Newsroom

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University will host TEDxOregonStateU, a conference featuring a series of short talks on the theme of disruption, on Thursday, Feb. 12, on the Corvallis campus.

Speakers include a producer of the television show "Xploration Outerspace;" a winner of the fashion design competition "Project Runway;" a former war correspondent; an information technology executive; and an Oregon State student involved in cancer research.

TEDx events feature talks, demonstrations or performances that foster learning, inspiration and wonder. They are independently organized events in the style of the TED conference. This is the second TEDx event to be held at OSU. This year's event is being organized by OSU students Aaron LaVigne and Dustin Fernandes and recent alumnus Vinay Bikkina.

The speakers, who will all touch on aspects of the theme, disruption, are:

• Emily Calandrelli: A co-producer and host of FOX's new show, "Xploration Outer Space," she works to promote scientific literacy and women in science, technology, engineering and math, and she is passionate about technology policy, entrepreneurship, open innovation, space exploration. A former NASA employee, Calandrelli holds a master's degree in aerospace engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
• David Edelstein: He is senior vice president of global programs at Grameen Foundation and director of the Grameen Foundation Technology Center. Edelstein previously worked at Microsoft, where he designed a flexible financing model to enable people in developing countries to afford their first computers and led efforts to implement this new business model in several countries.
• Hanson Hosein: He is the director of the communication leadership graduate program at the University of Washington and president of HRH Media Group. A former NBC News war correspondent, backpack journalist and investigative producer, Hosein is the recipient of several prestigious awards in the media industry.
• Michelle Lesniak: She is the season 11 winner of "Project Runway," and is known for her strong design sense and quick wit. She is dedicated to local manufacturing and ethical business practices and is playing a key role in shaping and growing the Portland fashion industry.
• Matthew Kaiser: Kaiser is an undergraduate student at OSU, working toward an honors degree in microbiology and minors in Spanish, chemistry and toxicology. He is a fellow in the Linus Pauling Institute's Cancer Chemoprevention Program and is preparing a manuscript on vitamin C and cancer.

The event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. in the LaSells Stewart Center, 875 S.W. 26th St. Tickets are $20, or $15 for students. Tickets and additional information are available online at www.oregonstate.edu/TEDxOregonStateU. Follow the event on Twitter: @TEDxOregonState; Instagram: TEDxOregonStateU; or on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/TEDxOregonStateU.

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 organization devoted to ideas worth spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman. Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDTalks or on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/TED.