Two public health students — Steven Franklin and Shivani Gogna — took center stage last month at “On the Edge of the Future,” USF’s first TEDx event.  Featuring a series of talks centered around  sustainability, success and life-changing thoughts, the event was held Feb. 22 at the USF School of Music and livestreamed for those unable to obtain one of 100 tickets to the live event. 

Selected from more than 60 applicants, Franklin and Gogna were two of nine speakers and the only representatives from  USF Health.  For 18 life-changing minutes, they challenged, inspired, and captivated others with their “Ideas Worth Spreading.”

“Don’t be patient with your own health, be proactive,” said Franklin, a graduate student in health policies and programs. “Track your life. Start today. We have been patient for too long.”

Steven Franklin

A wellness coach with his own podcast, Franklin believes “that a person’s attitude is a primary determinant of their willingness to improve health related behaviors and ultimately health outcomes.”

Global health masters student Shivani Gogna challenged audience members to “Find one thing you can do to maximize human capital.”

Shivani Gogna

In her presentation titled “Power of Personal Investments in Sustainability Initiatives,” Gogna explored the Human Capital Spectrum.  Through a series of illustrations, she demonstrated how seemingly small, individual acts can have a huge collective impact.

For example, cutting one shower by two minutes saves approximately four gallons of water. However, if the 49,480 members of the USF community all shave two minutes off of one shower that equates to 197, 920 gallons of water and $1959 saved in the City of Tampa.

To learn more about Gogna and Franklin’s “Ideas Worth Spreading” and view their full presentations, visit the TEDxUSF site on Livestream.com.

TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events where TEDTalk videos and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.