Theme: Discipline for Passion

What is Discipline for Passion?
In the past four years, the world has struggled with tribulations, stress, and regret, but as we recede from the pandemic, we rethought what we once took for granted. We redirected our attention to what matters most and established a new mindset in our lives. People worldwide have used their time in quarantine to cultivate new, unique passions, autodidactically taking action to the fullest extent to improve themselves and chase their dreams. However, maintaining the consistency necessary to continually improve one's passion during trying times can seem impossible.

Discipline allows us to focus ourselves on what is most important. Discipline reminds us why the goals are worth pursuing and matter, even when we're rejected, beaten up, or have fallen down. It takes courage and discipline to confront obstacles and persevere, even when the path is nebulous.

There is a broad scope of what passions one pursues and how and why one chases them. From researching commercial aviation's impact on running the world's economy or the role of folktales in preserving indigenous cultures for future generations, TED's mission is to share ideas worth spreading. We host TEDxGeorgeMasonU to celebrate the innovative ideas from rich, diverse perspectives that each Patriot at GMU has to offer.

We hope the unique ideas presented in TEDxGeorgeMasonU will spark a new revelation and inspire you to ponder your passion and means of cultivating it. What ends are you willing to meet for your goals? What is your discipline for passion?

Contact us at tedxgeorgemasonu@gmail.com for any inquiries.

GMU Van Metre Hall Auditorium
3351 Fairfax Dr
Arlington, Virginia, 22201
United States

Giorgio Ascoli, Ph.D.

Professor, GMU Bioengineering & Neuroscience and Director, Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, & Plasticity

Giorgio Ascoli received a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Neuroscience from the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, Italy. He continued his research at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, to investigate protein structure and binding in the nervous system. He moved to the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study at George Mason University in 1997, leading a transdisciplinary research group that includes biologists, physicists, computer scientists, and physicians. Dr. Ascoli is founding Editor-in-Chief of the journal Neuroinformatics and an editorial board member of several other international journals. He contributed to the establishment of the field of computational neuroanatomy. His 2015 book “Trees of the Brain, Roots of the Mind” was published by MIT Press. Dr. Ascoli received the 2012 Outstanding Faculty Award of the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia, was elected AIMBE fellow in 2022, and won the Beck Presidential Medal for Excellence in Research and Scholarship.

Heather Spence, Ph.D.

Marine Biologist, Musician, Composer

Dr. Heather Spence is a marine biologist, musician, and composer based in Arlington, VA. Her research, featured by National Geographic and funded by the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on listening. With an MS in Marine Biology and a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, she pioneered the use of underwater recordings to monitor coral reefs in the Mexican Caribbean. She composes music that interprets field recordings by jamming with them and teaches this process in the online course Nature Music on Studio.com. She co-founded the Ocean Memory Project and Ocean World of Sound, initiatives that integrate across disciplines for community-based coastal conservation.

Priya Serai

Chief Information Officer at Zeus Fire and Security

Priya Serai is an award-winning techno-business leader with over two decades of experience in data, enterprise applications, and artificial intelligence. As the Chief Information Officer at Zeus Fire and Security, she spearheads cutting-edge innovations in AI, blending technology and business strategy to solve complex problems. A Wharton MBA graduate with an engineering background from Mumbai University, Priya has consistently broken barriers as a woman, an immigrant, and a leader in the tech industry.

Stella Dellamora, Ph.D.

Owner & Lead Activator at Seligo, Leadership Coach, Author, Athlete, Adventurer

Dr. Stella is a leadership coach, business executive, and founder of Seligo, a company dedicated to helping individuals and teams unlock their full potential by leveraging strengths and fostering trust. Along with her doctorate in Educational Leadership, Dr. Stella is a WHY Certified Coach through Simon Sinek’s The Optimism Company, a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and holds credentials from the International Coaching Federation. With her unique blend of expertise and experience, Dr. Stella empowers leaders to crush their goals, build resilient teams, and achieve lasting success. An accomplished triathlete (4 x Ironman), marathoner (3x qualifier for World Majors marathons: Chicago, New York, and Boston), and hiker (Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim in less than a day), she brings the same determination to her coaching as she does to scaling both literal and metaphorical summits.

Zalak Raval

Lawyer and Author

At 27, Zalak felt lost. A series of personal and professional failures stripped her back to the bone. She could not understand why her life felt so directionless and hollow. However, then a chance moment in a Denmark nightclub made the invisible – visible. The journey from that moment to a life following her passion inspired her to share her experience, helping others struggling with identity, direction, and discipline. She wrote her first book in 2024, ‘50 Shades of Shit: How to Unlearn and Re-wire our Unconscious’, a blend of philosophy, practical tools and painfully funny true stories. When she is not delving into unpacking the subconscious, Zalak practices Corporate Securities law as a Senior Associate at a law firm.