Theme: The Unexpected

In the spirit of Ideas Worth Spreading, TEDxHalifaxWestHigh plans to bring together some of the greatest minds on the East Coast to share their mind-opening, powerful and inspiring Ideas and Perspectives with us all.

Bella Rose Arts Centre
283 Thomas Raddall Drive
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3M 4H4
Canada

Bruce Gorman

Mr. Bruce A. Gorman is Director, Central Library and Regional Services at Halifax Public Libraries in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is currently focused on the new Halifax Central Library opening in the fall of 2014. He graduated from Syracuse University in New York with a Master’s Degree in Information Management. He has numerous published articles including ones on social exclusion and the digital divide. Mr. Gorman is active in the community and has been on numerous boards. Current he is sits on the Board of Directors of the Capital District Health Authority where he influences health care across the Halifax Regional Municipality and beyond. Previously he was Chair of the Association of Information Technology Professional of Nova Scotia. He is also a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

David Fainstein

David has a passion for learning about people who think differently. He has worked as a counselor, behavioural interventionist, and educator in various settings across Canada. As well, David has an interdisciplinary interest in Computer Science and has worked at the Centre of Autism Research, Technology, and Education as an iOS developer. Combining multiple passions, he recently taught math and computer programming at Mosaic Learning Society, a distributed learning program in Victoria, BC. David offers lectures and workshops to students, coaches, parents, and youth workers on the positive impact that can be made on neurodiverse populations. He draws a great deal of inspiration from his brother who is on the Autism Spectrum and has accomplished more than anyone initially thought possible. Currently, he is in graduate school at Mount Saint Vincent University studying to be a School Psychologist.

Jeff Dahn

Jeff Dahn is recognized as one of the pioneering developers of the lithium-ion battery that is now used worldwide in laptop computers and cell-phones. Dahn’s recent work has concentrated on the application of Combinatorial Materials Science methods to battery and fuel cell materials problems. He is the author of over 500 refereed journal papers and co-inventor of 58 inventions with patents issued or filed. Jeff Dahn was born in Bridgeport, Conn. in 1957 and emigrated with his family to Nova Scotia, Canada in 1970. He obtained his B.Sc. in Physics from Dalhousie University (1978) and his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in 1982. Dahn then worked at the National Research Council of Canada (82-85) and at Moli Energy Limited (85-90) before taking up a faculty position in the Physics Department at Simon Fraser University in 1990. He returned to Dalhousie University in 1996.

Natalie Oldfield

Known as a passionate and energetic speaker, Natalie has presented to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Natalie has worked in communications, marketing, and business development in multinational companies for 20 years. She coaches and facilitates workshops and training sessions.

Roberta Barker

Roberta Barker is a member of the joint faculty of the University of King’s College and Dalhousie University. She teaches in the Theatre Department and the Gender and Women’s Studies Programme at Dalhousie, and in the Early Modern Studies Programme at King’s College. She also lectures in the King’s Foundation Year Programme. Among the subjects that fascinate her are the roles performers play in shaping and transforming societies; the relationship between the performing arts and cultural notions of gender, sexuality, and equality; and the links between the performing arts and conceptions of health, beauty and the body. She loves sharing ideas about these questions with students; among her favourite classes are “Opera and the Idea of Enlightenment” (Early Modern Studies, King’s College), “Gender in Theatre” (Theatre / Gender and Women’s Studies, Dalhousie), and “Stars and Stardom on Stage and Screen” (Theatre, Dalhousie).

Tukan Das

Tapajyoti Das (Tukan) is the co-founder and CEO of LeadSift, where he is the hustler, hacker and dreamer. Prior to LeadSift he was the Lead Programmer at WebActionHero and a Research Engineer at Genieknows. He is currently completing his Masters in computer science from Dalhousie University. Outside of work, he likes to play cricket, soccer and watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart!