friends and family and immersing in her communities through service, advocacy, and lots of cooking.

Kimberly Moore

Kimberly Moore, PhD, is a professor of Environmental Horticulture located off-campus at UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center.She graduated with an MS and PhD from Iowa State University and earned her BS from Eastern Illinois University. She has been at UF since 1995 and her expertise is in Plant nutrition. She has a big passion for teaching and conducting research on sustainable management of plants in the landscape and greenhouse.

Micah Johnson

Dr. Micah E. Johnson is a sociologist trained in criminology and psychiatric epidemiology. He serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida. Dr. Johnson’s research centers around childhood trauma, behavioral health, and juvenile justice. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health. He has been an advocate for social justice for the past 14 years. Dr. Johnson trains, speaks, and teaches internationally on topics related to trauma, poverty, antiracism, and sustainable peace.

Nancy Ruzycki

Dr. Nancy Ruzycki holds a BS in chemistry and education from USF, a Master's in Applied Physics from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, and a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from Tulane University. She currently is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and conducts research in 3D printing, STEM education and professional development.

Nigel Davis

Nigel Davis is a graduate of the University of Florida and currently works at Microsoft as a software engineer. In addition to his day job, Nigel is the CEO of Grapevine Campus, a technology startup with the mission of creating a sense of belonging for marginalized and underrepresented college students.

Terry Harpold

Dr. Terry Harpold completed his undergraduate studies at the State University of New York at Stony Brook – English BA – followed by a year abroad, studying philosophy and literary theory in Paris. Graduate school (PhD) in Comparative Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. He began teaching at the University of Florida in late 2000, where his teaching and research have been primarily in new media theory, digital humanities, science fiction, climate studies, and environmental humanities. He’s been nominated five times for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Mentoring and Teaching Awards, and was a winner of the CLAS Teacher of the Year Award in 2008 and 2020.

Tommy Angelini

Dr. Angelini received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Illinois in 2005, where he studied the self-assembly of proteins, lipids, DNA, and viruses. In 2010, he completed his postdoctoral training at Harvard University, where he studied collective cell migration and bacterial biofilm growth and spreading. Today, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida, his work focuses on cell-assembly and collective motion in 3D cell populations, 3D printing of soft matter, and lubrication of soft interfaces. Dr. Angelini has published more than 80 peer-reviewed research papers and has won the NSF CAREER award.