2022 TEDxSHSU

Inaugural TEDxSHSU – 2022

2022 TEDxSHSU Flickr Gallery

• Theme

  TEDxSHSU 2022 Theme: Journeys

  Our TEDxSHSU theme for 2022 is Journeys, inspired by the Journeys Seminar Series in the SHSU Honors College and the spirit of TED. What these spaces seek to do is share a variety of diverse experiences and perspectives to help us all on our individual and collective journeys. What can we learn from the journeys of others? How can we rethink, reshape, and repurpose our own journeys? What and who do we need on our journeys? What does it take to start and sustain a journey?

  Before we can answer these questions, let’s think about a seemingly simple question: What is a journey?

  You might envision a trip, vacation, or travel to a destination near or far from home. How do we get there? Where do we stay? What places do we visit? What do we experience? What do we learn?

  Physical movement across space is one way to think of a journey, but it is not the only way. We might envision the journey we go on through a great story - in a book, a movie, a documentary. Or perhaps through music - the ways a song can transport us back in time, or into another world. Maybe we think of the journey a poem can take us on, through the precise and erudite use of language. We might journey into and through artscapes - paintings, sculptures, mosaics, architectural wonders. What about nature? How can we think about a visit to the park, the forest, the lake, river, creek, iceberg, desert, or ocean as a space of journeying? What can these journeys teach us?

  Our life experiences are also journeys. Each day opens new spaces for exploration of our paths forward and opportunities to overcome challenges set before us. We may journey through highlands and lowlands in life - the great journeys of accomplishment; the painful journeys of loss, setback, and disappointment. Along the way, we sojourn with others - fellow travelers on this journey of life - who support us, guide us, redirect us, challenge us.

  Part of a journey is setting a goal, looking ahead to the future we envision for ourselves, our society, and our world. We are all journeying into an unknowable future. We have competing visions of how to get there, but we all know we are on a journey that will lead us somewhere. How do we plan for these journeys? What agency do we have, and when do we have to let go and trust the process - that the road, path, river, or airstream will take us where we need to go?

  Each of the TEDxSHSU Talks featured this year centers a form of journeying - through the personal, professional, visionary, reflective spaces that journeys take us. The speakers will inspire our thinking and impact our individual and collective journeys in ways we might not yet anticipate. So, join us as we journey into a world of ideas worth spreading at TEDxSHSU 2022.

• 2022 TEDxSHSU Talks
  Sebastian Aguirre
  The Conversation We Shouldn’t Leave Until the End

  Sebastian Aguirre is originally from Chicago, Illinois. He now lives in Texas and is currently a student at Sam Houston State University, working towards a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Finance. His interest in money, wealth management, and investments started when he was young. However, it really took off when he first attended SHSU. Sebastian’s professors, family, and friends have inspired him so much and have encouraged him to pursue this field of work. Sebastian is an active member in the Investments Club and the Banking & Finance Club at SHSU. When not at school studying, Sebastian likes to give a hand at the Houston Food Bank, helping distribute food to fellow Houstonians. When at home, he loves to read self-help books to help him grow as a person. 

  Ranchel Alvarado
  Not Mexican Enough and Not American Enough: Bicultural Identity Struggles

  Ranchel Alvarado was born and raised in Houston and is currently a student at SHSU. She is passionate about helping others and has always intended for her profession to involve her helping others. Ranchel is majoring in criminal justice and minoring in human services, although her career path will be different from the conventional criminal justice route. Ranchel plans to pursue a master's degree in social work or counseling as it allows her to serve people, which she has always wanted to do, and remain connected to the criminal justice system. Ranchel proudly serves as the Co-President of the Honors Student Advisory Council, which represents Sam Houston’s Honors College, among many other campus organizations. A fun fact about her is that her name was not planned; it was a happy accident, and while her name is written as Ranchel, it is pronounced as Rachel.

