TedXUMontana!

Have you ever heard of a thing called Ted Talks? Maybe? Perhaps?

Yesterday I got to attend Montana's Ted Talks hosted on my own very own campus, the first of its kind here! At the end of the summer, all of the university students got an email saying that the event was very small and tickets were given out lottery style- completely random. Well, low and behold, I was a lucky chosen ticket receiver! Even though my biology major was downgraded to a minor, I still obviously harbor a deep love and appreciation for the sciences. As I should, since being a science writer is my end goal. Anyways, it was such a great and inspiring night. We heard talks from a professor who studied the correlation between language and improved memory, a professor who studied cultural anthropology and spent time in Nepal observing polyandrous marriages, a professor who established local organic farms here in Missoula, and a professor who studies the beetle kill issue in North American forests. Every speaker was hilarious and fascinating. It made me feel so lucky to go to school with such innovative and awesome thinkers!

I think my favorite part of the whole event was seeing how these scientists and researchers were able to communicate their work to be interesting and intriguing to many people in the room who didn't have backgrounds in science. Obviously, a few did, but the event was also broadcasted throughout the state of Montana. I know not everyone is science brained as not all people are english brained and we all have our own respective areas of interest but the fact is many of the topics covered are things that when communicated the right way could be interesting to even someone who hated biology. I think that's why I love Ted Talks in general. All of these things are applicable on some level to everyone and are things that should be talked about and shared. I think out of the experience I gained insight about how pursuing some sort of career as a science writer is actually important to communicating these awesome ideas to the public and well, just freaking cool. 

Also, there were complimentary cookies and wine.