Community is the heartbeat of innovation-the infrastructure of our shared humanity. First-generation Portuguese-American designer, technologist, and educator Ana Pinto da Silva explores how community shapes our ideas, learning, and leadership. Drawing on her personal story at the intersection of culture, identity, and innovation, Ana reveals how family and enduring bonds influence our sense of belonging. She celebrates the transformative power of community in fostering connection and creativity, emphasizing its critical role in this pivotal moment of our human story. Community is the heartbeat of innovation—the infrastructure of our shared humanity. First-generation Portuguese-American designer, technologist, and educator Ana Pinto da Silva explores how community shapes our ideas, learning, and leadership. Drawing on her personal story at the intersection of culture, identity, and innovation, Ana reveals how family and enduring bonds influence our sense of belonging. She celebrates the transformative power of community in fostering connection and creativity, emphasizing its critical role in this pivotal moment of our human story. 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

What leadership lessons can we learn from COVID, chaos, and crisis? This talk outlines experiences navigating a global pandemic, grappling with massive organizational mergers, and facing profound personal losses that reveal essential truths. Learn the vital importance of taking care of yourself so you can effectively lead and care for others. It stresses the necessity of being adaptable and flexible when confronted with life's challenges and chaotic situations. Most importantly, we must confront the stark reality that time is unforgiving, and understand the urgency of prioritizing loved ones and spending time wisely. This talk offers insights on finding your footing as you navigate life's uncharted waters, encouraging you to live your life, so life doesn't live you. Lieutenant General R. Scott Dingle was the 45th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Deputy Surgeon General and Deputy Commanding General (Support), U.S. Army Medical Command.His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (two Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (seven Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Commendation Medal (two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Humanitarian Service Medal, the Order of Military Medical Merit, Recruiters Medallion, the Order of Kentucky Colonels, the Army Surgeon General’s prestigious 9A Proficiency Designator, Expert Field Medical Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge. 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

Covid brought the importance of supply chain management to the forefront. Arjun's talk focuses on the importance of developing human capital capable of managing supply chains. He points out the fact that manufacturing has become very complicated due to worldwide sourcing of materials and we are at a place where simplification in the form of re-shoring is part of the solution to rising prices.References quoted in this talk: Slide 1: Statistics Canada. (2025, March 4). Annual retail trade, 2023. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250304/dq250304a-eng.htm World Bank. (Latest Year). Canada Trade Profile. Retrieved April 26, 2025, from https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/CAN/Year/LTST/Summarytext Slide 2: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). (2021, May). Removing the Ever Given from the Suez Canal is just the beginning. Retrieved from https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/article/2021/05/removing-the-ever-given-from-the-suez-canal-is-just-the-beginning Source: BBC News. (2021, March 29). Suez Canal: Ever Given ship freed after a week. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56559073 Arjun Kashetty is a professor, and supply chain expert. With over a decade of experience in logistics, supply chain management, and demand planning, Arjun has held key roles at organizations like Walmart, Sobeys, and The Home Depot. Arjun shares his industry expertise at Seneca and Durham Colleges, where he inspires the next generation of global business leaders through teaching and mentorship. 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

In this talk Corey, talks about generative AI and how user bias is being fed into the AI models. He suggests that we need a diverse population of users so that we can reduce bias. In addition, we need to use AI with intentionality in order to reduce bias. Corey compares training of AI models with raising a child. For the past 30 years, Corey Gill has advised multinationals, start-ups, and public sector organizations on navigating change and complexity. His expertise in managing multigenerational global workforces has given him unique insights into creating inclusive and engaging business environments. Corey’s journey with AI began when he recognized its potential to transform industries and lives. 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

What if changing the world starts with how we make people feel? In this love letter to hospitality, Laureal Boston shows how everyday moments of connection -laughter, recognition, belonging- can heal loneliness, spark community, and make us feel alive again. Laureal Boston is a hospitality veteran, creative soul, and advocate for human connection. Over the past two decades, she has spent more nights behind the bar than she can count — long enough to know that the secret to a great cocktail isn’t just balance, but belonging. Known for her love of real, honest moments, Laureal sees what many miss: the everyday magic that brings us back to each other. Her work explores connection as a radical, transformative force — the spark that turns surviving into thriving. Through storytelling, hospitality, and a deep belief in the power of small moments, Laureal invites us to reimagine how we show up for ourselves and each other. 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

What if failure isn't the end of the story, but the beginning of something extraordinary? In this inspiring talk, aerospace researcher Marwa Yacouti explores how unexpected challenges can spark breakthroughs. Drawing on personal experiences and iconic engineering moments like Apollo 13, she blends emotional storytelling with insights from high-stakes design and materials science to reveal how anomalies, the moments we often fear, can fuel creativity, resilience, and human potential. Marwa Yacouti is is a Ph.D. candidate in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, who helps make materials safer, smarter, and more reliable, especially when failure isn’t an option. Marwa uses advanced computational modeling and artificial intelligence to better understand and design high performance materials. Her research has led to breakthroughs in predicting stress and failure in complex composites, critical for industries like aerospace, where safety and precision are non-negotiable. Marwa’s journey spans three continents and multiple disciplines shaping her unique perspective on solving problems under pressure. Her work has been recognized nationally, earning her the Trailblazing Young Researcher Award from Caltech, the Rising Star in Computational and Data Sciences honor from the Oden Institute, and the IEEE Women in Computing Services Award. A passionate advocate for women in STEM, Marwa believes that innovation often begins with the unexpected. 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