  Natalie D. Baker, Ph.D.
  Hellscapes: What Popular Culture and Politics Get Wrong About Crises

  Dr. Natalie D. Baker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Security Studies in the College of Criminal Justice at SHSU. Her primary research focus is on the importance of social order and the re-establishment of a sense of normalcy within crises and disrupted contexts. Past cases have included Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, the 2014 Ebola situation in the U.S., the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change. Her current focus is on challenging common myths about how people understand human behavior in disaster and how this is problematic for management practices. She also researches interpersonal crisis (e.g. PTSD) from the perspective of U.S. military veterans, as well as alternative forms of governance. Recent examples of the latter are criminal gangs in Brazil (e.g., the Red Command) and journalist murders in Mexico. 

  Gabrielle Butler
  Why Failure = Success in Your Garden 

  Gabrielle Butler is a neurodivergent Black woman whose Christian faith guides her life and interests. 

  Gabrielle is an honors student (Plant and Soil Science major) at Sam Houston State University. She has completed three internships and is an active member in the Plant and Soil Sciences Club and Soul Lifters Organization. She enjoys learning about new plants, experimenting with growing methods, and working in her parents’ backyard garden. She plans to run a small landscape design firm and later a community-based agricultural co-op.  Her life dream is to own a sustainable farm, somewhere warm and sunny, that can feed her family and community.  

  As a multi-passionate creator, Gabrielle is always trying new hobbies, learning new artistic skills, and expressing herself through cooking, baking, and flower arranging. Her favorite flowers are Magnolias, Ranunculus, and Carnations. She can’t wait to be her family’s florist for weddings and other events. 

  Christine Cardinal, J.D.
  Health Care Heartbreaks

  Dr. Christine Cardinal joined the faculty at Sam Houston State University in 2016. She earned a Master of Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center and a Juris Doctorate from Texas A&M School of Law. She has been a member in good standing of the Texas Bar since 2008, specializing in health law and employment law. Dr. Cardinal serves as the Interim Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the College of Health Sciences and teaches in the Population Health Department. Her research focuses on applying evidence-based scientific research to improve health policies, laws, and regulations to better serve and protect vulnerable populations.

  Peter Cooper, Ph.D.
  Service from the Ground Up

  Dr. Peter Cooper is a retired SHSU faculty member and Huntsville resident since 1997. After 46 years in secondary and higher education and a career that took him from his native England across the globe, and finally to Texas, he traded an office for a field and a computer for a shovel. Peter is the founder and president of Sustain Huntsville, a Texas and federally-recognized nonprofit organization that supports those in need. When he’s not planting, weeding, harvesting, or delivering food, he spends his time recruiting for the organization and walking his dogs.

  Ulan Dakeev, Ph.D.
  Development of AR and VR Tools for Student Engagement in Higher Education

  Dr. Ulan Dakeev is an Engineering Technology Professor at Sam Houston State University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering at International Black Sea University in Tbilisi, Georgia, and his Master of Science in Industrial Management and a Ph.D. in Technology at the University of Northern Iowa. Prior to joining SHSU, Ulan worked as a design engineer at John Deere; taught math and computer classes at the high school level; taught engineering at the University of Michigan – Flint and Texas A&M University – Kingsville; and earned a Mastering Design Thinking designation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His areas of research include virtual and augmented reality, quality in higher education, and motivation and engagement of students and employees. 

  Kathleen Gilbert, Ed.D.
  Food for Thought: The Intersecting Identities of College Student Food Insecurity

  Dr. Kathleen Gilbert currently serves as director of the Food Pantry at Sam Houston State University. In August 2021, she received her Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Sam Houston State University, completing her dissertation entitled, College Student Perspectives of Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Photo-Elicitation Narrative Inquiry. Kathleen was awarded the Staff Excellence and Keys of Excellence Awards during the 2020-2021 academic year for her work and service to the university. Kathleen actively serves on the Houston Food Bank Partner Advisory Committee for the university and surrounding communities. 

  Blaire Kunard
  Money is Complicated

  Blaire Kunard is originally from Galveston, Texas. Blaire is a Fashion Merchandising major with a minor in Marketing. She is currently a Product Development intern for Fossil Group in Dallas, where she researches trends, orders product samples, and creates collection proposals. Blaire’s internship is helping her decide what she would like to do upon graduating. Some of her hobbies are traveling, camping, rock climbing, and playing guitar. Blaire does her best to do something she loves for an hour a day no matter what. She thinks with life being so busy, it is easy to get wrapped up in work or school. It is very important to Blaire that she enrich her time on this earth doing things she loves with the people she loves.

