The University will host a TEDxBucknellUniversity talk, featuring five speakers and covering a broad range of topics centered around the general theme of “Crossroads” on March 28 at 11 a.m. in the ELC Forum. The event was organized by Peter Puleo ’16 and Alejandro Ramirez ’16, with the help of Emma Rieser ’17 and Keith Buffinton, dean of engineering.

Puleo and Ramirez were inspired to organize the event based on what they had been learning through their University Innovation Fellowship, which is a Stanford University-based program that promotes cross-disciplinary interaction and entrepreneurial thinking.

“Simply put, it’s about getting students from all academic backgrounds to think more creatively about their futures,” Puleo said. 

The planning for TEDxBucknell began in August, when Puleo, Ramirez, and Buffinton began working together to gauge the campus climate toward innovation and entrepreneurship, and identify tangible steps that can be taken to improve awareness.

“One of those first steps is TEDxBucknell,” Puleo said.

To get permission to host a TEDxBucknell talk, a license had to be obtained through TED Talks. The TEDx program is an initiative to “help communities, organizations and individuals to spark conversation and connection through local TED-like experiences,” according to the TED Talks website.

The speakers range from faculty to alumni to students, and the audience will consist of only 100 pre-registered people. Speakers include Jane Maas ’53, Associate Professor of Biomedical & Electrical Engineering Joe Tranquillo, Professor of English Carmen Gillespie, Chris Dunne ’15, and Greg Wolf ’17. According to Puleo, the presentations will cover a wide range of questions such as, “What value lies at the intersection of the liberal arts and technology?” and “How can engineering be beautiful?” and “How does place influence creation?”

“In the end, it’s all about giving ordinary Bucknellians the opportunity to share extraordinary stories and insights on both a local and global scale,” Puleo said.

The TEDx talks will appear on TED’s website shortly following the event on March 28.