NORMAN - TEDxOU 2015 will feature ideas and stories that inspire action and innovation across boundaries, outside of comfort zones and in unexplored territory at its fourth annual conference on Jan. 23, 2015. Creative, thoughtful, curious students and community members will gather at the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Meacham Auditorium for a full day of talks from experts and advocates at the University of Oklahoma’s own independently organized TED conference. Applications for ticket reservations are open now at tedxou.com.  

“The theme for TEDxOU 2015 is ‘Off the Map’ to encourage attendees and speakers to ignore paper lines and think about how they can break out of the norm,” said Alyssa Boutelle, TEDxOU speaker curator and fellow at OU’s Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth. “The TEDxOU stage is a place to pose questions and ideas that challenge our usual ways of thinking.”

While the talks are the pillars of the conference, attendees, comprised of half students and half faculty, staff, and community members, will have opportunities to contribute and build in real and tangible ways at this year’s conference breakout sessions. The OU Innovation Hub will debut a maker space filled tools, demos, and examples of innovative products and devices. Inspiration and encouragement for this creativity will spring from this year’s speakers, who include:

·         Allen Hertzke, associate professor in OU’s Political Science Department and associate scholar at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs

·         Jenny Rogers, executive director of Cavett Kids Foundation in Oklahoma City

·         Lucy Mahaffey, OU student and founder of OU’s “Off the Market” Symposium

·         Rodney Brazil, co-founder of Next Stage Theatre in Oklahoma City

·         Hollie Hawkins, pediatric nurse at Fostering Hope of Tulsa

·         Gen. John Long, Retired Army Major General and OU College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors member

More speakers will be announced in the weeks leading up to the conference on tedxou.com, including more OU student speakers.

“The TEDxOU 2015 Student Speakers include some of OU’s best and brightest talent. Topics will range from human trafficking, to math and movement, to slam poetry,” said Susan Moring, TEDxOU Student Speaker Curator and CCEW Fellow.

Over the past three years, talks and performances from TEDxOU have been viewed more than 990,000 times and engaged live audiences of more than 300 people.

TEDxOU is supported by the OU Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth, OU Student Affairs, Sooner Launch Pad Accelerator, the OneU Store, and OU Innovation Hub. For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to info@tedxou.com.

Tickets to TEDxOU are $100 for non-students and $27 for OU Students. For information and to apply for tickets, visit tedxou.com/tickets.