USM School of Leadership Seeks Dynamic Speakers for TEDxSouthern Miss
Mon, 04/14/2025 - 09:54am | By: Gabriela Shinskie
The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) School of Leadership is excited to announce a call for speakers for TEDxSouthern Miss, set to take place in October, at the Fleming Education Center on the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach. Applications to speak at the event are now open, with the selection committee beginning reviews on May 7.
TEDxSouthern Miss is an independently organized TEDx event hosted by USM’s School of Leadership. Dedicated to the spirit of “ideas worth spreading,” TEDxSouthern Miss seeks dynamic and thought-provoking speakers passionate about innovation, leadership, and addressing critical issues related to the coastal environment and the Blue Economy—a key driver of coastal communities along the Gulf Coast and beyond.
“TEDxSouthern Miss is a powerful platform to spotlight the Blue Economy as both an engine of innovation and a cornerstone of life along the Gulf Coast. By elevating voices from our community and beyond, we aim to inspire bold ideas that drive sustainable growth and strengthen the future of our coastal region,” said Dr. Jacob Breland, director of the School of Leadership.
The Blue Economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources to drive economic growth, create jobs, support workforce development and enhance the well-being of coastal communities. Key sectors include aquaculture and fisheries, coastal tourism, shipping and port operations, national security, and coastal resilience.
Along the Gulf Coast, the Blue Economy plays a crucial role in enhancing regional quality of life and economic vitality. It fuels job creation and opens doors to expanding career pathways. Nationally, employment in coastal-related industries is expected to outpace average job growth over the next decade, underscoring the Blue Economy’s significance for workforce development and long-term regional prosperity.
Selected speakers will have the opportunity to present their ideas on a global platform, contributing to the TEDx mission of spreading powerful ideas. Talks should be engaging, original, and rooted in expertise or lived experience.
Those interested in speaking at TEDxSouthern Miss can click here to apply. For questions or more information, please contact the TEDxSouthern Miss team. Organizations or individuals interested in sponsoring TEDxSouthern Miss can also email the School of Leadership for additional details.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized
events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event,
TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection.
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 (subject to certain rules and regulations).
About TED
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and
spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful
change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of
knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture
who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite
everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.