Faculty and students shared some “ideas worth spreading” during TEDxFGCU, an event streamed and recorded for online replay at WGCU Public Media studios.
“A Crash Course in Changing the World,” “Ponds of Southwest Florida: Ticking Time Bombs” and “Killing the Textbook” were among the thought-provoking topics discussed by the eight speakers chosen to present at TEDxFGCU, whose videos can all be found on YouTube.
In this talk, Martha Rosenthal, professor of neuroscience and physiology, explores the societal norms of gender and challenges viewers to reconsider their perspectives. She holds a doctorate in neuroscience from UCLA, a master’s in neuropharmacology from Brown University and bachelor’s in biology from the University of Virginia.
Dr. Rosenthal’s creative approach to teaching FGCU’s “Biology of Human Sexuality” course was featured in Pinnacle magazine. Her research interests include human sexuality, drugs and behavior, human physiology and neuroscience. She is currently writing a textbook on drugs, society and behavior to be published by Oxford University Press.
TED is a nonprofit organization (slogan: “Ideas worth spreading”) that started in 1984 as an international conference centered on technology, entertainment and design — or TED. Since then, its scope has broadened to include TEDx programs, which are independently planned local events, and TEDTalks, online videos of the programs. The latter is a sort of digital clearinghouse of free knowledge and inspiration from innovative thinkers such as Apple founder Steve Jobs (“How to Live Before You Die”), “Eat, Pray, Love” author Elizabeth Gilbert (“Nurturing Creativity”) and motivational speaker Tony Robbins (“Why We Do What We Do”).
Often used in classrooms, the 10- to 20-minute videos are effective at reaching today’s tech-savvy students. Besides technology, entertainment and design, topics can include business, science and global issues.
The university held its first TEDxFGCU in 2011.