George Zheng
An exploration into the hidden promise of mushrooms and how it can lead to a more sustainable future. Zheng will talk about how he started his company Leep Foods to tackle over-consumption in the meat industry and how switching to alternatives in meat will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make a more sustainable future.
George is an entrepreneur technologist committed to bringing humanity into a healthier more sustainable future. Since graduating from the RIT in 2013 (BS Mechanical Engineering Technology), George has been engaged as a co-founder of two start-ups, both catalyzed by a desire to find valuable and novel uses for abundant biomass waste streams: Cedar Creek P&T, Inc. and Empire Medicinals now doing business as Leep Foods. George hopes to continue cultivating remarkable talent in the unwavering pursuit of helping more people access safe, life-enhancing nutrition and wellness—with the smallest possible footprint. When he’s not on the clock you will find George deep diving through a world of science, comedy, music and movement, and overly competitive board games.
Mislav Horvatic
Mislav's passion since high school has been optimization of human performance both in the work setting and personal life and is a certified strategic interventionist. His talk is about the concept of how we don’t know when the hard times will come, but when they do, will you maintain control, or will you let them take over your life.
Mislav is a senior International Business student from Croatia coming from a high school for professional athletes called Sports Gymnasium. Having switched from sports to business, he transferred his determination to making a difference on a bigger scale. Since enrolling at RIT, he was voted best student of generation by professors, worked for multiple industry-leading companies, and developed a passion for public speaking. This led him to join Toastmasters where in his first appearance, he won the club contest for best International Speech. His passion since high school was optimization of human performance both in the work setting and personal life and is a certified strategic interventionist as of 2017 based on the teachings of Tony Robbins. In his free time he steps on toes while Latin dancing, butchers songs while missing chords on a guitar, and acts like he can speak more than two languages.
Fuad Zain
The role of medical illustration in improving health care practices. Fuad has been in the medical industry for last 6 years and have been closely associated with art from an early age. His area of interests are mainly medical illustration, graphic design, animation & clinical medicine with focus on anatomy and histopathology. Fuad Zain is a passionate Medical Illustrator and a Doctor by profession. He is currently a Teaching assistant at RIT and faculty at Westfall academy in Rochester, NY. He is also creating illustrations for a peer reviewed Medical journal known as JACC (Journal of American College of Cardiology). He came to RIT as an international student and pursued master’s in medical illustration. And he holds a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine. He has been in the Medical Industry for last 6 years and have been closely associated with Art from an early age. His area of interests are mainly Medical Illustration, Graphic Design, Animation & Clinical medicine with focus on Anatomy and Histopathology. When Fuad is not busy changing the world with his Art, He'd enjoy a game of soccer.
Kate Ten Eyck
Kate Ten Eyck is a senior at Fayetteville-Manlius High School and an advocate for children with cancer. Kate will talk about her experience being in love with someone with a terminal illness and how it changed who she is. Kate Ten Eyck is a senior at Fayetteville-Manlius High School and an advocate for childhood cancer. She volunteers with Camp Good Days and Special Times, a camp for children with cancer and children that have or have lost an immediate family member with cancer. Kate is an MC for Dance Marathon at Fayetteville- Manlius High School, an event that donates its proceeds to Camp Good Days and Special time. She plans on attending college the fall of 2019 majoring in Speech Pathology. She would like to help students with disabilities communicate through a career as a speech therapist. Kate also plans on public speaking, writing and advocating for childhood cancer on the side.
Dorothy Anne
How we can empower ourselves and uplift others while putting abuse back on the shelf. Anne will discuss her experiences working and researching many underprivileged communities around the U.S. Dorothy Anne, is from the state with the top 2, 3 and 6 cities for violent rape. She runs a network for people with trauma and a helping house as well as doing photography. Almost every day she meets with people, learn their story, and share it with others, she use her camera to document issues by catching profound images and to help spread awareness to the injustices around us. She has a specific interest in rape culture, human trafficking, psychology, ethics, sociology, social sciences, mainstream education and most importantly Community engagement. She is constantly leading others to build themselves up while they are seeking healthy relationships in those around them. On a daily basis she inspires others to seek their passion, to expect integrity and to promote change in their environment Anne, is from the state with the top 2, 3 and 6 cities for violent rape. She runs a network for people with trauma and a helping house as well as doing photography.
Harrison Canning
Building a brain connected future , the technology and thinking that will get us there. Canning will be discussing what exactly BCI’s (Brain Computer Interfaces) are and how they are so important to the future of technology.
Harrison Canning is a resilient and innovative entrepreneur, a passionate and curious student of life, and a believer that anyone can create his or her own future in with some hard work and intense passion. He is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Innovation Science in Neurotechnology in RIT's SOIS program. He has overcome tremendous adversity driven by a passion to build a large company dedicated to the advancement of B.C.I. (Brain Computer Interface) devices to increase interactivity and efficiency between people and the machines around them. He is currently fulfilling this dream by leading a talented team of intercollegiate and multidisciplinary researchers with the goal of building a full technology suite that will allow disabled persons to interact with a computer using only their thoughts.
Justin Goldston
Justin Goldston is an expert on blockchain technology. Being a pioneer in the field of blockchain, Goldston will talk about how far blockchain has come and what little we still know of it today. Dr. Justin Goldston is a leading expert on blockchain technology and its inclusion in business enterprises. As a certified management consultant with Ultra Consultants, he has spent most of his career in industry working with leaders of organizations implementing enterprise applications around the world. With his love for technology and his passion to make a positive impact on social change, Dr. Goldston has made it his mission to bring technological knowledge and capabilities to the people. Along with deep domain experience, Dr. Goldston is a member of The Blockchain Council, The World Blockchain Association, and The Government Blockchain Association. Also, Dr. Goldston is currently researching at Cornell University in one of the first blockchain programs in the country.
Jim DiCicco
Jim is the oldest brother and CEO at Kitu Life, Inc. makers of Super Coffee. Jim served as captain of the football team at Colgate University where he studied Philosophy and Writing. Upon graduating in 2015, he joined his two younger brothers to create the world's first Super Coffee. Today, Super Coffee has a team of 30 full time employees, raised $19 million in venture capital, pitched on ABC's Shark Tank and was featured in the 2019 class of Forbes 30 Under 30. Determined to replace America's sugary energy drink options, the Super Coffee team fundamentally believes if you change your energy, you can change your world.
