Vanderbilt University was founded as an institution devoted to “strengthening the ties which should exist between all sections of our common country,” Vanderbilt University has forged a tradition of academic excellence infused with a unique spirit of collaboration and collegiality. Our campus community contains brilliant minds that innovate and explore ideas worth spreading. The goal of TEDxVanderbiltUniversity is to bring those ideas to the stage where we can spark deep discussion and connection. Our event speakers are members of the Vanderbilt University community (faculty, staff, students, and alumni).

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. Our event is called TEDxVanderbiltUniversity, where x = independently organized TED event.

2301 Vanderbilt Place
Sarratt Cinema
Nashville, Tennessee, 37235
United States

Beth Malow

Beth A. Malow, MD, MS is Burry Chair in Cognitive Childhood Development, Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, and Director of the Sleep Division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Malow’s clinical and research interests focus on improving health and quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities across the lifespan. She serves as the Core Director for Clinical Translational Research at Vanderbilt’s Kennedy Center. A resident of Brentwood, TN since 2003, where she settled with her husband and two sons, Dr. Malow is active in a variety of community and national organizations focused on expanding civil discourse. These include co-leading Common Ground Nashville, a discussion group focused on local and national issues, and moderating workshops for Braver Angels, a national bipartisan organization dedicated to reducing political polarization. Within the national organization, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, she co-founded a Braver Angels Action Team to help bridge political divides related to climate change solutions. She is also a proud member of Brentwood Early Risers Toastmasters. Her involvement in these civic activities, strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic, fostered her interest in communicating science to the public. Her TEDx talk, The Art of Communicating Science, captures her combined experience as a seasoned physician researcher with her passion for facilitating conversations on challenging topics.

Clifford B. Anderson

Clifford B. Anderson is Associate University Librarian for Research and Digital Strategy at the Vanderbilt University Library. He has a secondary appointment as Professor of Religious Studies in the College of Arts & Science at Vanderbilt University and is affiliated faculty in the Comparative Media Analysis and Practice Joint-Ph.D. program. From 2018 to 2020, he was also an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. He holds a B.A. in philosophy from Kenyon College, a M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School, a Th.M. and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a M.S.L.I.S. from the Pratt Institute. Among other publications, he is the author of two recent articles on deepfakes: “A New Hermeneutics of Suspicion? The Challenge of deepfakes to Theological Epistemology” (2019) and “Empathy in an Age of Deepfakes” (2021).

Danny Nguyen

Danny Nguyen is a senior at Vanderbilt University studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Health and Society. He was born and raised in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, its poorest and most dangerous neighborhood. In his free time, he writes op-Eds on prostitution, education and housing rights, which have been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean and The Frisc, among others. After graduation, he aims to pursue journalism, covering human rights issues and biology. His goal with journalism is simple—he hopes to use his unconventional background as a sex worker to tell other unheard stories and spark change.

Erin Hafkenschiel

Erin Hafkenschiel is the President of ThinkTennessee, where she leads a powerhouse team working to build a state where all Tennesseans are civically engaged and economically secure. Erin has spent her career in public policy, including roles in higher education, municipal government, and philanthropy. Most recently, she was the Executive Director for Mobility and Transportation at Vanderbilt University. Prior to that, she served as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Sustainability for Nashville Mayors David Briley and Megan Barry. Erin also has significant experience in philanthropy and consulting through her work with CEA Consulting, the Bay Area Council, and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil Infrastructure Systems at Vanderbilt University. A U.S. Fulbright Scholar to China, Erin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy of Industrialized Societies from UC Berkeley and a Masters in Public Policy and Urban Planning from Harvard University. Erin lives with her husband and three daughters in Nashville, TN.

Natalie Sarrett

Natalie Sarrett is a first year Master of Theological Studies student at Vanderbilt Divinity School and has lived in Nashville for three years working in non-profit spaces as a writer and editor. Born and raised overseas in the Middle East and Central Asia, Sarrett developed a love for the written and spoken word and its ability to transcend cultural and personal differences through the power of storytelling. She hopes to continue working on behalf of marginalized communities all over the world to ensure equal rights and the guarantee of dignity for all.

Sarah Beth Huntley

Sarah Beth Huntley is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University double majoring in Cinema and Media Arts and English on the Creative Writing track. While passionate about writing and film, she also harbors many passions surrounding making positive change, a topic around which her talk centers. Sarah Beth dreams of becoming a professional filmmaker and an activist for change within the film industry surrounding diversity behind and in front of the camera.

Taylor Rasmussen

Taylor Rasmussen (he/him, they/them) is a first-year MBA candidate at the Owen Graduate School of Management, concentrating in Human & Organizational Performance (HOP) and Strategy. Taylor serves a co-Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Owen Student Government Association, Treasurer of Owen Out & Allied, and Vice President of Beer for the Owen Cork & Barrel Association. In his spare time, Taylor enjoys baking, listening to music and attending concerts, and – you guessed it! – playing tabletop games with friends. Taylor hails from the suburbs of Chicago. They hold a BA in Theatre & Performance Studies and Philosophy from Georgetown University and an MFA in Professional Acting from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and are a full member of the Actor’s Equity Association. Prior to pursuing their MBA, Taylor worked as a professional actor/theatremaker and an educator in New York City.