Malcolm Gladwell, staff writer for the New Yorker will speak Tuesday, March 5, in the Mountainlair ballrooms as West Virginia Universitys popular Festival of Ideas continues.

His presentation, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, begins at 7:30 p.m.

A former Washington Post reporter, Gladwell draws on his background in business, science, and medicine to present a bold new theory that explains how and why social changes happen so suddenly and unexpectedly.

In his new book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Gladwell presents a new way of understanding change by illuminating how ideas, behavior, messages and products sometimes behave like outbreaks of infectious disease.

A current New York Times bestseller, the book examines the social epidemics that surround us. Through the use of the Tipping Point Gladwells goal is to show people how so start positive epidemics of their own.

Gladwell applies”outside the box”ideas to familiar and timely fields. He has brought an original and provocative voice to subjects ranging from medicine and technology to marketing and management.

Gladwell has been nominated for a National Magazine Award and has spoken to dozens of business and civic groups, illustrating how The Tipping Point can create positive epidemics within organizations.

All Festival of Ideas events are free, open to the public and produced entirely by students.

Call 304-293-SHOW or visit Arts&Entertainment online at www.events.wvu.edu