In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Milton Academy
170 Centre st.
Milton, Massachusetts, 02186
United States

Devan Agrawal

Devan Agrawal is a high school senior from Boston. His interests in music and cognitive science were amplified after seeing the effect music had on his grandmother’s Alzheimer’s disease. Since then, he’s co-led Milton’s Psychology Club and the Piece of Mind cognitive science magazine. At TEDx, he will explore music’s power from a neurological perspective and specifically explain how it can combat dementia. In his free time, Devan likes to swim, play squash, sing in his school’s a cappella group, and play spirited card games with his family.

Marisela Funes

Marisela Funes is a Spanish teacher from Tucumán, northwest Argentina, and went to high school, college, and graduate school in Illinois. She loves learning in all its dimensions, theories and environments. In her talk, she discusses the joy of unlocking texts and passions, and how our early lives imprint our ways of seeing and reading the world around us.

Rhia Patel

Rhia is a junior student from Sharon, MA who enjoys science and global health studies. In her talk, Rhia discusses the intersectionality between women’s education and healthcare. She is currently working on an interscholastic coalition called Free Period Talk to raise awareness on menstrual equity.

Ryan Farokhzad

Ryan Farokhzad is a senior student from Chestnut Hill who is passionate about Chemistry, Biology, and Psychology. In his TEDx talk, Ryan discusses how the connection between the mind and the body can be used to advance human health and better understand physiological responses.

Simon Farruqui

Simon Farruqui, a high school senior at Milton Academy, explores the intersection of policy, data, and storytelling to address critical global issues. Inspired by his family's immigrant journey from Bangladesh to the U.S., Simon investigates how narratives and policies shape public perception and action. His research, including a computational analysis of U.S. presidential speeches, reveals the polarizing rhetoric surrounding immigration, underscoring the need for empathetic communication.