Joey Watson – People To Watch 2013

Age | 38 Occupation | Organizer, TEDxLSU; Professor and Doctoral Candidate Hometown | Memphis

Filmmaker Joey Watson says LSU is the perfect place for a summit about ideas. The area’s rich history and vibrant culture mix well with the plethora of smart, talented, creative and innovative individuals at the university and across the city, and Watson is bringing Baton Rouge its first TEDx event this March.

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. TED conferences are something of an innovation bellwether, revered, studied, held throughout the world—and most importantly, pushed virally through videos of individual talks. Watson is bringing TEDx (an independently organized, TED-sanctioned event) to the campus of LSU.

Watson, who moved to Baton Rouge in 2006, says the purpose of the conference here is to bring about “ideas worth spreading.” He hopes those who attend walk away contemplating the connections among themselves and others and the outside world. Maybe the big takeaway is just how interconnected we all really are.

“The whole purpose is growth and change,” Watson says. “Where does that come from? Dialogue and exchange.”

Slated for March 9, the conference will feature 22 presenters from a variety of fields who will speak during three 90-minute sessions.

Watson, who says he’s just the guy who took the leap on being the curator, plans to complete his Ph.D. in the spring, with TEDx as his thesis subject.

“We live in such a great city,” he says. “Baton Rouge has rich history and heritage. TED is a wonderful opportunity to bring not just our community together, but also to [connect] the community with the global audience that is TED.” facebook.com/tedxlsu