TEDx University of Mississippi Presents Purpose and Potential

This year's event theme is Purpose and Potential, said Meredith Anderson, a junior English major from Canton, Georgia, and assistant chief-of-staff for the TEDx University of Mississippi student organization.

"We have six speakers to spark conversation about breakthroughs in drug delivery, the sober curious movement, inspirations for biomedical design, intercultural communication and more," Anderson said.

The event is free, but tickets are required. Visit the group's website to secure a ticket.

The TEDx Art Gallery opens in the Ford Center lobby at 6:15 p.m., and The Mississippians jazz ensemble will perform at 6:30. Speakers and additional entertainment will take the stage from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The audience is invited to meet the speakers after the presentations.

This year's speakers are:

Hannah Allen, executive director of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing and a UM assistant professor of public health. Allen's research is dedicated to better understanding how mental health and substance use affect achievement among adolescents and young adults. Her talk will explore shifts toward sober curious behaviors among college students.

Harrison Lee, a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion. He completed his doctorate in 2024 at Baylor University. Lee's research focuses on normative and applied ethics with an emphasis on biomedical ethics. His talk will explore the ethics of a new and controversial method of organ donation.

Kylie Wright, CEO and founder of Mosse Medical LLC, an Ole Miss alumna and graduate student at the Baylor College of Medicine. She is a resident in orthotics and prosthetics at Shriner's Children's Hospital in Spokane, Washington. Wright will share the story of her calling to make life easier, one limb at a time.

Muftiat Oyindamola Adeyi, a UM doctoral candidate in English, graduate instructor and writing consultant. Adeyi's work emphasizes narratives of womanhood within African and African diasporic texts, bringing visibility to Africana voices in global literature. Inspired by her research, her TEDx talk will challenge perceptions of accent and language as measures of intelligence, promoting the acceptance of linguistic diversity and cultural expression through linguistic plurality.

Eden E.L. Tanner, UM assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry. After completing her undergraduate degree in advanced science at the University of New South Wales in Australia, Tanner earned her doctorate in physical and theoretical chemistry at the University of Oxford, then moved to Harvard University in 2017 as a postdoctoral research fellow. The Tanner Lab works at the interface of chemistry and bioengineering with a focus on solving problems in nanoparticle drug delivery.

Shonna Tillman, a public policy expert with a background in rural government, community and economic development, and women's representation in political positions. She holds a doctorate in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University. Tillman's research focuses on the intersection of race, gender and politics, particularly the motivations and challenges faced by Black women in political leadership roles.

The event is organized by TEDx University of Mississippi, a registered student organization. Student members manage everything from speaker selection to marketing, working with Kate Hooper, lecturer in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric and a TED-licensed organizer, to produce the annual event.

"In February, we will be celebrating 10 years of success," said Morgan McCann, a senior linguistics and interdisciplinary studies major from Huntsville, Alabama, and the organization's president. "We invite all past organizers, speakers, members and sponsors to join us for recognition at the event."

The group is supported by student activity fees and the Office of the Provost, College of Liberal Arts, School of Engineering, Department of Writing and Rhetoric, Croft Institute for International Studies, and Division of Access, Opportunity and Community Engagement.

To support TEDx University of Mississippi, click here. Follow TEDxUnivMS on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

For assistance related to a disability, contact Morgan McCann at tedx@olemiss.edu by Feb. 11.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

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, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. 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.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.

TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TEDEd) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED's many programs and initiatives.

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Top: A speaker explains a concept during the 2018 TEDx University of Mississippi event, which aims to present 'ideas worth spreading.' Six speakers are slated for this year's 10th anniversary event, set for Feb. 18 at the Ford Center. Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services