TEDxUCDavis to present salon exploring human data
Technology is an integral part of our lives, but how often do we stop and examine its role? That’s where TEDxUCDavis comes in. The organization aims to inspire and educate by holding talks led by passionate professionals and students.
On Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Varsity Theatre on 2nd St., TEDx will be putting on a salon, an event with speakers and performers. The salon will feature talks by Gurminder Singh, Matthias Gruber, Wendy Meluch and Elizabeth Sweet relating to the theme of “Exploring Human Data,” as well as performances by the Spokes and Rubeboi.
The speakers vary a great deal in what they do–Singh is a computer science professor and the CEO of OpunUp, Inc., Gruber is a cognitive neuroscientist, Sweet is a sociologist focusing on gender and Meluch is a museum evaluator of visitor relations. However, all have something to say about living and creating social relationships in a world where everyone has an online persona.
Jenny Bounmivilay, the director of marketing for TEDxUCDavis and a fifth-year community and regional development major, hopes people will gain an understanding of how to effectively utilize technology to communicate and develop relations.
“I hope that people start using technology as a tool to be more connected with people instead of just posting online and keeping to themselves,” Bounmivilay said. “Technology can be a tool to bring people together to enact change because that’s what we’re here in college for: to connect with other people to create change.”
TEDxUCDavis, founded in 2011, has recently begun to grow in size. Claudine Sanchez, a marketing intern and class of 2015 sociology graduate, hopes that the organization will continue to grow.
“This is the first time I have been involved in the organization and I think it is sad not everyone knows about it on campus. So I’m excited to spread the word of TEDxUCDavis events we’ll be having this year,” Sanchez said.
Bounmivilay assures that students will not be left disappointed by the event due to the passion and wisdom of the speakers.
“[Because] students, in many ways, are concerned about where they’re headed, many [speakers] talk about their backgrounds and how they started out and struggled, giving students hope that the world isn’t so bad out there and they can make it,” Bounmivilay said.
All of the speakers and organizers hope that students leave feeling motivated and ready to partake in their specific topic of discussion. Meluch wants her talk to be a testament to museums and museum work, a field not many people know the behind-the-scenes information about.
“I hope that [the audience] is inspired to go to a museum,” Meluch said. “Whether they like what they see or disagree with it or get frustrated by it, I hope that they give their voice to a museum in whatever kind of feedback they have.”
So whether one is interested in how to live in such a technological world, or simply looking for some motivation, he or she should be sure to attend the TEDxUCDavis salon on Oct. 3 at the Varsity Theatre. Tickets can be bought online and more information can be found on their website or the Facebook event page.
