Ransom’sNotes
Ransom Stephens, PhD
Keynote Speeches
The Keys to Innovation: Priming your brain to percolate brilliant ideas
Description: The route from problem to solution is a swirling path with Aha! moments lighting the way. In this presentation, we examine the neural processes that percolate insights into consciousness: the physics of lateral thought, the power of perspective, the value of novelty, and how your brain selects and rejects ideas before you’re even aware of them. Then we turn to methods that can prime our brains to solve the challenges that we face as individuals as well as those that we face together. Presented to • Embedded Systems Conference 2016 and 2017 • DesignCon 2017 • BAM Associates Annual Meeting 2018 • Learning and the Brain Conference 2019 “Ransom’s ability to captivate audiences while explaining complex ideas is an art form!” –Kim Heine, Beyond the Box Presentations
Innovation, Incorporation, and Integrity
Description: Corporations don’t exist to make money. They exist to provide the foundation for you to pursue greatness … at their best. At their worst, corporations stifle innovation and confuse their employees’ concepts of responsibility but still make money. In this keynote, Ransom presents a perspective-altering view of your role in the company you work for: why you should stay, when you should walk, and how you can run. The first step is understanding that you affect the company you work for just as you affect the company you keep. Presented to • EDICon 2018 “Excellent! Interesting, lively, inspiring… full of quotable wisdom and humour—beautiful!” – Alan Boulton, Socionext.com
Your Pursuit of Greatness
Description: A perspective-altering view of how it all works and why you, yes you, are obligated to pursue your Greatest ambition. By combining unique approaches to thinking about time and money, death and taxes, careers and dreams, “Your Pursuit of Greatness” has helped thousands of people confront and realize their most authentic desires even when faced with tremendous challenges. Presented hundreds of times since 1999 to students from 7th grade to graduate school, retirees, huge groups of unemployed people, thousands of K-12 teachers. A deeply loved speech. “I just wanted to thank you. I still think about the things you said during your keynote. Not very many people discuss what rabbits we chase, but instead how to keep up with those rabbits. I'm sure people thank you all the time, but in all sincerity thank you for making such an impression on me. I still think about what you said all these years later.” – Robert Simpson, University of Texas at Arlington AlumPromotional Video
“Helped me rediscover myself.” – Dan Nguyen
Ransom’sNotes
Ransom Stephens, PhD
© 2020 Ransom Stephens
Keynote Speeches
The Keys to Innovation:
Priming your brain to
percolate brilliant ideas
Description: The route from problem to solution is a swirling path with Aha! moments lighting the way. In this presentation, we examine the neural processes that percolate insights into consciousness: the physics of lateral thought, the power of perspective, the value of novelty, and how your brain selects and rejects ideas before you’re even aware of them. Then we turn to methods that can prime our brains to solve the challenges that we face as individuals as well as those that we face together. Presented to • Embedded Systems Conference 2016 and 2017 • DesignCon 2017 • BAM Associates Annual Meeting 2018 • Learning and the Brain Conference 2019 “Ransom’s ability to captivate audiences while explaining complex ideas is an art form!” –Kim Heine, Beyond the Box Presentations
Innovation, Incorporation,
and Integrity
Description: Corporations don’t exist to make money. They exist to provide the foundation for you to pursue greatness … at their best. At their worst, corporations stifle innovation and confuse their employees’ concepts of responsibility but still make money. In this keynote, Ransom presents a perspective-altering view of your role in the company you work for: why you should stay, when you should walk, and how you can run. The first step is understanding that you affect the company you work for just as you affect the company you keep. Presented to • EDICon 2018 “Excellent! Interesting, lively, inspiring… full of quotable wisdom and humour—beautiful!” – Alan Boulton, Socionext.com
Your Pursuit of Greatness
Description: A perspective-altering view of how it all works and why you, yes you, are obligated to pursue your Greatest ambition. By combining unique approaches to thinking about time and money, death and taxes, careers and dreams, “Your Pursuit of Greatness” has helped thousands of people confront and realize their most authentic desires even when faced with tremendous challenges. Presented hundreds of times since 1999 to students from 7th grade to graduate school, retirees, huge groups of unemployed people, thousands of K-12 teachers. A deeply loved speech. “I just wanted to thank you. I still think about the things you said during your keynote. Not very many people discuss what rabbits we chase, but instead how to keep up with those rabbits. I'm sure people thank you all the time, but in all sincerity thank you for making such an impression on me. I still think about what you said all these years later.” – Robert Simpson, University of Texas at Arlington AlumPromotional Video
“Helped me rediscover myself.” – Dan Nguyen
