The theme of TEDxStaffordshireUniversity which takes place on Wednesday 1 February, is “Thinking through Making” and nine speakers have been specially selected by a panel of judges from across Staffordshire.
The line-up showcases inspirational figures and changemakers in the county including co-founder of mental health charity Sanctus George Bettany, Josie Morris MBE who is the Managing Director of sustainable family business Woolcool, plus social entrepreneur Darren Murinas who is helping others as CEO of Expert Citizens CIC.
Speakers were selected by a panel, chaired by Staffordshire University Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Jones, and involving other key community figures including CEO of North Staffordshire YMCA Danny Flynn, Managing Director of Valentine Clays Hannah Ault, and Students’ Union President Hannah Blackburn.
Other speakers reflect Staffordshire’s creative heritage with honorary graduate and The Great Pottery Thrown Down star Keith Brymer Jones and Clare Wood, who is Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the British Ceramics Biennial.
Staffordshire University expert in AI, Professor Raheel Nawaz, and Associate Professor Anna Francis, who is Director of The Portland Inn Project, have also been selected. Completing the line-up is Staffordshire University graduate and journalist Gemma-Louise Walsh whose talk will explore ‘imposter syndrome’ and current student Sophie Jackman who will discuss the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in animation.
Limited to 100 guests, members of the public can book free tickets from Monday 16 January for the exclusive event at Staffordshire University’s Stoke-on-Trent campus.
Hannah Ault, from the TEDxStaffordshireUniversity judging panel, said: “The judging process was really difficult because of the applicants – the quality was amazing to see. The topics that they wanted to discuss were very varied, all very different. It made me feel excited and passionate about what Staffordshire has got on offer and what we can promote through TEDx talks.”
TEDx is the highlight of Staffordshire University’s Spring events series which invites the community onto campus for a host of free events.
On Friday 27 January a Holocaust Memorial Day service will honour the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides. World renowned archaeologist Professor Caroline Sturdy Colls will share her recent experience of visiting Poland with a Holocaust survivor and will launch new exhibition “Supply/Request” which examines the choices made by perpetrators of the Holocaust when they built Treblinka extermination camp.
Newly appointed professors will deliver their inaugural lectures at Staffordshire University starting with Milestones or Millstones? Reflections on Education Policy Processes on Tuesday 24 January. In this talk, Professor Gill Forrester will examine the seismic shift in education over the past sixty years, drawing on her own education and career as a university researcher. Following this on Thursday 16 February, Professor Sarahjane Jones’ lecture puts patient safety in the spotlight, drawing on research into nurse staffing levels and their impact of both patients and staff. In March ‘Catalyst Collaborations’ returns with Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Jones followed in April by psychologists Associate Professor Richard Jolley and Dr Sarah Rose.
For more information about all public events visit www.staffs.ac.uk/events
- Milestones or Millstones? Reflections on Education Policy Processes by Professor Gill Forrester
Tuesday 24 January, 5:30pm at The Catalyst
Friday 27 January, 11am at The Catalyst
- TEDxStaffordshire University
Wednesday 1 February, 5.30pm at The Catalyst
- Patient Safety – there is no safety without the patient voice by Professor Sarahjane Jones
Thursday 16 February, 5:30pm at The Catalyst
- Catalyst Collaborations with Professor Martin Jones
Monday 6 March, 5:30pm at The Catalyst
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
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, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. 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.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, often in the form of short talks delivered by leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks are given at TED conferences, intimate TED Salons and thousands of independently organized TEDx events around the world. Videos of these talks are made available, free, on TED.com and other platforms. Audio versions of TED Talks are published to TED Talks Daily, available on all podcast platforms.
TED's open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new TED Talk videos are posted daily; TEDx, which licenses thousands of individuals and groups to host local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; the TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities; The Audacious Project, which surfaces and funds critical ideas that have the potential to impact millions of lives; TED Translators, which crowdsources the subtitling of TED Talks so that big ideas can spread across languages and borders; and the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED also offers TED@Work, a program that reimagines TED Talks for workplace learning. TED also has a growing library of original podcasts, including The TED Interview with Chris Anderson, WorkLife with Adam Grant, Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala and How to Be a Better Human.
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