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).

Carlton Union Building
421 N. Woodland Blvd
2nd Floor
DeLand, Florida, 32723
United States

Alaa Zaid

Fulbright Scholar at Stetson Unviersity

Alaa Zaid is a 2020 Egyptian Muslim graduate of the Faculty of Languages, Literature, and Simultaneous Interpretation at Al Azhar University, further enriched by her diploma and pre-master’s studies in Written Translation and Simultaneous Interpretation from Ain Shams University. Driven by a passion for cross-cultural exchange and genuine connection, she embarked on a transformative journey in August 2024 as a Fulbright Scholar and Arabic Language Teaching Assistant at Stetson University. Drawing on her diverse background as a teaching assistant, five years of teaching English as a second language, and two years as an Arabic-English translator and interpreter, Alaa is committed to bridging cultural divides through meaningful dialogue and understanding. Her work as a translator and interpreter has given her a different perspective, allowing her to see both worlds firsthand and experience the richness of both cultures.

Jessa Ward

Student at Stetson University

Jessa Ward has witnessed firsthand the power of community engagement during her studies in the learning community cultivated at the Quanta Honors College at Daytona State College. A passion further cultivated through her studies at Stetson University and the school’s Bonner Program, she believes that collaborative problem-solving and the influence of a community can create real change in each community member’s life and in the culture we share. As she continues to engage and serve her own local community, Jessa is dedicated to helping her generation find ways to live for something bigger than themselves, and maybe find out who they really are and who they want to be along the way.

Jill Jinks

esearch Fellow in the Generative Learning and Complexity Lab in the College of Education at the University of Georgia

Dr. Jill Jinks is a Research Fellow in the Generative Learning and Complexity Lab in the College of Education at the University of Georgia. Jill’s research focuses on informal and incidental learning as theorized by Drs Karen Watkins and Victoria Marsick. Jill graduated from the Stetson University Business School in 1979. She received her MBA from New York University in 1986. She received and MS from Georgia State University in Computer Information Systems. After stepping aside from her role as CEO of a family insurance and technology business, she continued her formal education. In 2018, she received a MEd from University of Georgia in Instructional Design. She was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in 2022 from UGA’s Mary Frances Early College of Education.

Lou Pavek

Research Assistant at University of Florida

Lou Pavek was born in Edina, Minnesota, and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. She graduated summa cum laude from Stetson University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. While at Stetson, she was introduced to research after serving as a Research Assistant on multiple projects with Dr. Garcia and Dr. Eskenazi in the Psychology Department. In her senior year, Lou later served as the first-ever Research Coordinator for Stetson’s Brain Fitness Academy and conducted a research project that, like this talk, studies productivity. Outside of psychology, Lou was involved in FOCUS Orientation, Student Ambassadors, and more. Since graduation, Lou has been a Research Assistant for Dr. Woods and Dr. Gullett at the University of Florida’s Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory. Lou has also volunteered as a crisis counselor, peer reviewer, and assistant at Gainesville’s Civic Media Center.

Noel Vincente

Student at Stetson University

Noel Vicente, a Stetson student from Brazil, advocates for queer rights and equity in education, shaped by personal experiences of discrimination in a conservative military school. He founded Mentoria Piloto, a free mentorship program helping low-income, mostly queer students from northeastern Brazil access competitive international programs with $40,000 in scholarships and now works with Volusia Pride to empower youth in queer advocacy. Through their experiences, Noel emphasizes the need for public policy reform to create safer and more inclusive educational environments for queer students, especially in light of growing anti-LGBTQ+ policies worldwide.

Paul Croce

Retired Faculty Member at Stetson University

While serving as a Professor of History and American Studies at Stetson University, Dr. Paul Croce taught about deep values differences. His first book sets William James in contexts of modern declining certainties, and Young James Thinking presents him developing capacities to learn across differences. He has worked across disciplines and audiences to disseminate his inquiries and to increase his own understanding, including with presentation of the 2020 History of Psychology Russell Lecture at the APA on Learning from Disagreements and recently on James and political change for the American Journal of Theology and Philosophy. Now retired from over three decades of teaching in the academic classroom, he has been lighting out for the territory where academia and public concerns meet. His work in The Public Classroom brings together the depth of scholarship with the breadth of teaching to enrich public discussion by encouraging listening across differences.