  Jeffrey L. Littlejohn, Ph.D.
  Lynching and its Legacy in Texas

  Jeffrey L. Littlejohn serves as Professor of History at Sam Houston State University. A native of Dallas, Texas, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University and an MA and PhD from the University of Arkansas. Littlejohn is the co-author of three books: Elusive Equality: Desegregation and Resegregation in Norfolk's Public Schools (2012); The Enemy Within Never Did Without: German and Japanese Prisoners of War at Camp Huntsville, Texas, 1942-1945 (2015); and, The Seedtime, the Work, and the Harvest: New Perspectives on the Black Freedom Struggle in America (2018). He also directs a number of digital history projects including Lynching in Texas, East Texas History, The Underground Railroad in Virginia, The Brown Decision in Norfolk, Virginia, and Democracy and Diversity in Walker County, Texas. His work has been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Virginia Humanities, Humanities Texas, Sam Houston State University, and other organizations.

  Lea Moore
  The Importance of Being Proud

  Lea Moore is a senior at Sam Houston State University with an academic focus in 4^th -8^th grade core Education. Lea is a proud member of SHSU’s Honors College and the event coordinator for the College of Education’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Council. Originally from Houston, Texas, Lea enjoys photography, shopping, and feeding her two Hermit Crabs, Eugene and Sebastian. Lea is passionate about the power of education and hopes to return to Houston to teach in the Houston Independent School District. Lea’s inspiration is the author and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou, as Angelou has motivated her to feel comfortable in her own skin. Lea’s goal as a future educator is to allow for all students to be able to feel comfortable in their own skin.

  Aneika Simmons, Ph.D.
  Building a Burnout Resistant Campus

  Dr. Simmons is a Full Professor at Sam Houston State University, where she serves as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the College of Business Administration and a Faculty Senator. In 2021, she served as a Faculty Administrative Fellow with the Office of the Provost. She completed her doctorate in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources at Texas A&M University. Previously, she worked for Accenture and Cap Gemini Ernst and Young as a technology consultant. She also has a Master’s degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Houston and an undergraduate degree from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests are related to creativity, diversity, fairness, and leadership. Her research appears in journals including the Journal of Applied Psychology and Academy of Management Perspectives. She is also frequently asked to give workshops and talks on burnout at conferences around the world.

• Sponsors and Partners

  Sponsor

  TEDxSHSU is sponsored by the Elliott T. Bowers Honors College. Thank you for your generous support!

  

  For more information about the Honors College, visit https://www.shsu.edu/academics/honors/.

  Partners

  TEDxSHSU is also grateful to the many partners who have helped to make this event possible.

  Division of Academic Affairs
   College of Arts & Media
    Department of Mass Communication
    Department of Theatre & Musical Theatre
   The Graduate School
  
  Division of Student Affairs
   Lowman Student Center
  
  Division of University Advancement
   Marketing and Communications
  
  theXLway Photography

• 2022 TEDxSHSU Team

  TEDxSHSU Faculty Organizing Team

  Renée Gravois, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor of Marketing
  College of Business Administration

  Paul Eaton, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor of Educational Leadership
  College of Education

  Stephanie Bluth, Ph.D.
  Director, Graduate Student Success, The Graduate School, and
  Clinical Adjunct, Victim Services Management, College of Criminal Justice

  TEDxSHSU Honors College Team

  Kimberly Bell, Ph.D.
  Dean, Elliott T. Bowers Honors College
  Professor of English

  Patrick J. Lewis, Ph.D.
  Associate Dean, Elliott T. Bowers Honors College
  Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

  Connie Rodriguez
  Administrative Coordinator, Elliott T. Bowers Honors College 

  Abigail Roberson
  Administrative Associate II, Elliott T. Bowers Honors College