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Community Development, Digital Economy, E-Governance, Economic Growth, Entrepreneurship, New Media, Regenerative Agriculture, Sustainable Development, Technology, Youth Empowerment

2009

Madagascar

Orinasa Kaoperativa Hackoragna; Le Super Cafoutch; Windcoop; The New School; National University of Singapore; Sabbatical & Travel; HABAKA; MNDPT; Université de Provence (Aix-Marseille I); Ministère de l'Industrie, du Commerce et de l'Artisanat Madagascar; Université Paul Cézanne (Aix-Marseille III)

Harinjaka A. Ratozamanana is renowned for his contributions to youth empowerment through technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. A distinguished TEDAfrica 2007 Fellow and TED 2009 Fellow, he co-founded the groundbreaking nonprofit, Habaka-Madagascar Innovation Hub, in 2011, leaving a global impact by affiliating the organization with Afrilabs, Global Entrepreneurship Network, Global Innovation Gathering, and more from 2011 to 2017. In 2020, Harinjaka shifted his focus to the cooperative movement after leading Private Sector and Digital Development for the government of Madagascar (2017-2019). He played a pivotal role in shaping Madagascar's National Strategy for Cooperative Development (SNDCOOP) and National Strategy for Rural Development (SNDER). Harinjaka participated in the inaugural edition of Platform Cooperatives Now, an online course co-taught by Trebor Scholz, the Founding Director of ICDE (Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy) and professor at The New School in New York, and Jose Mari Luzarraga Monasterio, co-founder of Mondragon Team Academy. Currently, as a member of the 2023/2024 The New School's Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy's Fellowship cohort, Harinjaka aspires to contribute to positive impacts in regenerative agriculture for his country and the continent. Specializing in private sector development, tech, and innovation in Africa, Harinjaka A. Ratozamanana continues to be a driving force in creating positive change and sustainable development in his community and beyond. // Chasing Joy // Ministry of Digital Development, Digital Transformation, Posts and Telecommunication // Member of the IOC Delegate in Tallin (Estonia), part of representatives of the General Secretariat and experts from Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar and Seychelle who met the General Secretary of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the ICT Advisor of the Prime Minister who introduced the e-Cabinet, digital declination of governance at the highest level of the State. The IOC delegation also held working sessions at the e-Governance Academy and Visited Estonian fully digitized National Bureau of Tax and Customs and national private operators (NetGroup, Nortal and Cybernetica)... // Habaka is a physical HUB in Madagascar. It's a Technology Innovation space that bring together Academicians, private sector and investors around the Tech Community based in Madagascar and share, its strong ambition to (tackle) "hack" any local problems with Ingenious solutions, New communication technologiesand entrepreneurship. Key international professional conferences and presentations of new technology products are planned on our CaféTIC events. Entrepreneurs and investors get access to best networking opportunities. Habaka is the National host for Global Entreprenership Week in Madagascar, National host of the Creative Business Cup and more International and Tech related events. Habakabaka is a malagasy word for space & universe and it represents all things IRL and virtual related to our mobile & Internet activities - including a Coworking space, Education and capacipty building services, R&D program, and Tech events. // Windcoop is an equitable maritime transport cooperative.The project aims to develop a fleet of sail-powered cargo ships with high decarbonisation targets and the desire to operate ships designed to harness the wind as their main propulsion source, using the engine only when the wind is low for overly long periods. The Windcoop ship will transport products from Marseille to Madagascar and will pass by the French overseas department Mayotte. // Windcoop is an equitable maritime transport cooperative.The project aims to develop a fleet of sail-powered cargo ships with high decarbonisation targets and the desire to operate ships designed to harness the wind as their main propulsion source, using the engine only when the wind is low for overly long periods. The Windcoop ship will transport products from Marseille to Madagascar and will pass by the French overseas department Mayotte. // Super Cafoutch #foodcoop is a cooperative of consumers who share the desire to regain control over their consumption. To do so, we have created the first cooperative and participative supermarket in Marseille. // Platform cooperatives are businesses that sell goods or services primarily through a website, mobile app, or protocol. They rely on democratic decision-making and shared platform ownership by workers and users. // Creative Business Cup is the world championship for creative entrepreneurs.Each participating country runs a business concept contest for entrepreneurs within the creative industries and sends the winning entrepreneur/team to the international final in November in Copenhagen, Denmark. // Business Model Competition in Madagascar // TEDxAntananarivo is a TED-style events in Madagascar created in the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading." // TEDxAntananarivo is a TED-style events in Madagascar created in the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading." // The Future Agro Challenge focuses on new leading ideas and ways that we could address current challenges in an innovative, creative, practical and sustainable manner. We want to address the issue of healthy food from the farmer to the consumer. // Get in the Ring: The Investment Battle is a worldwide competition for the most promising startups to secure their investment of up to €1,000,000. The competition is selected by the Kauffman Foundation as one of the ten featured events of the Global Entrepreneurship Week. // Orinasa Kaoperativa Hackoragna; Le Super Cafoutch; Windcoop; The New School; National University of Singapore; Sabbatical & Travel; HABAKA; MNDPT; Université de Provence (Aix-Marseille I); Ministère de l'Industrie, du Commerce et de l'Artisanat Madagascar; Université Paul Cézanne (Aix-Marseille III) // Harinjaka A. Ratozamanana is a dedicated professional specializing in private sector development, technology, and innovation in Africa. With a strong background in youth empowerment through technology and entrepreneurship, he has made significant contributions to the cooperative movement, particularly in Madagascar. Harinjaka played a key role in shaping Madagascar's National Strategy for Cooperative Development and National Strategy for Rural Development during his tenure with the government. He is a member of The New School's Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy's Fellowship cohort, where he aims to drive positive impacts in regenerative agriculture for his country and the continent. Harinjaka continues to be a driving force in creating positive change and sustainable development in his community and beyond. // Since the beginning of my TED fellowship, I have experienced significant growth and learning through various endeavors, including joining and building local NGOs in Madagascar, starting a for-profit business, and working in administration. Despite numerous mistakes, these experiences have inspired many young people in my community and have had a lasting impact over more than a decade. I have come to believe that meaningful change occurs at the individual and micro-level, which, when multiplied, can lead to broader transformation. Today, I am returning to my original vision of improving the world through basic agriculture—specifically, regenerative agriculture that addresses the challenges of our time. // Harinjaka A. Ratozamanana is a dedicated professional with expertise in private sector development, technology, and innovation in Africa. His work focuses on youth empowerment through technology and entrepreneurship, particularly within the cooperative movement in Madagascar. Harinjaka has played a significant role in shaping national strategies for cooperative and rural development in Madagascar during his government tenure. As a member of The New School's Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy's Fellowship cohort, he is committed to driving positive impacts in regenerative agriculture for his country and the continent. Through his experiences in NGOs, for-profit ventures, and administration, Harinjaka has inspired and empowered young individuals in his community, emphasizing the importance of individual and micro-level actions for broader transformative change. His current focus is on advancing regenerative agriculture to address contemporary challenges and contribute to sustainable development. // Environmental entrepreneur // Harinjaka Andriankoto RATOZAMANANA is Hub Entrepreneur in Madagascar. He is co-founder and CEO of Habaka -Madagascar Innovation Hub, a nonprofit organisation which lead Madagascar’s youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Habaka's vision emphasizes new media tools and their use in solving issues of concern to all in Madagascar and its continent, including the most marginalized and impoverished. Andriankoto Harinjaka Ratozamanana is recognized as an outstanding young world leader who demonstrated achievement and potential, especially in improving the lives of young people in his local communities. In 2014, Andriankoto was ranked among the top 100 young economic leaders of Africa by the world renowned Choiseul Institute for international politics and geo-economics. The annual independent study ‘Choiseul Africa 100’ takes into account the economic leaders of Africa, up to the maximum age of 40, who will play a major role in economic development in the African continent in the near future. // Harinjaka Andriankoto RATOZAMANANA is a media pioneer based in Antananarivo Madagascar. In 2007 his work caught the attention of senior management at TED.com (Technology, Entertainment and Design) which offered him a global fellowship recognizing his role as “...an outstanding young developing world leader who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and potential...” // Harinjaka A. Ratozamanana is a dedicated professional with expertise in private sector development, technology, and innovation in Africa. His work focuses on youth empowerment through technology and entrepreneurship, particularly within the cooperative movement in Madagascar. Harinjaka has played a significant role in shaping national strategies for cooperative and rural development in Madagascar during his government tenure. As a member of The New School's Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy's Fellowship cohort, he is committed to driving positive impacts in regenerative agriculture for his country and the continent. Through his experiences in NGOs, for-profit ventures, and administration, Harinjaka has inspired and empowered young individuals in his community, emphasizing the importance of individual and micro-level actions for broader transformative change. His current focus is on advancing regenerative agriculture to address contemporary challenges and contribute to sustainable development. // Environmental entrepreneur // technology, entrepreneurship, education, propulsion, youth empowerment, poverty alleviation in africa, poverty alleviation, equity, africa, cooperative, agriculture, mobility, design, e-governance, sustainable development , digital economy, farmers, wind, decarbonization, regenerative, marginalized, youth, community development, taxes, politics, regenerative agriculture, workers, rural, economic growth, innovation, empowerment, startup, science, food, governance, poverty, transportation, local communities, new media, government, rural community development, communication // Tallin|Estonia|Antananarivo|France|Madagascar|Mayotte|Marseille|Analamanga

