FOLLOW THIS: Alex Bandar
Convergence at the Columbus Idea Foundry: Values in Action
[by Kendra Hovey]
If you were at the last TEDxColumbus, you might remember Alex Bandar, the “visionary, metallurgist, connector” in the black jumpsuit determined to revive the lost art of making. In his talk, Bandar shared the big idea of the Columbus Idea Foundry (CIF) and his big dream to put it on wheels, park it at a high school and begin to transform American education and, along the way, American thinking, industry and innovation.
But the Idea Foundry is about more than a big idea. As the name suggests, lots of ideas come out of CIF, and in all sorts of sizes. One that Bandar had been bandying about—along with cohorts David and Carrie Chew—became a reality last March. A new conversation community with follow-up built-in, Convergence, as the realized idea is called, is a touch TEDx, but a bit more Kickstarter meets American Idol meets Royal Society of London (minus the wigs…sadly). The event is open to the public and due to repeat every three months or so. The purpose is to converge to examine “theories, struggles, and possibilities” for projects and then make those projects financially doable (by actually laying money on the table) and accountable, as well as, potentially continually supported (by following-up at the next Convergence).
There are some guidelines: The project must be “deemed bigger than a single person”; it should be “group-oriented so that members and potential members can learn beyond their expertise”; and the winner must report back on “how the project went, what worked, what didn’t, and what can be learned.”
The very first Convergence was held on March 1st at the Foundry—just off 5th Ave., where Corrugated Way meets Mobility. With the support of Turnstone and TEDxColumbus, the evening started and ended with tours, presentations, food and general socializing. In the middle, three Foundry members shared their projects. Then, the 100 or so in attendance had the opportunity to vote with their dollars. On the table that night: about $700 (an additional $600 or so was raised for the Cougar Robotics Team, a local high school robotics club).
Of the three projects presented…
- A plan by steam-engine enthusiast Chip Rosenblum to build a dual-gauge train track.
- A LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) upgrade for Ethan Dicks’ “tourbot” (a remote-controlled camera, microphone and monitor).
- And, from event co-founder and co-organizer David Chew, a kinetic blue tree sculpture to be made of various sized pipes, possibly with “flame effects,” and to be outfitted with tree-dwelling creatures that could be controlled with switches and bellows by the audience.
…the win goes to…the kinetic blue tree sculpture.
Kendra Hovey is editor and head writer at Follow This. On Twitter @KendraHovey, she blogs at kendrahovey.com
FOLLOW THIS: Dr. Jennifer Shine Dyer
EndoGoddess Evolution
[by Kendra Hovey]
Meditate, laugh, spend time with friends, eat salmon, sit less, and get your Vitamin D. This prescription doesn’t sound so bad; it might even be fun. Yet, many of us struggle to follow even simple health habits. But what if doctor’s orders are not so fun—what if they’re, in fact, a big fat drag? And what if you’re a teenager, your friends aren’t having to do it, and slacking off may not get you into real trouble until the ancient age of 30?
For those who live with it, “#diabetes sucks.” At the very least, the lifelong daily regimen to stay healthy is challenging. Denial is tempting, more so for teenagers. Pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Jen Shine Dyer gets this. She also gets the very real consequences—disability, early death. So to help her patients follow doctor’s orders, she “met them where they’re at”—she texted them. And it worked.
Dyer shared her texting experiment at the 2010 TEDxColumbus, where she also unveiled her prototype EndoGoddess app that would enable other doctors to offer similar automated, yet personal, patient support with presumably similar positive results.
So a year and a half later, is her hypothesis true, “is texting good health?” The answer seems to be yes…and no. Dr. Dyer has learned a lot since then. Her idea has evolved. So has she.
So what has she learned? Small personal bursts of physician support get powerful results, but that power begins to dim after about three months. The text and the personal relationship behind it was a trigger, but for a sustained effect, two more things were needed: motivation and literacy. Her evolved version of the EndoGoddess app has all three. When users check blood sugar levels regularly, they get points (eventually to be used as credit at the iTunes Store). Along with this “gamefication” motivation, the app also includes educational and inspirational information and it connects users to online diabetes communities—an increasingly essential source of social support and “real-time empathy.”
Another change: this app is for the patient, not the doctor. “The patients are already looking,” she says, “they are ready for change.” The switch did come with a compromise. Instead of just being texting-capable, users now need a smartphone, or an iPod Touch—a popular device among teens.
Dyer’s original inspiration is not exactly lost; it just comes through the backdoor. Because it can be used to log every blood sugar check, the app functions as a manifest of the often unseen but difficult day-to-day work diabetes demands. This can be enlightening to family and friends, who then may become more supportive. Also as family and friends contribute to the user’s iTunes account, they can become more invested, connected and educated. Or, as Dyer puts it, “When Grandma puts in $5, she might be more likely to say ‘I’m proud of you.’”
Immediately following TEDxColumbus, Dyer was inundated with offers to develop the app. She ignored every one, but then, after six months, decided to partner with the Columbus start-up Duet Health. “We’re on the same page,” she says. Released last fall, the 99-cent app has been downloaded over 500 times, and has a 4+ rating.
And why, exactly, is it called the EndoGoddess? Patients typically refer to their endocrinologists as “my Endo.” One of Dyer’s, a young girl who approved of her doctor’s fashion sense, took to calling Dyer “my EndoGoddess.” The nickname is also Dyer’s online identity.
Asked if the name might be a barrier for some, Dyer shares that half of all users are male. Though she makes the point that they are, like her, early adopters: “As a group, we’re not the most usual bunch of people.”
The next major evolution for the EndoGoddess app will be the integration of a medical device—the glucometer. Likely, this won’t be available until 2013, as it will need FDA approval. For now, Dyer has a clinical trial to run. “I’m a numbers person,” she says, “the field of mobile health is exciting, but as a doctor what I care about is that it improves health care, and we need to have a measure of that.” The 3-month self-funded trial is set to begin this month. She hopes to also run a longer trial, but has bumped into the problem that perplexes many providers of mobile and online content: funding.
On hiatus from practicing medicine, Dyer’s been doing a lot of travelling and talking. At SXSW in March and a D.C. conference in April, in late May she is off to Paris to present at Doctors 2.0 (over the winter there was even a TV audition). A doctor when she spoke at TEDxColumbus, Dyer is now also a tech entrepreneur and mHealth pioneer. As such, she has a frontline perspective on new mobile health solutions. Follow This will continue to follow her, especially as new policies and patient-centered incentives are due to go into effect. It’s going to get interesting, she predicts, and exciting and, she says, “good for patients.”
Kendra Hovey is editor and head writer at Follow This. On Twitter @KendraHovey, she blogs at kendrahovey.com
Oh what a month! Thank you Columbus!
In the last month, we’ve hosted a myriad of TEDx events in Columbus. Here’s a quick re-cap to summarize them – and showing what a vibrant, curious, inspired city we have that is supporting and growing each one.
Our signature event, TEDxColumbus, featured 18 speakers and performers (above: Susan Willeke, Jamie Greene and Rose Smith) on stage at COSI on 11.11.11. You can watch all of the speaker’s videos here, or get a glimpse of the full day from still images here. They all celebrated a “Moment in Time,” and did so beautifully.
We had a record turnout of nearly 600 attendees, that’s double where we started two years ago when we hosted the first event at the Wexner center with 300 attendees. Check out this dynamic gallery at COSI!
We were supported these amazing corporate and community partners: resource interactive, The Columbus Foundation, Barnes and Thornburg, The Limited Brands, Alliance Data, The Ohio State University, and GSW Worldwide. Support from WOSU, COSI and a host of other in-kind donations made the event possible.
We had a unique and very special partnership with LOTH/ STEELCASE / TURNSTONE to outfit the event gallery for our two days of events (see TEDxYouth below). The feedback on our event was so spectacular in part thanks to the great furniture and environment they helped to build for us. We were delighted they could carry through our dream!
The day before TEDxColumbus, we hosted TEDxYouth@Columbus also at COSI, where 18 speakers and performers also took the stage and inspired an audience of nearly 150 high schoolers. Curators Andy Aichele and Christian Long were aided by community volunteers who were also mentors in the afternoon, the day-long event turned out to be a needed and inspired addition to our TEDx line-up. And the kids had a blast, too.
After we cleaned up from TEDxColumbus and TEDxYouth@Columbus, on December 1, for the second year in a row, The Columbus Foundation hosted a livestream of TEDxWomen, a national TEDx event that was broadcast from LA and NY. Over 60 women joined us for the viewing and lots of great conversation between riveting talks. See an additional story here from our live speakers Maryanna Klatt and Theresa Flores who joined us with their TEDxColumbus talks at lunch.
And for us, we closed out the month with a webinar featuring our own InsideOut Project along side TEDx organizers from Aviero, Portgual, Manchester, NH and Athens, Greece. I have been hosting some of these webinars for two years now – bringing together knowledge and experience for TEDx organizers around the world. This one was pretty special as we had JR, the artist and recipient of the TED Prize and Amy Novogratz, join us to discuss InsideOut. The webinar will be linked here when it’s live.
All in all, the community has had an exhilarating month – thanks to everyone who’s helped to make these great moments possible!
My Favorite TED Talk: John Lowe
I loved Niall Ferguson’s talk on The Great Divergence, which he titled, “The 6 Killer Apps of Prosperity.”
He posits what has led to Western prosperity and explains why those advantages have or are eroding. “It is our generation that is witnessing the end of Western predominance,” he says, and provides data to back it up. It is a great, brief look at macro changes through the eyes of a historian.
John Lowe
CEO
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
2011 Speakers and Performers Revealed
We’re thrilled to announce the 2011 TEDxColumbus line up. After many months of nominations, interviews, conversations and research, the list is complete.
“The heart-and-soul of a TEDx event is the passion, talent, data, perspective and determination that comes through in every talk. This year at TEDxColumbus the speakers and performers will offer a delicate balance of primary research, unbelievable life journeys, fascinating analyses and overall, really big ideas that will stretch every mind in the room.” said Ruth Milligan, Event Curator. “Everyone is assured to walk away with their own personal time capsule of experience and knowledge.”
In alphabetical order, those who will present include:
Alex Bandar- Visionary, Metallurgist, Connector
For a guy that doesn’t sleep much, Alex has an amazingly coherent vision for the world. Concerned with the death of “shop,” his vision for bringing a “maker” experience to the students in Columbus is only one part of his story. He’ll share how that vision is informed by his morning, noon and night passion (yes, different than his day job), where he’s quietly built one of the most dynamic collaboratives of engineers, artists and tinkerers in the region.
Mark Berman- Naturalist, Educator, Entomologist
Who cares about the bug? Mark does. And thinks you should too. He’ll bring a unique lens to the two, four or ten legged creatures that in his opinion, can bring you perspective and maybe in return, a little respect.
David Burns- Innovator, Antagonist, Educator, Father
The pathway that David took to being a pioneer in the STEM/ 21st Century Learning Movement is a fascinating journey. But what this leader knows about education makes him question: is education system viable anymore? He’ll uncover his own trepidation on this topic, fueled both by the irrelevant standards he faces in his daily work but also by the challenges of his three teenaged, college-contemplating children and how this impacts them.
Mike Figliuolo - Traveler, Teacher, Entrepreneur
While travel creates great stress and anxiety for many, some find it an amazing set of moments that illustrate the human condition. Today Mike will share a different angle on his journeys and the interesting places they have taken him – and now, all of us.
Theresa Flores- Warrior, Vigilante, Advocate
Theresa’s passionate advocacy for one of the most vulnerable segments of our society is inspired by her own horrifying experience. As she introduces you to a world far beyond your mind’s reach, she’ll show it can really be found next door. And how one answer to it all might be found in a tiny bar of soap.
