Spark
2025
At Georgia College, ideas begin with a spark. That moment of inspiration—sometimes sudden, sometimes gradual—opens new possibilities and shifts how we see the world. A spark might come from a breakthrough discovery or grow slowly through quiet reflection and personal growth. When our community comes together, conversations build on each other, questioning what we take for granted and leading to fresh insights. We nurture curiosity, encourage creative thinking, and help develop emerging ideas into meaningful action. Join us for TEDxGeorgiaCollege as we explore how sparks of imagination, change, and innovation can extend far beyond our campus.
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Ashok Hegde
The Neuro Guru
Ashok Hegde is the William Harvey Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Georgia College where he runs a highly successful Pre-Med Mentoring Program, and teaches courses on neuroscience, physiology and histology, and mentors students in his lab engaging in research on synaptic plasticity. He did his dissertation research at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology and received his Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He obtained his post-doctoral neuroscience research training at Columbia University in New York where he discovered a new mechanism of synaptic plasticity underlying long-term memory. He is the author of numerous neuroscience research papers published in top journals.
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Kimberly Murray
The Simultaneity Specialist
Kimberly Murray is a coach, speaker, and psychologist focused on the intersection of leadership, wellness, and creative ambition. She holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan.
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Chloe Melton
The Hopeful Historian
Chloe Melton is a Bachelor of Arts Candidate at Georgia College, where she is studying history. Her current research involves historical perceptions of body image, including the development of the Body Mass Index. Her paper, “Teaching the history and limitation of the health indicator BMI in the A&P classroom,” will be published in the Human Anatomy and Psychology Society Educator journal in December 2025. She will graduate in May 2026.
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David Weill
The Profound Physician
David Weill is the former Director of the Center for Advanced Lung Disease and the Lung Transplant Program at Stanford. He is currently the Principal of Weill Consulting Group, which focuses on improving the delivery of transplant care. His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Salon, Newsweek, the Chicago Tribune, STAT, USA Today, and the Washington Post.
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Paige Blakemore
The Small-Town Storyteller
Paige Blakemore is a Bachelor of Arts Candidate at Georgia College, studying mass communication. She previously served as W. J. Usery, Jr. Fellow and will graduate in December 2025.
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Queen Sheba
The Spark Strategist
Queen Sheba is a poet, author, and spoken-word artist. Sheba is a 2025 Grammy-nominated artist in the spoken-word poetry category for her album, "Civil Writes: The South Got Something to Say, with her current album “A Hurricane In Heels: healed people don’t act like that” up for Grammy consideration. She is adjunct professor at Clark Atlanta University and holds an MFA in creative writing from Queens University.
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Amanda Rutter
The Reading Revivalist
Amanda Rutter is associate director of the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy at Georgia College. A specialist in early childhood education, she holds an Ed.D. from the University of Houston.
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Carly Walker
The Leading Listener
Carly Walker is a Bachelor of Science Candidate at Georgia College, where she is studying psychology. She will graduate in May 2026.
Join Our Exploration
TEDxGeorgiaCollege and each of our talks will be broadcast internationally and shared with TED's global network. Our goal is to showcase for the international TED community the unique voices, stories, and ideas that make Georgia College special.