The IdeaFestival (IF) is here in Louisville and helping all expanding their ideas of the possible to connect with each other and the IF speakers who are changing the world. IF 2011 started yesterday, September 21 and goes till September 24 at The Kentucky Center for the Arts. “The IdeaFestival is unlike many other thought leadership events, IdeaFestival is a catalyst for high-speed innovation, product development, and creative endeavors across all fields” says Kris Kimmel, IdeaFestival Founder. Louisville Mayor Greg Fisher invites all to “please join me to find your own inspiration.”
Founded in 2000, the IdeaFestival (IF) is a world-class event that attracts leading global innovators and thinkers to discuss and celebrate imagination, new perspectives and transformational ideas. The IdeaFestival provides a unique stage to explore the cross-cutting nature of innovation involving a range of diverse disciplines, while supplying the creative tools needed to “see,” synthesize and apply this knowledge in new, dynamic ways.
Schedule of events on Thursday, September 22, 2011:
8:00 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. “The Science of Kissing” with Sherill Kirshenbaum as she discusses one of humanity’s fondest and, as she shows, fascinating pastimes… Kissing. She is a scientist with the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas and author of the recently published book The Science of Kissing. Presented by Delta Dental of Kentucky. General Admission is $19.50 / Student Ticket Price $9.50.
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. “Azure Antoinette”: Preserving our humanity in our fast-paced world of bits, bytes and killer “apps” is one of the themes that Azure Antoinette embraces in her work as a poet, photographer and youth literacy advocate. She explores this topic and shares some of her poetry @ IF. Presented by Louisville Metro Government. General Admission is $19.50 / Student Ticket Price is $9.50.
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. “Bigert & Bergström”: Mats Bigert and Lars Bergström, an artist duo living in Stokholm, will share the weather and climate-related projects they have created since the early 1990s, focusing on their recent adventures in tornado alley in the US. The hypothetical question they will propose is whether, in the future, we will have to defend ourselves against an increasingly hostile atmosphere. Presented by the International Contemporary Art Foundation. General Admission is $19.50 / Student Ticket Price is $9.50.
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. “Many Worlds”: One of the more intriguing and bizzare theories concerning the world we live in involves the concept of the “multiverse”…the notion that we exist as part of a much larger whole involving many, if not an infinite number of “worlds.” Suketu Bhavsar, Professor of Astrophysics at Cal Poly Pomona, delves into the structure and possibilities of the “multiverse” on both the large, cosmological and very small, subatomic level. Presented by the University of Kentucky. General Admission is $25.00 / Student Ticket Price is $14.50.
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. “Selling the Brain”: Neuromarketing expert Patrick Renvoisé exploits his knowledge and experience in engineering, technology and sales to develop and execute innovative new marketing and sales strategies…shaped around the latest findings in Neuroscience. Renvoisé, educated in France, is a noted author, managed global business development for Silicon Graphics and is presently president of SalesBrain. In cooperation with the Louisville Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). General Adimission is $19.50 / Student Ticket Price is $9.50.
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. “How to Run the World”: Parag Khanna, leading geo-strategist and author, will lead a discussion surrounding the dramatic and rapidly shifting global political, energy and economic landscape…including the profound implications for the US. He is the author of the international best-seller How to Run the World: Charting a Course to the Next Renaissance. Presented by The Paul Ogle Foundation, Inc. General Admission is $19.50 / Student Ticket Price is $9.50.
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. “IF Mash-Up Bonus Event: Are The Answers Out there?”: ** All-Access Pass Holders, Speakers and Sponsors Only. ** The exciting and emerging field of Exomedicine moves off the planet Earth to harness the unique microgravity environment of space to develop novel and perhaps game changing medical solutions and challenges involving tissue regeneration, cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases, etc. Join NASA, Kentucky Space and Exomedicine Institute professionals for a fascinating journey into this new frontier in medicine. Presented by Stites & Harbison and Greater Louisville Inc.
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. “Taste of Innovation”: ** Will take place at Churchill Downs Millionaires Row 4 ** Shuttles to Churchill Downs (departing tentatively at 4:45 PM; 5:15 PM and 5:45 PM)
Parking at Churchill Downs Free! ** Don’t miss the IF signature party as it moves to Churchill Downs. This year, the food theme is “Farm to Table” in which all participants are requested to use fresh ingredients from within a 150 mile radius, when possible. Since food has become of such deep interest for people, including taste, preparation, presentation, health, sustainability, packaging, art, etc., we are working to include all of these aspects in this year’s event. The beverage theme is “Ice,” which will lead to some very cool and innovative elements this year involving all things ice and water. Presented by Brown-Forman, Preston-Osborne and York Management. Tickets are $30.00.
8:00 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. “Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata”: BRO is the creative new project from Peter Kiesewalter, leader and musical mind behind GRAMMY nominated opera revisionists East Village Opera Company. BRO’s debut album and live show entitled “The Hills Are Alive” is a genre-bending adaptation of the songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s iconic musical “The Sound of Music”. Sponsored by LEO. Produced by The Kentucky Center and IdeaFestival. Media Support Provided by WFPK. Tickets are $25.00.
9:45 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. “The Big Be” with Emily Foerster: The IF Spleling Be started in Louisville in 2010, and in its short existence has gained national attention on NPR as a new twist on an old favorite. Adults gather in bars for food, beer and spelling as they compete against each other in what operates much like a traditional spelling bee, with a few alterations: contestants must be at least 21 and can compete in teams of up to three people for prizes. Big Be will pit previous contestants against all new comers (who can sign-up at the event) for various prizes to be announced at IF. Come learn the newest rule of grammar: “i before e except after beer. Presented by IdeaFestival. Will take place at Bluegrass Brewing Company.
For more information please visit www.IdeaFestival.com