Jamie Greene- Planner, Architect, Collaborator
As our city has a moment in time as it turns 200 next year, Jamie will help guide hundreds of initiatives, events, promotions, exhibits, books and more into a year-long, collective commemoration. But at the heart of it all, we’re curious, why does it matter? In a brief reflection, Jamie will bring clarity to this question and inspire us to join in the movement.
Denny Griffith- Artist, Administrator, Visionary
Most creative individuals end up with more than one persona in life. How do they support, conflict and interact with each other? Denny will reveal his vulnerable insights from years searching for the balance between his public and private personas.
Claudia Kirsch- Radiologist, Artist, Pioneer
Claudia spends her life looking for hitchhikers, the kind that take ‘free rides’ along your nerves carrying cancer. Through her blend of science and a little art, she’s redefining how radiologists look at the most congested traffic site in our bodies: the head and neck. Her discoveries will inspire and may someday even save your life.
Maryanna Klatt- Researcher, Yogi, Teacher
The impact of chronic stress on our health, productivity, and overall wellbeing can be catastrophic. But how do you reduce it without adding one more thing to your life? Maryanna will reveal from her significant research initiatives that learning stress reduction techniques within the very ecosystem where we spend our days may be the most viable solution.
Dirk Knemeyer- Provocateur, Entrepreneur, Thinker
Dirk argues humanity took a wrong turn, but is getting close to finding its way again. After centuries of industrial production in inhuman ways and scales we now have the opportunity to turn our substantial capacity for remaking the world toward the most promising and unexplored of frontiers: ourselves. Dirk challenges us to view the future through the lens of the self.
Randy Nelson - Professor, Neuroscientist, Researcher
Dr. Nelson has a deep curiosity about the dark side of light at night. His research will reveal that our passion for electrification has more complex consequences than can meet the sleeping eye.
Bart Overly- Futurist, Architect, Thinker
As our population rapidly ages and lives much longer, how so might the habitats we have constructed for our comforts adapt to this change? A global review of attitudes towards this longevity crisis (or opportunity) might enlighten design and development’s reaction towards it. As a student of architecture, Bart will share his perspectives on this ever dynamic and somewhat troubling dilemma.
Janet Parrott- Filmmaker, Storyteller, Professor
The exploration of hospice was not one that Janet had planned to take, but found herself in South Africa doing just that. As a filmmaker, Janet was equipped with tools to tell the story of a very different approach to what we embrace in America as hospice, but challenged by the pathway that took her there, having lost many personal friends to HIV/AIDS herself. Janet will reveal the struggle that ensues when the creator becomes a part of the creation.
The Salty Caramels- Musical gumbo
With a suitcase bass drum, cast-iron skillet, heavy-gage chain and a musical saw as ingredients in their “musical gumbo”, you’d expect for the Salty Caramels to stand out, and that’s exactly what they do.
Adam Smith- Multi-Instrumentalist, Composer
His passion for fusing his Film and TV music experience, jazz idioms, art installations and free-improvised directions creates an extremely unique landscape for the adventurous musician and listener.
Rose Smith – Poet
One of our many shared ‘moments’ at TEDxColumbus, Rose will delight us with her provocative poetry and engaging delivery.
Trent Tipple - Survivor, Father, Scientist
In a touching reflection on the fragility of our existence, Trent will question our ability to truly appreciate what life has offered. He should know, he’s faced his own mortality three times. And fortunately for his family, his patients and the world, he’s here to openly share that appreciation of his own.
Susan Willeke – Ethicist, Teacher, Steward
We’re told to keep an open mind, so why would Susan argue that we need some bias in our lives? As an ethics trainer, she will compel you to recognize why your bias is helpful in keeping some societal order, but on occasion, how it drags us into some of our most regrettable mistakes.
