In this powerful talk, Dima Abu-Aridah, an architect, urban planner, and researcher, shares her personal journey and deep insights into the refugee experience, focusing on life in Zaatari Camp in Jordan. Drawing from her Palestinian heritage and her extensive research, Dima highlights the challenges refugees face, including restrictions on movement, limited resources, and the emotional toll of displacement. She emphasizes the resilience of refugees, showcasing how they creatively adapt their living spaces to reflect cultural and social needs. Through her work on "spatial (re)production," Dima advocates for designing refugee settlements that empower displaced people, fostering autonomy and dignity. This talk calls for a shift in how we view and design refugee camps, aiming for solutions that honor the humanity and agency of those affected by displacement. Dima Abu-Aridah is a Jordanian architect and a doctoral candidate at Penn State's Stuckeman School of Architecture. Recognized for her research on the design and spatial dynamics of refugee camps, Dima's work focuses on how displaced individuals reshape their environments to foster a sense of community and belonging. Her PhD dissertation, "Who Designs the Camp? The Spatial Reproduction of Refugee Camps," explores the interplay between spatial planning of camp spaces and the human ingenuity of refugees in adapting these spaces. Dima has been honored with Penn State’s Graduate School’s Alumni Association Dissertation Award in 2023 and the Graduate Student International Research Award in 2024 for her innovative contributions to understanding the intersection of design and displacement. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Finding balance in life, especially as a young person in the workplace, can be challenging. Justin Leusner shares his journey as a Gen Z entrepreneur and content creator through the Agency Axis, a tool that describes different tensions and balance in Life. Using the Agency Axis to reflect on the extremes he has experienced, he emphasizes the role of balance and reflection in one's life to avoid living in the extremes. Justin Leusner is a 22-year-old entrepreneur, storyteller, and follower of Jesus dedicated to addressing the Gen-Z mental health crisis through redemptive sports storytelling. As the visionary behind TDAY Sports, he leads a team of 30 creating Gen-Z-focused sports content that reaches hundreds of millions of fans monthly, earning 750 million views in just two years. Justin’s work uses the power of sports to share stories of resilience, hope, and purpose, inspiring a generation to find meaning beyond the digital chaos. A sought-after speaker, he has shared his insights at events like CreatorFest, UCLA Discovery Conference, and Youth Marketing Strategy in London and NYC. Featured on ABC, FOX, and CBS, Justin’s unique ability to connect, uplift, and motivate makes him a powerful voice in modern storytelling and a champion for positive change. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this inspiring talk, Dr. Michael McShane reflects on the legacy of his grandfather, "Chief Rob," and his guiding motto: "Know you’re right, then go ahead." Through stories of rural Pennsylvania, healthcare struggles, and community support, he explores how this simple yet powerful message encourages standing up for what you believe in and taking action. Drawing on his own work with the LION Mobile Clinic, a student-led initiative that provides healthcare and resources to underserved communities, the talk emphasizes the importance of collaboration, community spirit, and leveraging the power of Penn State to tackle the challenges facing rural America. This is a call to action for all Penn Staters to channel their collective strength and make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. Dr. Michael McShane is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Penn State College of Medicine. He is a clinician-educator that is passionate about improving the health and well-being of underserved communities. Dr. McShane is interested in the intersections of education, health systems, and sustainability. His research focuses on patient and community advocacy, ensuring their voices are heard when designing health solutions. He leads the LION Mobile Clinic, a student supported mobile effort to improve the health and well-being of the community. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this engaging talk, Laurel Pearson, a geneticist and faculty member at Penn State, invites us to reflect on the power of human connections. Through her personal experiences and innovative teaching, she explores how understanding our shared ancestry can bridge divides and foster empathy. Laurel discusses how, despite our differences, humans share 99.9% of our DNA, and how cultural and social connections help shape who we are. She also highlights the impact of technology on human interaction and challenges us to step away from digital disconnection by building real, meaningful relationships. This talk encourages us to reconnect with each other and appreciate the commonalities that unite us all. Laurel Pearson is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Anthropology at Penn State, she is also a member of the Liberal Arts Sustainability Council advisory committee. She received her BA in anthropology from Louisiana State University and PhD in genetics from Penn State. Her research interests include human variation, health disparities and her work centers greatly around anthropology and the holistic qualities of a liberal arts education to discuss our role in building a sustainable future. She lives in the village of Pine Grove Mills with her husband, daughter, two cats, a dog, and a few chickens where she enjoys gardening and cooking. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this insightful talk, Vikrant Sapkota, PhD candidate, in climate science explores three key strategies to tackle climate change and limit global warming to 1.5°C. The talk breaks down Plan A (cutting emissions), Plan B (Carbon Dioxide Removal), and Plan C (Sunlight Reflection Methods, with a focus on Stratospheric Aerosol Injection). While Plan C offers a potential short-term solution to cool the planet, the speaker highlights the need for more research and careful consideration of its risks and ethical concerns. The talk emphasizes the importance of not relying solely on quick fixes and prioritizing long-term climate action, including aggressive emissions reductions. ikrant Sapkota is a dual-title PhD candidate in Climate Science and Meteorology at Penn State University, specializing in leveraging observational datasets and climate models to understand uncertainties in future climate change projections. He serves as the Vice President of the Science Policy Society at Penn State and represented the university as the graduate student delegate at COP28, the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. Vikrant has also worked as a Graduate High-Performance Computing Consultant, where he assisted departments across Penn State with their software and programming needs. He was awarded the Graduate Research Innovation Award from the Joint Fire Science Program and the Best Poster Award at the 2024 National Science Policy Symposium. He is deeply interested in the intersection of climate, public policy, and technology, with a focus on exploring innovative solutions like sunlight reflection methods to address climate change. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Through his personal experiences with loneliness and isolation, Rian discusses his journey to find a community and how everyone can find connectedness in the modern world. Seeing loneliness not a series of personal failures, but rather a society–level disconnect from the understanding that people need each other, provides a foundation for building connections. Rian Griffin, a senior at Penn State studying civil engineering, is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. Upon graduation, Rian will join Kiewit, a construction company, where he’ll be involved in a variety of projects from maintaining bridges in New York to developing tunnel systems in Baltimore. His passion for civil engineering stems from its practicality. He appreciates how civil engineers positively impact everyday life, from the water we drink to the roofs we sleep under. He enjoys city biking and kayaking in his free time and is also a Young Life Leader at Penn State, where he works to transform how students in the State College area perceive community. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Giorgio Corti shares his personal journey and reflection on the idea that the most important part of an action is its effects, not the motivation behind it. As a former Youth Mayor, he discusses how taking action and creating positive change is good for the world, no matter the motivations behind it – selfish, altruistic, or otherwise. Giorgio Corti grew up in a small town close to Lake Como, Italy and moved alone to the United States in 2020 for an exchange program with his high school. He graduated in 2021 from Hopkinton High School in Massachusetts and decided to attend Penn State in August 2021. He is majoring in Management B.S. with a concentration in Finance and is a member of the Schreyer Honors College, where he is currently working on his final thesis. After graduation he would like to continue working in the investment banking industry but plans on first pursuing an MBA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx