The world-renowned TEDtalks mission will arrive in Red Bank on Saturday, May 10, for an all-day conference.
The all-day conference will offer attendees two-dozen live talks and performances that explore the surprising ways play benefits our lives. The event will be recorded live for a global audience and ticket sales are limited.
The talks will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Ave.
“As a facilitator of greater openness, tolerance, creativity and curiosity, the act of play is a positive and resourceful force at any age,” said Brian Smiga, executive director, TEDxNavesink. “Our speakers will share their engaging stories with an audience of 350 guests of all ages. The 24 talks will be accompanied by musical performances and artwork in various mediums. Prioritize your day, bring a friend and come play at TEDxNavesink 2014. For many, it’s a life-changing experience.”
Last year’s event featured several engaging speakers including Ben Kalina, who recently won the Sundance Sustainability Award for his film “Shored Up: When human nature and the force of Nature Collide.” Kalina described his experience at last year’s event as “powerful.
“Though I’ve watched dozens of Ted talks online and spent many hours prepping for my own talk at Navesink, I didn’t realize how powerful of an experience it would be until I’d stepped out on that stage and looked out at the audience,” Kalina said. “It’s something everyone should do, at least once.”
TEDxNavesink admission is $90 and includes reserved seating, swag bag, catered networking lunch and admission to an evening reception. Student discounts are available. Tickets are available for purchase at
www.tedxnavesink.com or at the Two River Theater box office.
TEDxNavesink is organized in partnership with the Monmouth County Arts Council and supported by nonprofit partners, media sponsors and financial contributors.
Those interested in becoming an event partner or sponsor, can visit the TEDxNavesink website.
TEDxNavesink held its first event at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft last September. TEDxNavesink: The Next Wave was a sold-out success featuring 24 live talks on the future of the Jersey Shore.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, live speakers combine with TEDTalks video to spark deep discussion and connection. These local events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event.
For those interested in applying to speak at TEDxNavesink, event organizers want to know, what are you playing at? Economics? Glass blowing? Neuroscience? Is play a driver for your work, your art? Did you use play to reinvent your career or create a new technology? Candidates interested in talking 5 to 18 minutes on their topic, inspired by play, are requested to submit proposals at www.tedxnavesink.com.
Speakers who have been confirmed for TEDxNavesink 2014 include:
- Poornima Vijayashanker, the founder of Femgineer, an education startup that provides tech professionals and engineers with skills to better themselves in product development, communication and leading teams.
- Mark Bekoff, a professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who is also a former Guggenheim Fellow and the author of “Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed.”
- Karl Kapp an expert in the convergence of learning, manufacturing and e-technology, is the author of “Gamification of Learning and Instruction” and “Winning E-Learning Proposals: The Art of Development and Delivery.” His talk is Playing to Learn.
- James M. Giunta, a hypnotist from Red Bank, conducts individual and group hypnotic sessions to help clients improve thoughts, emotions and behaviors.
- Peter Gray, research professor of psychology at Boston College, has conducted and published research in neuroendocrinology, developmental psychology, anthropology and education.
- Mark W. Moffett, an expert on tropical treetop exploration and the social behavior of ants and other animals, is a research associate at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
- Stanton Green is professor of anthropology and dean of the McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Monmouth University. His interests from Irish prehistory to baseball to educational reform use the concept of culture to understand how communities adapt, change, function and dysfunction. Green’s talk is Play Ball: The Anthropology of Baseball.
- Robyn Stratton-Berkessel specializes in participatory change methodologies in the field of organization and human development globally.
- Lois Holzman is the director of nonprofit East Side Institute and lead organizer of the biennial performing the world conferences. She travels the world to help create and support a new generation of play revolutionaries and is a pioneer of the “psychology of becoming,” which incorporates play, performance and practical philosophy to inspire lifelong human development through group creativity.
- Pat Rumbaugh is the founder of Takoma Plays and Let’s Play America, two groups that aim to help keep children physically active by organizing free events for children of all ages and helping communities develop play events, respectively.
