TEDxUGA 2015: Student Idea Showcase
TEDxUGA Student Presenters are chosen annually through the TEDxUGA Student Idea Showcase. Though the following students were not selected to present at TEDxUGA, their talks demonstrate outstanding qualities and embody true, original ideas worth sharing.
Saureh Askarian
Saureh Askarian, originally from Marietta, GA, is graduating in May 2015 with a degree in Public Relations from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Communication Studies and a pre-law emphasis. During her time at UGA, Saureh has served in a plethora of organizations, serving on the minor executive board of Sigma Kappa, the President of The Motivational Club, the GLOBIS- Verona, Italy study abroad program and also as a Director of Promotions for TEDxUGA. In addition to school, a part-time job, internships, and extracurriculars, Saureh has pursued her interest in fashion by interning for BCBGMAXAZRIA, as well as working New York Fashion Week several times. Following graduation, Saureh hopes to expand upon her travels and work in a field that encompasses her love and passion for other people and progression!
Maya Baumeister
Maya Baumeister is a third year Horticulture major, minoring in Nutrition Science, and earning certificates in Organic Agriculture and Local Food Systems. She is currently service chair and historian for the horticulture club, and a radio DJ for WUOG 90.5 fm. She has been awarded an undergraduate research grant from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and is exploring the relationship between soil fungi and plant growth in organic greenhouse vegetables. Her passion resides in sustainable, local food systems and human nutrition. She believes that we are what we eat, and that health and wellbeing are related to the material we consume. Maya feels there is much to be learned from our autotroph allies in the plant kingdom, and that nurturing this relationship can reveal a deeply meaningful and satisfying life.
Adrian Pickar
Adrian Pickar is a graduating PhD student in the department of Infectious Diseases. She began her virology training in an Ebola lab at the United States Army Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) while completing her B.S. in Biology at the University of Richmond. Her research project focused on developing an assay to test cytokine levels of patients in Africa. Adrian’s passion for virology brought her to UGA, where her doctoral research focuses on mumps virus replication and ways to improve and test mumps vaccine candidates. Learning about the controversial history of mumps vaccination with the fraudulent claims of an association between the MMR vaccine and autism opened Adrian’s eyes to the need for better science communication between experts in the field and the public. She is looking forward to sharing this story and working towards her goal of enhancing science awareness within the community.
Malcolm Barnard
Malcolm Barnard is a Ramsey Scholar and freshman at the University of Georgia majoring in Ecology with a focus on water resources. Malcolm grew up spending his summers on Tybee Island, Georgia, developing a deep love for water and conservation. He volunteers for the Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project and serves as a student ambassador for the National Wildlife Federation. He participates in Science Olympiad and Roosevelt at UGA, and hopes to create policies around clean water management. Using a patent pending algal filtration device he designed, Malcolm is conducting research utilizing algae to bioremediate lakes with nutrient pollution and E. coli in freshwater lakes and create a source of potable water. He is dedicated to finding sustainable ways to provide clean water sources for communities worldwide.