Past TEDx event

TEDxAmherst College

Thrive

Took placeOctober 18, 20253:00 PM - 5:00 PM (GMT-4)
LocationAmherst, Massachusetts, United States
FormatUniversity
What does it mean to thrive? In the face of climate change, social polarization, and geopolitical conflict, this question feels more urgent than ever. Thrive can take on many forms. For an individual, it may be pursuing a passion and discovering one’s identity. For a community, it may be fostering inclusion and belonging. For humanity, it may be building a sustainable and hopeful future. Today, our speakers will share their own perspectives on what it means to truly thrive.

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

  • Connor Farquhar

    Connor Farquhar is a senior Biophysics major at Amherst College. His interests are quite diverse, including linguistics, border politics, and microbiology. As a neurodiverse student, he believes that diversity of mind is an integral part of learning and innovation, and is thus key to improving the world. As such, through his speech, he hopes to provoke reflection on the role of neurodiversity in the liberal arts and education.

  • Diane Mas

    Diane Mas ’92 is Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer at Fuss & O’Neill, where she leads firmwide efforts to embed resilience and sustainability into planning and design. Combining experience in water resources, impact assessment, and environmental health, she helps clients protect people, places, and infrastructure while advancing long-term value and well-being.

  • Ivan Contreras

    Ivan Contreras is a Math Professor at Amherst College, and his research area is mathematical physics. He is the Class Dean (Class of 2027), Editor of Quantum, proud papa of a middle schooler, and happy husband of a mathematician/interior designer.

  • Jason Mackie

    The housing system isn’t broken — it was built this way. Amherst alum Jason Mackie shares how a challenge from a Lakota elder led him and fellow alum Aaron Resnick to redesign it from the ground up, using failure, grit, and radical design to help communities take back control.

  • Joline Fong

    What if thriving had nothing to do with your résumé? In this talk, I’d like to share how a surprising brain tumor diagnosis forced me to realize that thriving isn’t about achieving milestones, but about making the most of each day — even in the face of uncertainty. Thriving is not an end goal, but a daily practice. I hope my story encourages my audience to rethink what it means to thrive, regardless of what obstacles each individual has faced in their own lives.

Organizing team