2017 TEDxZumbroRiver lineup includes renowned Mayo surgeon 'Dr. Q'

This week organizers of TEDxZumbroRiver revealed the lineup for the second annual conference, to be held this spring in Rochester.

The 10 speakers — six of whom are local — will have between 8-15 minutes to give a talk on this year's theme, "Possibility." The lineup ranges from scientists and physicians to writers and educators.

The 2017 local speakers are: Ayodeji Awoskia, Nicholas Dibble, Aaron Leppin, Doug Scholz-Carlson, Becca Stiles-Nogosek and Kimberly Van Brunt. The national speakers are: Vivian Barad, Scott Barry Kaufman, Jimmy Chen and Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa.

Dr. Quiñones- Hinojosa, chair of the Department of Neurologic Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Florida, is perhaps the biggest name on the ticket. Here's more from the TEDx website:

Dr. Quiñones-Hinojosa has received many awards and honors, including being named as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in 2008 and 2015 Forbes Magazine as one of Mexico’s most brilliant minds in the world.

 

His autobiography, “Becoming Dr. Q,” is about his journey from migrant farm worker to neurosurgeon. Recently, Disney with Plan B Entertainment announced that his inspirational life story will be featured in a movie.

You can read biographies on all the speakers here.

The event is scheduled for May 18 at Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester. More than 1,000 people attended the inaugural event in 2016. You can watch videos from the event here.

Cover graphic: TEDxZumbroRiver