Speaker Profile: Amy Cannon
Amy Cannon - Chemist, Leader, Community-Builder
We are excited to introduce 2023 TEDxAmoskeagMillyard Speaker Amy Cannon!
What's your favorite TED or TEDx Talk, and why?
Perhaps one of my favorites is still Jane Goodall. I had the fortune of seeing her speak in person in the past and she is an incredible woman who has challenged the status quo, the role of women in professional settings, and she challenged us to consider what we can learn from observing nature, and our relationship to the natural world. I think we need more of this perspective in our personal and professional lives.
What people or events have inspired you professionally?
I have been fortunate to have had a lot of very inspiring people in my life. Perhaps one that likely changed the direction of my career (and life) would be my high school chemistry teacher, Mrs. Lessard. She made the topic fun and relevant. And, I probably would not have studied chemistry in college without her inspiration. A good teacher can be transformational.
The other key person is John Warner, one of the founders of the field of Green Chemistry. He introduced me to the field and I credit my career trajectory to him, waking me up to the tremendous power that chemistry has to make the world more sustainable.
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
How to pick just one? There is a great quote by Robert Swan, an explorer and climate activist - “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” This resonates with me since I think that most people don't understand their role in creating change. Yet, it's all of us that are required to make the numerous changes that are needed to create a sustainable planet. So, if I could change one thing, I would change the confidence and perception that people have in their own ability to create meaningful and impactful change. It's all of us that have that ability, and we just need the confidence to keep moving forward.
How did you feel when you learned you had been chosen as a speaker for TEDxAM23?
I was nervously excited. I am used to speaking to an audience of chemists and chemistry educators. But, this is completely new and different. So, it's both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. But, I welcome the challenge and I hope to contribute to sparking ideas and sharing my story and work. And, the opportunity to share the stage with such tremendous people with incredible work and experiences was also tremendously inspiring and I feel truly honored to be part of the "cast" for this event.
What do you most want TEDxAM23 attendees to know about you?
I'm a chemist, an environmentalist, an activist and a realist. In a world where there is so much division, my work sits between many things that often seem to be in opposition. Often solutions to challenges require new perspectives that show that things are not always so black and white. I always try to bring that perspective to my work and to my life.
