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. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Zellerbach Hall
Address: 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
Berkeley, California, 94720
United States

Ali Mattu

Dr. Ali Mattu creates mental mental health videos that are fun, easy to understand, and backed by real science and clinical experience. Through YouTube, Dr. Mattu teaches a global audience how to overcome anxiety, understand how the brain works, and navigate mental health care. He sparks conversations about mental health through storytelling performances, school assemblies, and pop culture conventions. He spent a decade treating anxiety disorders in New York City, co-hosted an Emmy nominated series for PBS, collaborated with Netflix, HBO, and Buzzfeed, and has the privilege of being made fun of on TV by John Oliver. He received his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles where he majored in psychology and minored in Asian American studies. Dr. Mattu received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He completed a doctoral internship at the Bellevue Hospital Center and a post-doctoral fellowship at the NYU Langone Medical Center's Child Study Center. He was formerly an assistant professor at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City and the director of mental health at Loop, a startup dedicated to social anxiety. Dr. Mattu has served on the Board of Directors of the American Psychological Association and The Story Collider. He has been called a “forward thinker” in psychology. His work has been described as “simple, thoughtful, and actionable.” Dr. Mattu lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Amos Nachoum

Amos Nachoum is a master of photographing big animals worldwide. He free dives with blue whales off the Eastern Pacific, scuba dives in the Okavango delta with crocodiles, and goes face to face with the great white shark. Since 1980, he has explored every significant body of water from the North Pole to Antarctica. Amos’s photographic vision is to raise awareness of ocean giants in their habitats. His images reflect respect and compassion for animals and wilderness. His photographs strive to dispel the myth of “dangerous” wildlife and show harmonious interactions between man and animal. Amos is an explorer. He leads wildlife photography expeditions with his company BigAnimals.com. Amos's photos and essays have appeared in publications including National Geographic, Time, Life, The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Le Figaro, Terra Sauvage, Airone, and Der Spiegel. Amos's photography won the Nikon contest, and he is a two-time winner in the animal behavioral category of the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award. In 2021 he placed first as world nature photographer of the year. In 2019, Amos was nominated to be the SeaKeepers man of the year along James Cameroon, David Attenborough, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Jacques Cousteau. The movie "Picture of his Life", about Amos career and ultimate diving adventure with polar bears, was received with great review in Europe and in the USA.

Brad Ringeisen

Brad Ringeisen is the Executive Director of the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), founded on the University of California, Berkeley campus by CRISPR pioneer and Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna. The mission of the IGI is to bridge revolutionary gene editing tool development to affordable and accessible solutions in human health and climate. Brad’s primary role is to guide IGI’s scientific and development strategy, but his duties also include promoting entrepreneurship, working with biotech investors and companies to ensure commercial translation of gene editing technologies, donor outreach and development, mentoring early-stage career scientists, program management, and reporting and engagement with both Governance and Scientific Advisory Boards. Brad is a physical chemist with a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a pioneer in the field of live cell printing, and an experienced administrator of scientific research and product development. Before joining the IGI, Brad was Director of the Biological Technologies Office at DARPA, where he managed a division working at the cutting edges of biology, physical sciences and engineering. Programs in Brad’s office included research in genome editing, epigenetics, neurotechnology, food security and biomanufacturing, as well as diagnostics and therapeutics development. His office was responsible for early investments in mRNA vaccines as well as a discovery platform that isolated one of the first monoclonal antibody treatments used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to DARPA, Brad ran his own research group at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory as the head of the Bioenergy and Biofabrication Section.

Cal Jazz Choir

The Cal Jazz Choir is a co-ed student-directed a cappella ensemble dedicated to exploring the colorings of vocal jazz. CJC draws its repertoire from the traditional standards of jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Cole Porter, and Joe Garland, as well as from popular jazz groups like The Real Group, Take 6, Singers Unlimited, and The Manhattan Transfer.

