TEDxPSU speakers announced

TEDxPSU speakers announced

University Park, Pa. – Innovators in technology, entertainment and design from around the world will come together to spread new and engaging ideas at TEDxPSU, which will be held Oct. 10 in Schwab Auditorium on Penn State's University Park campus.

"Our team of dedicated volunteers worked incredibly hard over the summer to put together the program that we're announcing today," said Steve Garguilo, TEDxPSU executive director. "It's impossible to quantify our level of excitement right now as we prepare to share in this experience with the Penn State community. We look forward to broad participation from students, faculty, alumni and community members across the entire commonwealth."

The event's theme is "ATTEND, LISTEN, ENLIGHTEN," drawing on the event's date (10-10-10). Christian Brady, dean of Penn State's Schreyer Honors College, will serve as host.

The TEDxPSU speakers are:

-- Michael Berube, director of Institute for Arts and Humanities at Penn State and Paterno family professor in literature;

-- Ali Carr-Chellman, head of the Learning and Performance Systems Department in Penn State's College of Education;

-- Chris Calkins, director of outreach health initiatives at Penn State;

-- David Celento, associate professor of architecture at Penn State;

-- Richard Doyle, professor of English, and science, technology and society at Penn State;

-- Nathan Martin, CEO of Deeplocal Inc., creator of the Chalkbot;

-- Tonee Ndungu, entrepreneur, innovator and social enabler in Nairobi, Kenya;

-- Tony Pittman, former Penn State football player and director of business relationship management at Hewlett Packard Global Supply Chain Services;

-- Michael Pritchard, inventor and designer of the LIFESAVER water bottle;

-- Sam Richards, co-director of the World in Conversation Project at Penn State;

-- John Rives, poet, author and storyteller;

-- Jordan "DJ Earworm" Roseman, mashup artist and entertainer; and

-- Bruce Schneier, information technology and security expert.

The event is free and open to the public. To register now through Sept. 26, visit http://www.tedxpsu.com online. All prospective attendees will be asked to answer a few questions during registration so the organizing committee can best determine which location is best for each participant. In addition to the main Schwab Auditorium location, TEDxPSU will have some "watch party" locations at University Park for groups to assemble. "Watch party" events also will be held at Penn State's Commonwealth campuses to engage the entire University community, and the event will be streamed at http://www.tedxpsu.com online.

In the spirit of "ideas worth spreading," TED has created TEDx, a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At TEDxPSU, TEDTalks videos and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including TEDxPSU, are self-organized.

For more information about these speakers and TEDxPSU, visit http://tedxpsu.com online. Connect on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TEDxPSU and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TEDxPSU online.