By Leanna Sun

On Nov. 22, TEDxMV hosted their annual fall conference in the auditorium, centered around the theme “Breaking Boundaries.” Although over 90 people received tickets for the free event, only around 40 people ended up going. Junior and director of public relations for the club Ritu Atreyas notes that while they had hoped for more attendees, the number was ultimately understandable as they started promotions for their conference only a week in advance.

Atreyas emphasizes how preparations for this conference started later than planned, especially because the officers were busy. On top of this setback, the club also faced difficulties when one of their three original speakers canceled last minute due to work-related conflicts. Sophomore and director of photography Jonah Tien believes their first conference of the year also became a learning experience due to these obstacles.

“We use the auditorium [during this event], and there were issues [with] lighting and [with] the setup on the stage,” Tien said. “Throughout the week, we should’ve come in to check on our facility ... It would be hard since it’s a shared facility, but [improving would be] a main point.”

Although TEDxMV faced numerous challenges, Atreyas believes the new officer team now has more insight on how to make their second conference even better. In addition, the club was able to successfully invite two speakers who established their own unique stances surrounding the theme of “breaking boundaries.”

“We find our speakers first, see what they're talking about and then make our theme,” Tien said. “They're both about pushing the limit and the idea of what can we do that I think people haven't thought of before."

Their first speaker, David Carreon’s, focused on a world without depression. Carreon is the co-founder of Acacia Mental Health Center, a corporation based in Sunnyvale and Fremont which aims to offer advanced treatment for those who suffer from mental illnesses, as well as a researcher in the Etkin Neuroscience Lab at Stanford University.

Carreon’s speech focused on how numerous technological advancements made over the past few years, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy, have played significant roles in treating patients with depression. However, his main concerns lie within how humans have been unsuccessful with eating right, handling pressure from outside factors and socialization.

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