Theme: A World of Progress

TEDxCU 2016 is the fourth annual TEDxCU event, designed to create connections and share stories between the CU and Boulder communities. With eight world-class TED speakers, a networking session, food and more, this year's event will be one you don't want to miss!
TEDxCU 2016 will take place at 5pm in the Stadium Club at Folsom Field on the campus of the University of Colorado Boulder.
STUDENTS: We want as much student participation as possible, so student tickets will be refunded at the door! All you need is a valid Buff OneCard and your ticket is free!

Folsom Field Club Level
2400 Colorado Avenue
Boulder, Colorado
United States

Elaine Shults

CRISPR-Cas9 researcher

Elaine Shults graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado with a degree in Biochemistry and three minors in Dance, Leadership Studies, and Chemistry. She was a member of the Presidents Leadership Class, where she served as a Senior Staff Member and a Course Fellow. She grew up in North Carolina and now serves as the Director of Development for Lit Without Limits, a non-profit that aims to provide girl mentoring groups with women empowerment-themed literature and corresponding curriculum. She also volunteers with Rocky Mountain Riding Therapy, a Boulder-based organization that offers horse riding lessons to people with disabilities. Elaine completed her senior honors thesis by purifying the Cas9 protein, which is required for the genome editing technology CRISPR-Cas9. Her future includes taking time to travel, working with Bioscience policy, and eventually attending law school.

Leaf Van Boven

Professor of social psychology + researcher

Leaf Van Boven is a professor of social psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder. He studies the link between social psychology, politics, and policy.

Madalyn Kern

Mechanical Engineer + designer

Madalyn has specialized in medical device design within a mechanical engineering discipline at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She enjoys both the technical and personal aspects of design and is especially passionate about improving the lives of those living in developing communities around the world. She has experience in both academic and industry settings and will receive her doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering in August 2016.

Nathan Schneider

Journalist + scholar + author

Nathan Schneider is a scholar in residence of media studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has written for many magazines and is the author of two books, "God in Proof" and "Thank You, Anarchy."

Patrick Williams

Artist + author

Patrick Williams is a prolific artist, writer, passionate and inspiring public speaker, visionary educator, and independent scholar. Patrick has innovated and implemented art curriculums in schools and community centers for children and adults. Through four decades of unceasing devotion, exploration, and training in creativity, Patrick is on a mission to awaken, inspire, and restore creativity as a fundamental human right and cultural necessity. Patrick is founder of Stay Creative: Public Speaking and Consulting, Creative Director of Satori Institute: an Arts, Education, and Research non-profit.

Tyler Evans

Engineer + co-founder, SilLion

Tyler completed his PhD at the University of Colorado in 2015, focusing on advanced materials for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and grid storage applications. Following his PhD work, he co-founded SiILion, Inc. in an effort to commercialize the high energy, non-flammable battery he helped develop during his graduate research. Tyler has held leadership positions in various clean energy communities ranging from an advisory role at the Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame (cSEND) to a term as VP of Corporate Outreach at the University of Colorado Energy Club. He has noticed one common theme in his experience: everyone views clean energy and its role in the world from a unique perspective.

Wahid Hossain

Founder, Tiger Bow

Wahid is the CEO & Founder of Tiger Bow (Oikkyotan) a business based out of Bangladesh that helps local artisans sustain their livelihood while doing what they love. He won the Resolution Social Venture Challenge for his work at the Harvard Model United Nations in 2014.

Zhenghua Yang (Z)

Founder of the value-driven video game development company, Serenity Forge.

Zhenghua Yang (Z) is an entrepreneur, speaker, researcher, and the founder of the value-driven video game development company, Serenity Forge (http://serenityforge.com). Having built his first computer at the age of 6 and programmed his first video game at the age of 10, Z wanted more and began exploring gamification, developing his first meaningful game in 2000. Since then, Z had created video games that saved peoples’ lives by preventing suicide, taught kids rocket science without them knowing, and inspired gamers to turn enemies into friends. Z holds many awards in business and design; his games have reached fans around the world and have been exhibited at museums such as the Smithsonian Institution.