TEDxSMCS Youth

Speakers

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

• Carrie Atkins

  Maritime Archaeologist

  Carrie is an archaeologist with a focus on maritime connections in the ancient Mediterranean, especially through the study of shipwrecks and underwater sites. Her current book project, Shipping Roman Luxury: Shipwrecks, Networks, and Transportation (c. 200 BCE - 200 CE), forthcoming with OUP, examines the cross-cultural circulation of raw materials, finished objects, and people across maritime networks in the Roman Mediterranean, analyzing information from over 115 shipwrecks alongside other material, papyrological, epigraphic, and literary evidence. Carrie has participated in the underwater excavation of a first-century BCE shipwreck in Turkey and underwater surveys in Cyprus. She has also co-directed an excavation of a ship at the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York.

• Judith Andersen

  Health Psychologist & Researcher

  Judith Andersen is a health psychologist whose research interests focus on the biopsychosocial mechanisms by which stress impacts health and occupational performance. In addition to lab studies, she uses ambulatory psychophysiological equipment to conduct field research with people who experience trauma and severe stress. Prof. Andersen’s on-going research projects include resilience training and research on the health and performance outcomes of psychophysiological stress intervention techniques for civilians, police and military personnel.

• Kanishkaa Karthi

  Williams Parkway Sr. Public School Student Speaker

  Kanishkaa Karthi is a Grade 7 student at Williams Parkway Sr. Public School, part of the IBT (International Business and Technology) program, passionate about STEM and problem-solving. She has hands-on experience in coding and robotics, including Peel Skill Robotics and FLL (First Lego League). Through the Air Cadet Program, she developed leadership, confidence, teamwork, and perseverance. Kanishkaa enjoys creating innovative projects and exploring challenges. In her free time, she loves reading, crocheting, and discovering new skills, always curious, always pushing boundaries.

• Marco Boci

  SMCS Student Speaker

  Marco Boci is a Grade 12 student and certified Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) with U.S.-standard EMT certification, giving him hands-on skills in prehospital care and emergency response, ready to apply them when he begins working on a transfer ambulance this summer. He’s passionate about helping others and dreams of becoming a doctor. At school, Marco serves as Head Prefect and Head Ambassador, roles that let him connect with students and lead initiatives that make a real difference in school life. He’s also part of the Wellness Team, supporting mental health and well-being among his peers. Through service, leadership, and hands-on care, Marco is committed to building safer, healthier, and more compassionate communities.

• Pablo Arellano-Rubach

  SMCS Student Speaker

  Pablo is 16 years old and is naturally curious and self-aware. He speaks four languages, which has shaped how he understands the world and connects with people from different cultures. He enjoys thinking deeply about life, people, and ideas, and he values honesty and authenticity in how he expresses himself. Pablo enjoys learning, especially when it challenges common ways of thinking, and he holds himself to high standards in both his academic work and personal growth.

• Paul Karras

  SMCS Student Speaker

  Paul Karras is a grade 12 student at SMCS who is very passionate about musical composing and performing, planning to pursue music in university. He is involved in several music-related extracurricular activities such as the musical, the Senior Jazz Ensemble “Big Blue”, and the Senior Wind Ensemble. With a strong fascination of harmony, theory, and the math behind music, his compositions reflect his passions, oftentimes using microtonality, notes in-between those that fall on the piano, to be as expressive as possible. He has a strong belief that microtonality is not done justice in the Western world, seeking to challenge the standard convention and expand musical perception.

• Stephen Batiuk

  Archeologist & Senior Researcher

  Stephen Batiuk is a co-founder and Director of ArchaeoTek and a highly published archaeologist with over 25 years of research, teaching, and fieldwork experience. He has held academic appointments at the University of Toronto, Koç University (Turkey), and Johns Hopkins University, and earned his MA and PhD from the University of Toronto. Dr. Batiuk has participated in more than a dozen archaeological projects worldwide and currently directs several major international initiatives, including the G.R.A.P.E. Project in Georgia investigating the earliest evidence for wine production (c. 6000–5800 BCE), the Tayinat Archaeological Project in Turkey, and other large-scale research programs in Canada and the Middle East.