Here’s the speaker lineup for the inaugural TEDxPhoenix 2009 event which is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 6th, 2009 from 6pm to 9pm at the Mesa Arts Center (tickets can be purchased here).

« TEDxPhoenix 2009 Speaker Lineup »

Dr. Charles P. Gerba

Professor, Colleges of Public Health and Agriculture
University of Arizona

There’s a good chance that your keyboard and carpet are dirtier than your toilet seat, and if you don’t believe us, then just ask microbes and germ expert Dr. Charles P. Gerba. Dr. Gerba has the ultimate dirty job as he conducts research on the process by which germs get passed between people, places, and objects. His research has not only led to articles in the The Washington Post and media appearances on Good Morning America, Today, and Dateline, but it has also led to the development of new disinfectants and drinking water treatment processes. So the next time you’re wondering about what is being done to keep you and your loved ones safe from the next outbreak, just remember that Dr. Gerba is probably already working on it.

Website: SWES Faculty Page

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Faridodin “Fredi” Lajvardi

Instructor, Phoenix Union High School

Did you ever hear the underdog story about the Carl Hayden High School students that beat MIT en route to winning a national underwater robotics competition? If so, then you’ve heard about Fredi Lajvardi’s amazing team of high school students that unexpectedly beat several of the nations top engineering schools in the MATE National ROV Championships. Not only is Fredi an inspirational mentor and teacher, but he is also the the co-founder of APASE (Arizona Promotors of Applied Science in Education) and a major influence in extracurricular STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) education in Arizona. Fredi has been a teacher in the Phoenix Union High School District For over 20 years and currently teaches Marine Science at Carl Hayden High School.

Website: Arizona Promoters of Applied Science in Education

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Dr. Simone Gorete Machado

Professor, University of São Paulo

Dr. Machado began her music studies at the age of twelve in her hometown of Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil, and won her first piano competition at the age of 15. She has performed throughout Brazil, Chile, and the United States and has been mentored by acclaimed pianist Roberto Bravo and internationally renowned composer Camargo Guarnieri. Her latest project included a joint presentation of music and science with Dr. Scott Saleska at the Biosphere2, which led to her receiving the University of Arizona’s Artist in Residence title.

 

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Dr. Jane Maienschein

Professor of Biology, School of Life Sciences
Arizona State University

Needless to say, growing up near the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and having a nuclear physicist as a parent certainly influenced Dr. Maienschein’s choice to become a scientist. She hasn’t taken a standard teaching approach though, as her first course offerings merged engineering and humanities which eventually gave way to classes that taught the histories of science, biology and medicine. Ultimately, Dr. Maienschein believes that her experimentation in education is all about promoting discovery and really learning to think critically about the world. In 2007, she received the President’s Professor award, which is among the highest honors for faculty excellence.

Website: ASU School of Life Sciences Faculty Page

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Greg Peterson

Founder, The Urban Farm & Your Guide To Green

Greg Peterson is no stranger to sustainability — actually, he has been living a ‘green’ lifestyle before ‘green’ was even a buzzword. He has been recognized locally as a visionary in green living and sustainability and his goal is to “inspire people into their own greenness”, which he does by living green and sharing his ideas with the public every day. In December of 2006, Greg completed his Masters Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning, merging academics with his 34+ years of real-world self study to develop a cohesive, green-living conversation throughout the community.

Website: Your Guide To Green
Twitter: @YourGuide2Green

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Dr. Scott Saleska

Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Arizona

Dr. Scott Saleska is an assistant professor in the University of Arizona’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary biology. He is also the director of Amazon-PIRE (Partnership for International Research and Education), a National Science Foundation-funded program that is a collaborative effort of North and South American scientists studying the future of Amazon forests. His research has not only helped scientists better understand the interactions between the Amazon forests and climate change, but it was also critical in helping the first case on global Climate Change to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Website: University of Arizona Faculty Page

 

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We’re always on the lookout for individuals who have great ideas worth sharing, so if you know someone who embodies the TED spirit and would make a great speaker at TEDxPhoenix, then please nominate them by visiting the TEDxPhoenix Speaker Nomination Page.