Charlene C. Nijmeh

Charlene C. Nijmeh is the chairwoman of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. Charlene began her engagement in Tribal affairs at an early age of 8 during the Tribe’s efforts to repatriate ancestral remains during the early 1980’s. She has served as Chairwoman since 2018. In 2008, Charlene started 7thGeneration Recycling, a commercial textile recycling company and served as founding CEO for four years. In 2012, she founded and the Green Education Foundation to support local schools and communities in educating our citizens on the responsibilities we all must carry to live a more sustainable life.

Cian Moore

Growing up in Queens, Cian Moore was exposed to all echelons of diversity from a young age. He is a contemporary artist using a camera and any form of visible or tangible art as a vessel to communicate ideas and feelings. What drives his creations are a desire to translate simple, universal experiences into beautiful contemporary art. He intends to use his voice for a higher aim, to shift the world towards optimism and joy. According to him, a majority of people can’t conceive that genuine, peace, love and happiness are attainable through perceiving the beauty in the mundane. His purpose is to show people magic exists in mundane experiences, and he hopes that they can discover that for themselves through exploring his work.

Elizabeth Elizabeth

Elizabeth Mehren spent much of her career as a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, having previously reported for The Washington Post and other publications. She has written for many magazines and has published four books. She co-founded Boston University's Global Health Storytelling Project, for which she and her colleagues earned a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant. Elizabeth received fellowships at the University of Maryland, the University of Georgia, and Columbia University, and has taught at the University of Southern California, Harvard University, the Harvard Law School. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UC Berkeley.

Elizabeth Mehren

Elizabeth Mehren spent much of her career as a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, having previously reported for The Washington Post and other publications. She has written for many magazines and has published four books. She co-founded Boston University's Global Health Storytelling Project, for which she and her colleagues earned a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant. Elizabeth received fellowships at the University of Maryland, the University of Georgia, and Columbia University, and has taught at the University of Southern California, Harvard University, the Harvard Law School. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UC Berkeley.

Erica Bree Rosenblum

Dr. Bree Rosenblum is a Professor of Global Change Biology and the Koshland Distinguished Chair for Innovative Teaching and Research at UC Berkeley. She received her B.A. from Brown University and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. Her research and teaching focus on understanding the biological diversity of our planet and renewing a deep sense of belonging with ourselves and the natural world. Bree has published >90 scholarly articles and the first ever Global Change Biology textbook. Her work has received numerous awards and been featured broadly in the New York Times, the Discovery Channel, National Public Radio, the BBC movie ""Endangered"", and many textbooks and magazines (including Ranger Rick). Bree studies how new species form and what we can do about current rates of extinction. Her research on the tree of life takes place in deserts, mountains, and rainforests around the world. And in her own heart. Truly. All real planetary solutions require new ways of being human. Bree is also devoted to transforming higher educational and has held leadership roles focused on promoting institutional and cultural change in academia and beyond. She recently served as the inaugural faculty director of the Berkeley Discovery Initiative and founded the Authentic Academic platform. Bree weaves together many modalities in her work and draws on an eclectic history as a professor, middle school science teacher, meditation instructor, safari truck driver, climber, roving naturalist, and art nerd. She loves supporting others in the journey of life.

Five Armed Sloth

Five Armed Sloth recently formed for a battle of the bands competition this past November. Not only did they have an amazing time, but they also won! Following the momentum of the competition, they continued to play together. Each arm of the sloth represents a member of the band. Matt Michalek plays keys and sax, Chris He plays EWI, Matt Khihizcak plays drums, Vic Otvos is on vocals, and Marcelo Manriquez plays bass. They are all UCB students who are passionate about having fun with music!

