Thursday, May 10, 2012

TEDxDrexelU: Why Not Add Chocolate to Beer


Why Not....  is the theme for TEDxDrexelU on May 16, 2012.   I was invited to participate and immediately thought Why Not Add Chocolate to Beer.  

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to “Ideas worth Spreading.” It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, & Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. 

TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience (Ideas worth sharing). At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. 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.  

The outline of my TEDx talk:   Beer is one of the building blocks of civilization that spans across many continents and cultures. Created from grains that were cultivated and steeped, the first evidence of beer dates to the Neolithic (7000 BC). Join me as we fast forward 9000 years and explore the art of brewing and the state of the beer industry in the 20th and 21st century. Theobrama cacao (aka chocolate) also plays a significant role in civilization. Discovered in the New World when Montezuma introduced Cortes to xocolatl almost 500 years ago, today chocolate is consumed around the world, and is also an ingredient and flavor used in craft brewing. 

Here is the list of  TEDxDrexelU speakers and their Ideas Worth Spreading:

  1. Tyler Hartung:  Co-Founder and VP of Finance and Operations at The Unreasonable Institute, Why Not quit your job and become a server?  
  2. Nick Anselmo: Director of Theather at Drexel University,  Why Not engage in the dynamic world of theater? 
  3. Carla Diana: Associate Director of Interaction Design at Smart Design,  Bringing Objects to Life through Form, Code and Electronics 
  4. Bill Moggridge: Director at Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum,  Why Not change the world with design thinking? 
  5. Sebbie Buhler:  Beer Craft Adventurist,  Why Not add chocolate to beer? 
  6. Robb Armstrong: Cartoonist at GoComics.com,  Why Not go to work in your underwear like me? 
  7. Brian Robertson:  Co-Founder at HolacracyOne,   Why Not ditch bosses and distribute power? 
  8. Chelsea Briganti, Leigh Ann Tucker, Monica Bhatia and Ingrid Zweifel: From The Way We See The World, Why Not make the world the way you see it? 
  9. Dan Formosa:  Ph.DConsultant in Design,  Why Not admit there is a problem with math and music? (or why Pythagoras would have liked the cats in Nashville) 
  10. Marek Swoboda: Biomedical Researcher at Drexel University,  Democracy in science and technology. Why Not? 
  11. Jason Ingle:  Executive Director at Greener Partners,  Why Not fix our food system? 
  12. Russell Meddin:   Founder of Bike Share Philadelphia, Why Not bring Public Use Bicycling, bike-sharing, to Philadelphia? 
  13. Patrick McDonald:  Founding Partner of Onion Flats LLC, Jack 
  14. John Anderson Fry.  President of Drexel University Guest of Honor  

Tickets for TEDxDrexelU are available online. Follow these links for more details, posted on the  facebook page,  at the website TEDxDrexelU.com  and on the TEDxDrexelU blog.

Join me for the journey to TEDxDrexelU!



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