Walid Afifi is a Professor in the Department of Communication and Chair of the Middle East Studies major at UCSB. He joined the department in 2006 after three years at the University of Delaware and seven years at Pennsylvania State University. His research interests revolve around people’s experience of uncertainty and their related decisions to seek or avoid information in interpersonal contexts. He has published over 50 articles, book chapters, and books, across a wide range of disciplines, and has served the discipline in many capacities. He teaches courses on interpersonal communication, health communication, social marketing, nonverbal communication, and methodology. He also leads department fund-raising efforts for victims of disasters, both locally and globally. He lives with his wife, Tamara, their two daughters, Leila (8) and Rania (6), and their two dogs, Mashi and Maddi.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)