Favorite TED Talk: Christian Adams
Deciding on which TED speech is my favorite and why is tough because anybody invited to speak at a TED conference is already a great speaker and authority in their specific field. The thing that separates a TED conference is to learn about something you wouldn’t otherwise be taking the time to learn about. It is this gift of human imagination that TED celebrates and why I chose the speech that I did. Sir Ken Robinson’s 2006 speech on how schools kill creativity, and the most downloaded TED video on YouTube, is at the core of everything I believe in as the son of a retired high school social studies teacher. It is subject matter that affects every single human being living on this planet today and in the very near future, yet most of us take for granted. “Everybody has an interest in education, and it goes deep with people like we do religion, and money. Creativity is important to everything we do. Education is meant to take us into this future that we can’t grasp.”
Christian Adams
Principal & Chief Creative Officer
Sigma Creative
Inside Out
A unique public art project is emerging in Columbus…
Columbus: Inside Out. Inspired by worldwide public artist and photographer JR, Columbus is adapting its own version of this provocative initiative showcasing distinctive portraits of local citizens.
If you’d like to be featured in Columbus: Inside Out, join us on for a 10 minute photo session September 17 anytime from 10am – 12pm at COSI. Seven local photographers organized by George C. Anderson will be taking portraits of up to 150 Columbus residents to be included in the project. The city-wide installation of the project is being coordinated by Wonderland and will be unveiled in early November.
For more information, email tedxcolumbus@gmail.com. No pre-registration is necessary to participate in the photo session; a release will need be signed at the time of photography. All ages are welcome.
For more information:
My Favorite Talk: Kim Kiehl
I use TED talks as teaching tools for my classes at Ohio State, as “intellectual background noise” when I am working in my office, and as food for my brain on a regular basis so choosing my favorite was tough.
Truth be told, the favorite I chose today would probably be different on another day, in another mood, with other things going on in my life, but that’s the beauty of TED. On this day, in this mood, and with what is going on in my life now, I chose Emily Pilloton’s talk Teaching Design for Change.
I totally love her story about how education is being used as “a vehicle for community change” in the small rural towns of Bertie County, North Carolina. I love the systems thinking throughout this whole talk and I so agree with what she calls “the power of a small story.” I love how this talk gets my students, most of whom are planning to be teachers, excited about the possibilities of that profession. But mostly I love this talk because it gives me hope for a different kind of education system in this country, one that puts learning and children at the forefront instead of teaching and testing.
Guest blogger: Kimberlee L. Kiehl, Ph.D.
COSI
Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer
One more week…
We are still accepting speaker nominations for our “A Moment in Time” event on 11.11.11. Nominations are open through the end of next week (August 5). If you know anyone with an idea worth spreading, please let us know.
To view past speakers, click here.
We’ve got a riveting mix coming together with lots of surprises to create “A Moment in Time” you will never forget!
TEDGlobal viewing event
Join us for one full day of viewing TEDGlobal The Stuff of Life. Wednesday, July 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. (see full schedule below). Columbus College of Art & Design has generously agreed to host this free viewing event in the Canzani Center’s Multi-Purpose Room (2nd floor).
Live from Edinburgh, Scotland, TEDGlobal is one of TED‘s primary conferences taking place this year. With speakers from all over the world and topics ranging from Bodies to Future Billions, these talks are sure to open your eyes and expand your thinking.
Due to the time difference, we wanted everyone to be aware of OUR schedule of how we will broadcast the talks (click the session name for a complete list of speakers). In other words, don’t try to use the TED schedule to know who is speaking when. We’ll do this with a combination of live and 3-hour tape delayed broadcasts:
8:30 – 10:15 a.m.: Session: Future Billions
10:15 a.m – noon: Session: Dark Side
Noon – 1:00 p.m.: Lunch Break
1:00 – 2:15 p.m.:Session: Bodies
2:30- 3:45 p.m.: Session: Emerging Order
You are welcome to join us for any part of the day, but we encourage you to stay for at least one whole session. There is no fee to attend but we would love to know that you are planning to stop by for part or all of the day – let us know by clicking here.
Special thanks to Denny Griffith and Ron Saks at CCAD for opening your doors and space to us, again. We are grateful for your ongoing partnership!