EVENTS
TEDxPurdueU: Odyssey
ABOUT TEDxPurdueU: Odyssey
An odyssey is a transformative journey shaped by challenge and triumph.
At TEDxPurdueU 2026, we’re bringing visionary founders and changemakers to campus to inspire students and spark the desire to overcome struggle in them.
This year’s lineup includes a YC founder who’s rewriting how the world views language, a physician who restored sight to 10,000+ patients, a woman who has led several Fortune 500 companies, and several others. See the full speaker lineup below.
Join us to hear their stories and connect with them in person.
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Aastha Patel
A senior physics student at Purdue, Aastha Patel bridges scientific inquiry and social impact. Her passion for making knowledge accessible drove her to develop a unique language-learning tool that meets learners where they are. Aastha’s work reflects her belief that understanding the universe is only half the journey. The other half is understanding each other. Outside the lab, she can be found reading, solving puzzles, or exploring nature, always curious about what is next.
Sid Thatham
Sid Thatham is an Energy Engineer in the Department of Utilities and an Asst. Professor (Adj.) in the College of Engg. & Applied Sciences at the University of Cincinnati (UC). He is originally from India and moved to Cincinnati to go to grad school for a Master’s in Chemical Engineering and an MBA. Memes, AI, energy, photography, technology, and the outer space are among his various interests. He also loves chatting about movies and tv shows from all over the world.
Nicole Johnston
Nicole Johnston is a speaker, best-selling author, and executive and leadership coach who specializes in helping career and executive-track women rise with clarity and confidence. She brings more than 30 years of global sales and marketing leadership experience at companies including Procter & Gamble, Hershey, and Kimberly-Clark. As founder and president of innatePOWER LLC, she coaches women navigating the real pressures of senior leadership. A certified coach and University of Iowa Alumni of the Year, Nicole is also a world traveler, avid reader, and cat-lover.
Chase Boehringer
Chase Boehringer is a pioneering explorer and experience creator who builds bold projects at the edge of culture, adventure, and human potential. From a small farming town to leading expeditions across six continents, he’s engineered some of the most extraordinary experiences on Earth. As founder of The Bucketlist Experiences and member of The Explorers Club, he is known for extreme World Records and making the impossible happen. Chase is driven by one question: what’s possible when we stop living as who we are and start becoming who we’re meant to be?
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