Coding the algorithm for achieving your goals | Priya Serai | TEDxGeorgeMasonUg
What if your life came preloaded with a script you didn't write? In this bold and inspiring TEDx talk, award-winning CIO and AI leader Priya Serai shares how she broke free from the algorithm she was handed as a girl growing up in India—and rewrote a new one rooted in purpose. Blending real-life stories from coding failures to karate lessons, Priya unpacks the three core elements that power a meaningful life: discipline as the framework, passion as the compass, and purpose as the output. With heart, humor, and hard-earned insight, she invites you to question the outdated rules you've been following and gives you permission to debug, pivot, and redefine your path. Because slipping out of hands? That's not rebellion. That's growth. If you've ever felt stuck in someone else's story—this talk is for you. If you're chasing dreams or facing detours—this is your playbook. And if you're ready to rewrite your own algorithm—start here. 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. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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- 17:10Does free will exist? | Christian List | TEDxTUMDo we genuinely possess free will, or are our actions dictated by the laws of nature? In his insightful talk, Christian List, a Professor of Philosophy at LMU, delves into the intricate debate between free will and determinism. He navigates the scientific challenges to the concept of free will, exploring everything from deterministic physics to the randomness found in quantum mechanics. List thoughtfully considers whether our ability to make choices can truly exist alongside a scientific perspective. By drawing on examples from social sciences and everyday experiences, he argues that science has not disproven free will; instead, it serves as a crucial framework for understanding human behavior.Chair and Co-Director of the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy. As a professor of philosophy at LMU Munich, Christian’s groundbreaking work explores decision theory, free will, and collective rationality.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 17:02How hustle culture suppresses our identity | Lou Pavek | TEDxStetsonUWhile hustle culture promises success to hard-working people, this chase for success often results in constant fight or flight, hindering people from thinking about their needs and goals through limited time and energy. This speaker addresses how hustle culture can impede people’s abilities to truly understand themselves through three components: burnout, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. 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. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 14:51From queer censorship to education | Noel Vincente | TEDxStetsonUGrowing up in Brazil, this speaker shares the impact that anti-queer culture and inspirational queer advocates had on their youth. From these experiences, this talk will explore the action and change led by a teenager in Brazil. 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. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 18:00A Whole New World: The Magic of Saying Yes to the Unknown | Alaa Zaid | TEDxStetsonUWhat does it mean to enter into a new environment where everything is unknown? Explore this experience as our speaker explores a Whole New World when entering the United States for the first time as a Fulbright Scholar. 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. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 20:09Justice in UK legal System | Adin Miller | TEDxWellington College HZ YouthBlack and ethnic minority groups (BAME) suffer from systemic bias at every stage from juvenile justice to prison sentencing: Black people make up 3% of the population but 12% of prisons; they are 10 times more likely to be stopped and checked than white people, and receive longer sentences for similar crimes. This injustice stems from historical racial stereotypes, negative media narratives, and a lack of diverse representation in the judiciary. Professor Adin proposed solutions: acknowledge systemic problems, promote self-reflection to eliminate implicit bias, and significantly increase minority representation in the justice system. He emphasized that true justice requires breaking the myth of "equal treatment", facing up to the structural difficulties faced by different groups, and achieving substantive fairness through institutional reconstruction. as This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 7:12From blind spots to focus: Controlling what you can see | Alexia Sotomayor | TEDxSaintAndrewsSchoolIn this talk, Alexia Sotomayor challenges the way we perceive limitations. She shares how growing up with unilateral vision and navigating setbacks in her Olympic Journey taught her that seeing differently can turn obstacles into opportunities and redefine success. Alexia is a competitive swimmer from Peru and a senior at Saint Andrew’s School, where she is a Residential Life Student. She has spent the past three years training at the highest level while balancing academics and life away from home. Born with unilateral vision, she has to navigate the challenges of depth perception and limited peripheral sight both in and out of the pool. Outside of the water, she has a deep passion for storytelling and loves music and art, perceiving them as different ways to see everything. She is always looking for new ways to challenge her perspective and understanding of the world. She joined TEDx because she believes in the power of ideas to create change and wanted to share her journey of overcoming mental and physical barriers beyond what the eye can see. Through her talk, she hopes to inspire others to rethink how they define success and recognize that sometimes, the biggest obstacles aren’t the ones we can’t see, but the ones we refuse to. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
