BIC Announces 2025 TEDx Berkshires Speakers

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC) will host TEDx Berkshires on Oct. 9 at the BIC. 

TEDx Berkshires is a local, independently organized event that brings the TED experience to the Berkshires by presenting ideas from "thought leaders."  This year’s event will be held from 2:00 – 5:00 pm, with a reception to follow. 

Tickets are now available and seating is limited.

"Innovation usually starts with an idea, sparked in response to a need for change or a desire to improve," said TEDx Berkshires Executive Producer Stephen Boyd, CEO of Boyd Biomedical in Lee.  "The TEDx Berkshires stage offers the perfect showcase to share the success of diverse ideas and the vision of the Berkshire Innovation Center.  Collective wisdom always wins, and we are thrilled to promote this year’s event as a community focused on life-long learning and exploring technology together."

The 2025 lineup includes:

  • Dr. Maria SiroisConsulting Fellow and  Chief Wisdom Integrator at LeaderMom, will present on strengthening health and optimism and building a better world for others and the planet.
  • Dr. Natalie NixonAuthor & CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, will present on new ways to think about creativity – through the lenses of wonder and rigor.
  • Dr. David BarzilaiFounder & CEO, Longevity Physician, and Healthspan Best Practices Pioneer, will explore the importance of a prevention-first, personalized approach to health and wellness.
  • Dr. Jennifer Le Blond, Managing Director of Emerging Climatetech at MassCEC, will discuss actionable strategies for sustaining momentum and ensuring Massachusetts remains a global hub for ClimateTech innovation.
  • Dr. Damon DiehlDirector of Technology at Luminate Optics Accelerator will present his idea that time is the only currency and get us thinking - are we living a life we would pay for?
  • Dr. Manolis Kellis, Professor of Computer Science at MIT and member of the Broad Institute will present on unleashing human creativity in an AI world.

"We are thrilled to have an eclectic lineup of speakers with unique backgrounds and insights," said IP Attorney, TEDx Berkshires Executive Producer and BIC Board Vice-Chair, Giovanna Fessenden-Fairbank. "We invite everyone to come learn, and be inspired by a tapestry of thought-provoking discussions with fresh perspectives and contemporary relevance."

2025 marks the third year that the Berkshire Innovation Center will be the host of TEDx Berkshires.  The inaugural TEDx Berkshires was held in Lenox in 2010 and was produced by Ethan Berg, Jamie Berg, and Dr. Mark Liponis.

Tickets for TEDx Berkshires are $100 for seating in the main stage area, or $75 for seating in the auditorium, and will include a reception following the TEDx talks.

 Visit https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/tedx-berkshires-2025 for more information.

 


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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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