When Charles Easley prepared to take on the TEDxUGA stage, he had a few goals: Connect with the audience, share innovative research and maybe get a few laughs. He accomplished all three.
Easley, the UGA College of Public Health’s Associate Dean for Research, is a member of UGA’s Regenerative Bioscience Center and focuses on developing novel stem cell-based therapies to treat male factor infertility, while researching the effects of environmental exposures and lifestyle choices on male infertility. These are heavy and complex topics, Easley acknowledges, so it was important for him to help his audience relate.
“Presenting at TEDxUGA, I knew I’d be speaking to a wide audience—students, families, fellow researchers—and my presentation needed to reflect that,” Easley said.
Infertility is a growing issue, which has seen increased costs in recent years. The in vitro fertilization, or IVF, market is expected to reach $37.4 billion in 2030, Easley said, and about 1 in 5 couples experience infertility.
“This is one of the few health issues that I know of that has increased significantly in commonality, yet awareness and open conversation have remained stagnant,” Easley said on the TEDxUGA stage.
Throughout his presentation, Easley discussed how environmental factors and habits can affect sperm count. And with a hands-on demonstration utilizing solo cups and ping pong balls, he showed how reduced sperm count impacts fertility. The demonstration got a few laughs, but Easley also hopes it got people talking.
“Our team is working on innovative solutions to male infertility, but we also hope to raise awareness for how lifestyle choices and unhealthy habits might impact fertility,” Easley said. “I hope the audience left my TED talk with new knowledge and hope for the future of infertility treatment for men.”
Overall, the opportunity to present during TEDx was a chance to connect with new audiences, re-think how to present complex scientific topics and hopefully raise awareness about an under-discussed issue.
The presentation was also picked up by TEDx Talks, the internationally reaching TEDx YouTube channel.
By Erica Techo