Frans Lanting

Frans Lanting has been hailed as one of the great photographers of our time. His influential work appears in books, magazines, and exhibitions around the world. For more than three decades he has documented the natural world from the Amazon to Antarctica to promote understanding about the Earth through images and stories that convey a sense of wonder and concern about our living planet. Lanting’s work has been commissioned frequently by National Geographic where he served as a Photographer-in-Residence. In 2006, Lanting launched the LIFE Project, a lyrical interpretation of the history of life on Earth, which included a multimedia symphony with music by Philip Glass. In 2022, Lanting launched the Bay of Life Project with this wife and creative partner, Christine Eckstrom. Bay of Life is a celebration of Monterey Bay as a unique ecoregion that connects land and sea and people with nature. Lanting’s books have received awards and acclaim: “No one turns animals into art more completely than Frans Lanting,” writes The New Yorker. His books include Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales (2022), Into Africa (2017), LIFE: A Journey Through Time (2006), Jungles (2000), Living Planet (1999), Eye to Eye (1997), Bonobo (1997). Lanting has received many honors and awards for his work. H.R.H. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands inducted him as a Knight in the Royal Order of the Golden Ark for his contributions to conservation.

Jorge Sanchez

Jorge Sanchez is a 31-year-old Paralympic basketball gold medalist for team USA and a proud cancer survivor. A 3-time 1st team All American, 5-time gold medalist and silver medal World Champion. He graduated with a BA in advertising and minors in Marketing and Spanish. This past year he received his MBA from Keller School of Business. He is someone who loves challenges. At the young age of 8, he was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma in his left femur which left him with the tough decision to have his leg amputated above the knee. Jorge overcame a total of 23 surgeries, a near death experience and 2 years of chemotherapy. “If you want something you have to go and get it. Period. We all face obstacles in our life; in the end it’s all about how we face these challenges and taking daily steps to become the best version of ourselves while uplifting others.” Helping future generations is his passion, especially those individuals with a disability. Nothing is impossible.

Lauren Esposito

Dr. Lauren Esposito is Curator of Arachnology and Co-Director of the Islands 2030 Initiative at the California Academy of Sciences. They have traveled around the world discovering new species and documenting life on earth, and their current research investigates the evolution of spiders and scorpions, with a focus on tropical islands. They got their start as an undergraduate at the University of Texas at El Paso, and went on to complete a MS/PhD at the American Museum of Natural History/City University of New York, focusing on a medically important group of scorpions in North America. Lauren is also a passionate educator, and has organized education programs on the importance of conserving biodiversity in local communities throughout the world. In June of 2018, Lauren launched 500 Queer Scientists, a visibility campaign for LGBTQ+ people working in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and STEM-supporting careers. The goals of the campaign are to ensure the next STEM generation has LGBTQ+ role models, help the current generation recognize they’re not alone, and to create opportunities for connections and visibility within STEM. It’s fueled by self-submitted stories of LGBTQ+ students and professionals, and nearing its five-year anniversary, the campaign has nearly 2000 contributors from across the globe. It has made headlines in the academic world and beyond, and is successfully amplifying the voice of LGBTQ+ people at the STEM equity and inclusion table. Lauren has been honored for their efforts with the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Science and Technical Professionals’ Walt Westman Award, and a commendation from the California State Senate.

mxmtoon

At 22, singer-songwriter mxmtoon (aka Maia) stands tall as one of the brightest and most engaging voices of her generation. Known for her dreamy pop and introspective lyricism, the Oakland-raised, Brooklyn-based artist is also a gamer, podcaster, and activist, who has built a deep, symbiotic connection with millions of fans through a steady stream of content on TikTok, Twitch, Instagram, YouTube, and Discord. Since her debut album, she has released an EP for the Life is Strange: True Colors franchise, the soundtrack marked the latest in a steady stream of mxmtoon projects—including a full-length album, podcast, one graphic novel, and a pair of EPs titled dawn and dusk. The acclaimed dawn and dusk (Maia’s second and third EPs, respectively) found the artist broadening the scope of her work—exploring new sounds and fuller production, as well as partnering with outside writers, including Carly Rae Jepsen and Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus. Maia has also become a sought-after collaborator, appearing on projects by Ricky Montgomery, G-Flip, and Noah Kahan, among others. Her latest album rising was released in 2022 and drew critical acclaim from the likes of The New York Times and Song Exploder. As her platform continues to grow, Maia frequently speaks to an array of issues that are close to her heart, including Black Lives Matter, mental health awareness, the environment, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Natya At Berkeley

