Coming Fall 2016: TED Talks Focused on Sustainability, Technology

In March, senior Arjumand Alvi headed a committee to obtain a license to bring TED Talks to campus. According to Alvi, these talks will be occurring in the Fall Semester of 2016. There are already several community members scheduled to come in and speak.

Alvi believes that bringing TED Talks to campus is important to aspiring engineers.

“I wanted to bring a conversation to campus. A discussion that can change people’s perspectives. I think that bringing TED Talks to campus would really start a conversation, not just around sustainability issues, but also around other diverse issues,” Alvi said.

“It is amazing to have Mines host a highly intellectual event. It really shows a progression in the Mines’ community,” Sophomore Nic Rummel said.

The hope is to impact students by making them think and start a conversation that will allow students to form, alter, and improve their perspectives of future technology and its implications.

“These talks will initiate a conversation that is talking about tomorrow’s engineer [and] tomorrow’s society. I think the experience is going to be very valuable,” Alvi said.

With the power of technology, engineers have the ability to dramatically change the future of society. TED Talks are meant to expose students to diverse perspectives.

Alvi looks forward to the first TED Talk in the Fall of 2016 and hopes that the annual license will be renewed next year.

However, she is graduating; creating demand for a student, or board of students, to continue bringing TED Talks to campus.

Alvi plans to continue support of this initiative after graduation but needs help from campus members. If you are interested in becoming involved, send her an email at  aalvi@mines.edu.