TED Selects LSU Museum of Natural Science Curator as 2016 TED Fellow

12/08/2015
BATON ROUGE – TED, the international nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading ideas — usually in the form of short, powerful talks – has selected LSU Associate Professor and Museum of Natural Science Curator of Fishes Prosanta Chakrabarty as one of 21 TED Fellows for 2016. TED selects thought leaders and trailblazers in various disciplines from around the world to be a TED Fellow.

“I feel honored to be recognized by TED, because conveying my science in a way that’s understandable and relatable to people is such an important part of what I do,” Chakrabarty said.

As the Curator of Fishes at the LSU Museum of Natural Science, Chakrabarty’s research focuses on the evolution of both marine and freshwater fishes including cavefishes, bioluminescent species and lineages that help explain ancient geological events. He and his students conduct fieldwork around the world including Central America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Louisiana. He received his doctorate from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and he joined the LSU faculty in 2008. Chakrabarty gave a TEDx talk at LSU titled “The Immortal Naturalist: Collecting the World” in 2015.

As a TED Fellow, Chakrabarty is invited to become part of the exclusive network of more than 360 artists, scientists and entrepreneurs. He will participate in the annual TED conference, which aims to grow each fellows’ potential. He will present a new TED talk on natural history at the conference in Vancouver in February.

“When the program started, we thought the main benefit was the opportunity to give a TED talk and gain access to the TED community. But over time, we’ve realized the real benefit is the other Fellows – the mutual support, professional and personal, and the deep, lasting connections. The collaborative spirit of the program yields a powerful network where each person profoundly influences each other person, and the group as a whole functions like a supercomputer. It’s a powerful thing to witness and be part of,” said TED Fellows founder and director Tom Rielly.

“I look forward to the opportunity to network with this group of international experts and develop unique collaborations I would not otherwise have the chance to build,” Chakrabarty said. Follow Chakrabarty’s work on Twitter @LSU_FISH.

About the TED Fellows program
The TED Fellows program brings together young innovators from around the world and across disciplines, who display both outstanding achievement and exemplary character, to ignite their careers. The program offers Fellows full participation in the TED or TEDGlobal Conference, a two-day pre-conference of workshops and activities, a biannual Fellows Retreat, ongoing professional coaching and mentoring through the SupporTED program, dedicated PR coaching and active participation in the TED community, including the global TED Fellows network. Founded in 2009, the TED Fellows program now includes 397 Fellows from 86 countries.

 

Additional Links:

TEDxLSU: “The Immortal Naturalist: Collecting the World” by Prosanta Chakrabarty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL-9bplZa0E

Meet the TED Fellows: http://www.ted.com/participate/ted-fellows-program/meet-the-ted-fellows

 

 

 

Contact Alison Satake
LSU Media Relations
225-578-3870
asatake@lsu.edu