In light of recent events, the organizers of this year’s TEDxPSU may have been concerned that the event could get lost in the fray. Those concerns were unfounded however as the community made a strong showing yesterday, filling up much of the allotted space in the HUB.  This year’s TEDx theme was Relics to Revolutions, and speakers included Michael Mann, Mia Bloom, Ian Rosenberger, and Joseph Michael Valente who covered topics as diverse as cyber charter schools, the involvement of  women in terrorist organizations, and  making art from Twitter feeds. Free food was generously offered by the event’s sponsors.

There were a few pretty terrible jokes by host Dean Brady, although in fairness he did acknowledge when people called him out for it on Twitter; I think the best of the worst came when he introduced the band Pure Cane Sugar as “something healthier for you than high-fructose corn syrup.” By the way, the band kicked ass, and I’d recommend checking them out on Saturday nights at Zenos. The music provided a great break from the standard speaker model, and served to liven the mood and energize the crowd.

This year’s TEDxPSU was a great venue for students and other attendees coming together to learn, think, and be inspired.