Going to TEDxBoulder? Here are five can't-miss speakers to look for

Tomorrow, in Boulder's Chautauqua Auditorium, around two dozen of Colorado's best minds are getting together to talk about big ideas at TEDxBoulder, the local, independently organized version of the renowned TED conference (read more about the TEDxBoulder event here). With so many options on the brainiac buffet, choosing who to...

By Cory Casciato

August 6, 2010

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Tomorrow, in Boulder's Chautauqua Auditorium, around two dozen of Colorado's best minds are getting together to talk about big ideas at TEDxBoulder, the local, independently organized version of the renowned TED conference (read more about the TEDxBoulder event here). With so many options on the brainiac buffet, choosing who to see can be hard, so we picked the brain of one of the organizers, social media genius and all-around awesome dude Ef Rodriguez, for his top five must-see speakers. His selections await you after the jump.

"Every speaker at TEDxBoulder is going to bring the magic," Rodriguez promises. "However, I'm most interested in seeing the following folks take the stage on August 7."

Maggie Flickinger If you rearrange the letters in her name, it spells "Enigma Flicker Gig." I don't know if that has any bearing on her land development focus, but I'm dying to find out.

Jeremy Darling Dr. Darling studies the stars, and I suspect they wink back at him. I want a peek at that level of cosmic intimacy, delivered in a way that makes it accessible to a dummy like me.

Jared Polis This man is brilliant. I've heard him speak before (at a startup showcase), and his candor was hugely appreciated. He's the big draw for a lot of people that I've spoken to - and rightly so.

Thad Roberts I'm delighted to have a moon rock bandit speaking at TEDxBoulder. He spent 100 months in federal prison for stealing lunar samples from NASA and emerged with some pretty intense quantum space theory. Cannot wait to hear him speak.

Grant Blakeman He's one of the most gifted designers on the planet. That's not hyperbole. He's a Boulder local, and I'm deeply honored every time he deigns to chat with me.

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