TEDxFIU surprises guests with ‘Unexpected Discoveries’

Gabriel Seiglie/Contributing Writer

From mutant mosquitos to arranged marriages, this year’s TEDxFIU conference was truly full of “Unexpected Discoveries” for everyone.

For five years, the FIU community has hosted TEDxFIU conferences, designed to bring together the best and brightest of various fields to share their passions with others. This year’s conference was titled “Unexpected Discoveries,” and each of the nine presenters brought to the stage an insight they themselves could not predict.

The night started with aquatic ecologist, Evelyn Gaiser, who shared her discovery about lake temperatures and how they could be transformed into music. Developmental psychologist Lindsay C. Malloy shared findings on the psychological influences of the justice system on minors, and proposed reform to better protect vulnerable individuals.

Julie Colombino, founder and CEO of REBUILD globally, shared her experience working in Haïti after the 2010 earthquakes and how it inspired her to create jobs worldwide. Geneticist Matthew DeGennaro then described his work with mosquito genetics and how his labs aim to create a repellent to protect people from disease-carrying mosquitos.

However, not all speakers at this year’s TEDxFIU conference discussed their research in their talk.

Omar Durrani, a financial analyst who also runs Mister Omar’s Chess Academy in Pembroke Pines, shared his journey of finding love through an arranged marriage.

“I think people will walk away with new perspectives … with new stories and insights from different people that can progressively arm their mental acuity,” Durrani said. “I would hope that after this talk, the audience would look and see how different cultures, their ways of doing things are very unique and there are reasons behind it, and to look for the good within that.”

Other presenters shared similar hopes in their talks. Women’s rights advocate Valerina Chikoti-Bandua shared her history of seeking refuge from Angola and her passion for protecting underprivileged women and children of underprivileged worldwide. Spoken word artist Christopher James shared one of his pieces on taking shortcuts and how that robs individuals of true success.

FIU President Mark Rosenberg was also in attendance at this year’s conference, and discussed what makes TED talks riveting.

“The brilliance. The creativity. The interest in here in the University in the thoughtfulness that is demonstrated by our speakers. I mean this is a happening – this is something that people wanna be at. And so, it gives me and it encourages me that the life of the mind is alive here at FIU,” he said.

Rosenberg also expressed his hopes that attendees of the conference would be inspired to think out of the box and pursue their passions.

The night ended with Tony Succar, the same musician who opened the first TEDxFIU conference in 2012 with his Michael Jackson tribute, celebrating the event’s fifth anniversary with a lively sample of Afro-Peruvian music.