TEDxCardiff is back
14 Mawrth 2014
With record breaking ticket sales and a host of inspiring speakers, TEDxCardiff 2014 promises to be packed with ideas worth spreading.
TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Independently run TEDx events, like TEDxCardiff, help share ideas in communities around the world.
Cardiff University is the primary sponsor, with the Welsh Government, of the sell-out event (Saturday 22 March), at the Wales Millennium Centre.
The event, which starts at 2pm and will be live streamed to the web, opens with a talk from University graduates Nick Gough and Rich Sears who have recently returned from travelling the world in a tuk-tuk, driven by their passion to promote education worldwide. Driving through Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, they have travelled through areas lacking education and visiting projects seeking to alleviate this problem. You can find out more about their adventure here. Or you can wait to hear all about it on the day!
Briony Goffin, who teaches creative writing at Cardiff University's Centre for Lifelong Learning and is a specialist in facilitating creative writing experiences for vulnerable and marginalised adults and young people, is also speaking at the event. Her work has taken her into schools, hospitals, prisons, rehab clinics, care homes, art galleries, inner-city community centres, rural village halls, on steam trains and seaside piers.
Niall McCann, who is studying for his PhD in the University's School of Biosciences on Baird's tapir, the largest mammal in the neotropics and one of the most threatened species in all of the Americas, will take the audience on an adventure. Niall has dedicated his life to seeking out adventure in the natural world, either in combination with his zoological studies, or on stand-alone adventures. Niall made his television debut in 2011 with the PBS documentary Lost in the Amazon: the enigma of Col Fawcett, which aired on the History Channel in the UK. As a result of this documentary, which won two international awards, Niall landed a six-part wildlife adventure series with the Discovery Channel, directed by Peter von Puttkamer and produced by Gryphon Productions.
The event will close with Dr Edward Gomez, Cardif School of Physics and Astronomy. Since childhood Edward has been fascinated by astronomy. When he realised that he could use maths and computers to do fun things with astronomy, he knew he was hooked for life. He never grew out of it and now he is a professional astrophysicist. As part of Edward's role with LCOGT (Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network) he tries to find novel ways to engage the public in astronomy. This has taken the form of creating citizen science projects like Agent Exoplanet, interactive educational web apps like Star in a Box, and online community events like Show Me Stars.
For the full line up of speakers visit the TEDxCardiff website or follow TEDxCardiff on twitter @TEDXCardiff or facebook.