About TEDx

TEDxBinghamtonUniversity is an SA-chartered event

TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (ted.com). TEDx organizations are independent groups with TED licenses that create TEDx Talk events where speakers share their ideas worth spreading in their local community.

TEDxBinghamtonUniversity was established in 2010 and has since held 13 annual conferences, hosting about 5 to 7 speakers annually. TEDxBinghamtonUniversity is organized by a team of undergraduate student directors and staff advisors. They take pride in themselves for involving the Binghamton University community by having both alumni and student speakers. Additionally, they gather student volunteers and designers to work for the event. In 2020, TEDxBinghamtonUniversity hosted its first-ever hybrid virtual and in-person conference, UNEARTHED, which operated amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent TEDxBinghamtonUniversity event in 2023 had the theme, Unleash Radiance, and had speakers from diverse fields including culinary arts and nursing. 

2023-2024 Conference Directors

hunter
Hunter Akins

Hunter Akins (he/him) is a senior double majoring in biology and English literature. This is his third year as a director for TEDxBinghamtonUniversity, where he is currently President and director of content. In addition to his TEDx work, Hunter is an undergraduate research assistant with the Prior Ecology Lab, a McNair Scholar, an introductory biology teaching assistant, and a board member on the Student Health Advisory Committee. During his free time, he enjoys spending time with his Golden Retriever, River, and writing. In the future, Hunter hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolutionary, and Environmental Biology.


Brandon
Brandon Rodas

Brandon Rodas (he/him) is a  senior at Binghamton University's Harpur College, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Graphic Design. This is his first year as a director for TEDxBinghamtonUniversity, where he is the Director of Experience. His passion for design and leadership is reflected in his current roles as the User Experience Design (UX) Lead at Binghamton Tech Collective (BTC), Director of Marketing and Promotion (MAP) Department at Student Association Inc and Community Assistant (CA) at Old Digman Hall. Outside of his academic and leadership roles, he enjoys painting, playing the Omnichord, doing yoga, meditating, photography, and cooking. After graduating, Brandon hopes to be a User Experience Designer.


Rachel
Rachel Suh

Rachel Suh (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in linguistics with a concentration in law and a minor in Korean studies. This is her first year as a director for TEDxBinghamtonUniversity and she is currently the Director of Finance and treasurer. She is passionate about meeting new individuals in different fields to share ideas and get various perspectives on life. Rachel is planning on pursuing a career in international law in the future. Since she is full of curiosity, she loves learning new skills including tricks in martial arts and foreign languages. In addition to TEDx, Rachel is part of the Binghamton Law Quarterly, Evolution Dance Company, the NYS mentoring program, and is a Korean language tutor. The TEDx talk "What will you be when you grow up?" given by Hanna Vanharanta left a huge impression on her. 


Jay Yong
Jay Yong

Yejoo(Jay) Yong (she/her) is a sophomore pursuing a dual degree in business administration and psychology. This is her first year as director for TEDxBinghamtonUniversity and she is currently the Vice President and the Director of Sponsorship. Outside of TEDx, Yejoo is involved in PwC Scholars, Management Consulting Group (MCG), Transformational Leaders Program (TLP), and Women in Business (WiB), and is an introductory psychology teaching assistant. Her interests include Broadway, history, and MBTI, and her favorite TED talk is “Why Great Leaders Take Humor Seriously” by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas. Yejoo hopes to pursue a career in the consulting industry, data analytics, or industrial psychology.