TEDxSHSU 2026 To Promote Human Connection

Presented by senior health science student Amari March, this talk uses the science of neuroplasticity as a lens for understanding how experiences can shape the way people think, respond and grow. March explores the tension between holding on to the familiar and exploring the unknown, encouraging listeners to re-evaluate how they approach change in their lives. By helping attendees perceive past challenges as character-developing moments, she presents her hopeful take on a person's ability to adapt, evolve and begin again.

Erin Owens, a professor in the Newton Gresham Library, draws on her 19+ years of information literacy and access promotion experience to present on the potential repercussions of being influenced by the algorithms that dictate the time, manner and type of content media users of all kinds are exposed to. Among her talking points is highlighting the ways that algorithms can create and feed into echo chambers for users, limiting their ability to understand points of view differing from their own.

Arwyn Phoenix Swanger, a disability advocate, public speaker, neurodiversity inclusion professional and employee in the SHSU School of Nursing, presents a message of hope in the face of adversity. Drawing on her personal experiences overcoming trauma, addiction, disability, domestic violence, homelessness, long COVID and losing custody of her son, Swanger aims to encourage audiences to remain true to themselves and remember their inner strength when faced with challenges in life.

Forensic Science Ph.D. candidate and former crime scene investigator in South Korea, Daye Kim breaks down how a person's fear of judgment can lead them to self-isolation. As an investigator whose most impactful case was not a homicide but a freeze-frame of someone who had been detached from the world for too long, Kim encourages audiences to remember that a well-timed message can change a life.

In her talk on redefining control, Kiara L. Green, an SHSU psychology graduate who is now studying social work at the University of Houston, explores what people do when life refuses to go according to plan. After suffering a seizure and being diagnosed with epilepsy, Green found she was no longer guaranteed control over her own body, but has persevered by recognizing what has remained within her control. In her discussion, she encourages guests to become more comfortable with uncertainty and to remain in their power by choosing how they move ahead in uncharted territory.

Jeffrey A. Gardner, an associate professor of Sociology at SHSU and researcher of the ways people connect and divide from one another, will lean on his research experience with the Maya-Mam, an Indigenous nation living along the Guatemala-Mexico border, to examine the symbolic boundaries that separate cultures. On top of this, he will break down the divide between researcher and participant, further encouraging listeners to be aware of the subtle, invisible lines that have shaped their lives. Ultimately, he wants the audience to consider the possibilities presented when those lines are questioned, crossed and reimagined.

In a talk centered on the long-term effects of students being defined by their challenges instead of being recognized for their strengths, Jacqueline Moreno wants attendees to consider the subliminal messages embedded in their daily conversations. The former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst, current professional school counselor and student in SHSU's counselor education doctoral program uses anecdotes of students navigating labels, discipline and belonging to demonstrate how asking "What's already working?" as opposed to focusing on what's wrong can influence a person's social behavior.

In a talk dedicated to reclaiming one's values through self-advocacy, Chelsea K. Smith relays her powerful discovery of the concept of mini-protests. Attendees will see Smith, the dean of students and assistant vice president for Student Affairs, present a four-step method for reasserting boundaries and bucking conformity through small, intentional, value-based actions.

Telling the hidden story behind encrypted Internet of Things (IoT) data, digital and forensic science doctoral candidate Juli Dutta brings her passion for putting cybersecurity concepts into lay terms to help people better understand the technology they rely on. In her talk, Dutta explores how the timing, size, direction and frequency of network traffic can create trackable patterns that external parties can follow as a person goes about their life in a home connected with virtual assistants. Aiming to educate, Dutta presents ways individuals can help reduce privacy risks while taking full advantage of the convenience a smart home offers.

Ashley Love is bringing over two decades' worth of experience in professional theatre, higher education, arts administration and corporate technology to share how leaders can create conditions that unlock their employees' best work. Love lays out how a person's environment influences their willingness to take risks, contribute ideas, collaborate and remain connected under pressure, emphasizing the importance of strong leadership in shaping these environments. Focusing on a framework of clarity, choice, curiosity and repair, Love encourages leaders to intentionally create environments that bring out a person's strengths as opposed to simply demanding more from employees.

Having had to say "no" to someone she loved who was struggling, Kristyn Stillwell knows that while it is incredibly tough to do, sometimes the most compassionate thing one can say is "no." In the 25 years she has spent working with unhoused people, Stillwell has learned to make a greater impact by denying quick-fix, feel-good help and remaining focused on the steps needed to create real, lasting change in people's lives. Through this approach, which is employed at HOPE Haven, the non-profit she founded in 2015, Stillwell and her team have helped more than 1,700 people transition off the streets with a long-term success rate rarely seen in the field. By imparting this wisdom to TEDxSHSU patrons, she aims to encourage even more people to say, "no," even when it's hard, and remain focused on finding pathways to long-term stability. 

An avid adventurer, Lara Patterson, associate director of camps and outdoors for SHSU Campus Recreation, encourages attendees to get out of their comfort zones. Knowing this can sometimes lead to a "suckfest," experiences that may feel awful in the moment but lead to some of life's most exhilarating and learning-filled moments - Patterson pushes people to embrace the awkward. In doing so, she opens viewers' minds to see the challenges as character-developing opportunities instead of irritants.