It's been over three years since I began calling Ann Arbor, Michigan home, and over two year since I took a job as a communications specialist at The University of Michigan. I've been an evangelist for the art-science connection in perfumery since I arrived, so you can imagine how excited I was when I received an email requesting that I give a TEDxUofM talk related to the sense of smell.
TEDxUofM is run by students at The University of Michigan and is supported by faculty and staff who believe that great ideas are worth spreading. Everything you'll see and hear in "Secrets from a Trained Nose" is true. What's even more amazing is what happened four days after an audience of 1300 experienced "Secrets from a Trained Nose" at The Power Center for the Performing Arts. Two congenital anosmics were interviewed in The Michigan Daily. Those of you who are familiar with the articles I've written about anosmia know that a person is more likely to encounter someone who has lost their sense of smell versus someone who was born without a sense of smell.
I continue to get feedback and email regarding "Secrets from a Trained Nose," which took place on March 20, 2015. I look forward to receiving news on the call to action at the end of the talk. The creation of a functional and affordable smoke, carbon monoxide, natural gas detector will help those with and without a sense of smell. I hope the solution will coincide with greater anosmia awareness, as well as the addition of "anosmia" to spellcheck because being nose blind stinks.
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| TEDxUofM Salon Organizers, April 2015 |
Thanks go out to all of The University of Michigan students who organized TEDxUofM in 2015. Special thanks go out to Adam Levine, who sent the email asking if I would give a TEDxUofM talk; you were a terrific and insightful speaker coach. (Adam Levine is not "the Adam Levine," but he's a rock star in his own right who happens to be on the far left in this photo.)
Anosmia Hope offers more information on smell loss and is part of The Monell Chemical Senses Center website The number of people with anosmia is likely greater than 6.3 million, but more research is needed to arrive at a true number as anosmics don't always self report and doctors don't always recognize smell loss.