Founded in 2013, Natya aims to cultivate artistic talent and garner cultural awareness within the UC Berkeley campus and community. Natya’s dancers are a diverse group of UC Berkeley students who hail from all over the country and abroad, but are united by their love to practice and perform Bharatanatyam. Natya performs locally at cultural and community events, with notable performances including San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival and TEDxBerkeley. Natya also competes nationally in the collegiate Indian Classical Dance circuit and placed first at Laasya 2022 in New Jersey, Hansini 2020 in Texas, and Mayuri 2020 in Maryland and second at second at Origins 2022. Natya members proudly craft and choreograph each of their award-winning pieces to shine light on various topics, from ancient mythology portrayed from epics such as the Mahabharata, to current events and issues such as women’s equality and climate change. Natya is known for their unique choreography, seamless synchronization, and impactful competition piece themes.

Niema Jordan

Niema Jordan’s first love is storytelling. It is a love that has guided her as a poet, journalist and filmmaker. It is her primary form of expression, the way she connects with her community, and a gift she strives to use in service of others. Her passion for storytelling led her to Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism where she studied magazine writing and editing. Jordan’s early career was spent in New York as a health and relationships editor at ESSENCE Magazine. With a desire to grow as a journalist and delve deeper into the health disparities plaguing the Black community, and Black women in particular, she returned to the Bay Area. Jordan received her Master of Public Health and Master of Journalism (with an emphasis in documentary film) from University of California, Berkeley. Her thesis film, Oasis, tells the story of a struggling medical clinic that treats underserved populations battling Hepatitis C. The film won the Spike Lee Student Filmmaker Award at the Denver Film Festival (2016). In recent years, Jordan has continued to write for national publications including ESSENCE, Shondaland, and Glamour, while working in documentary film. Her production credits include The Chosen Life, Fatherless, Bobby Kennedy for President, The Me You Can’t See, and Eyes On The Prize: Hallowed Ground. The East Oakland native is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Jordan also serves on the Board of Directors of Oakland Kids First.

Philip Henderson

Philip Henderson was the leader of Full Circle Everest, the first all-black ascent of Mt. Everest. He led the first all-black ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro and is one of few black Americans to summit Denali, North America’s highest mountain. He has been a part of several other high-altitude expeditions, including being team leader of The North Face/National Geographic Everest Education Expedition. Philip has been involved with environmental stewardship and interaction alongside Land Management agencies and works to help elevate underrepresented voices in the world of the outdoors and climate advocacy. Henderson has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from OutdoorAfro—a non-profit specializing in cultivating connection and leadership in nature for Black people. Over the past two and half decades he has spent hours volunteering for many youth programs in the US, exposing young people from around the country to the power or nature. Has been instrumental in teaching mountain skills training to guides and porters in Nepal, Kenya, Tanzania and Chile as well as encouraging, inspiring and mentoring many more people to get outside.

Steven Zapata

Steven Zapata has alway had a great love for drawing. From a young age, his avid sketching was fueled by a voracious appetite for video games, horror movies, science fiction novels, and pulpy paranormal reporting. A native New Yorker, his frequent visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art inspired him to strive for the fluency and freedom of the old masters in his own imaginative work. Shortly after high school, he moved to Los Angeles to attend Art Center College of Design and went on to work in video games, film, theme parks, and advertising. He continued his work in entertainment after moving back to New York and began teaching art, both independently and at Art Center. After a decade in commercial art, he began to reorient his focus towards online education and nurturing the love of drawing in all those attracted to it. In 2019, he began a YouTube channel where he shares video essays about the mental challenges that accompany an art practice, and where he tries to guide viewers towards the truly strange and spiritual aspects of drawing. In 2022 he published a video, “The End of Art: An Argument Against Image AIs” where he expressed his concerns about the training practices of text-to-image models.