Tallin|Estonia|Antananarivo|France|Madagascar|Mayotte|Marseille|Analamanga

AI, Artificial Intelligence, Communication, EdTech, Education, Entrepreneurship, Families, Family Engagement, Learning, Machine Learning, Schools, Social Impact, Technology, Translation

2022

Türkiye

Education technology entrepreneur // Heejae is the founder and CEO of TalkingPoints, an education technology nonprofit with the mission to drive student success by unlocking the potential of families to fuel their children’s learning, especially in underserved communities. She founded TalkingPoints because of her own experience growing up as a Korean immigrant student and seeing her mother be able to make a difference in her education because she had the ‘voice’ to do so. TalkingPoints’ universal family engagement solution transforms something as simple as a cell phone into a tool that empowers millions of PK-12 families and educators to build strong partnerships in support of student success through two-way translated digital conversations, data analytics, and resources in 150+ languages. Previously, Heejae advised the Gates Foundation and Teach First UK at McKinsey & Company, and worked on education reform by serving as chief of staff to a special advisor to the Secretary of Education in the UK. She holds a B.A. from Oxford University, an M.A. from the London School of Economics both with distinctive honors, and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was an Arjay Miller Scholar. Heejae has been recognized as a 2022 TED Fellow, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education, Echoing Green Fellow, Stanford Social Innovation Fellow, Ashoka Changemaker, and Elevate Prize Winner, among others. // "When teachers and families work together, everyone wins," says education technology entrepreneur and TED Fellow Heejae Lim. She shines a light on an underutilized resource in US public education -- a family's love for their children -- and shows that, with the right tools and tech, schools can remove language barriers, foster meaningful connections and help every student thrive. // Heejae is the founder and CEO of TalkingPoints, an education technology nonprofit with the mission to drive student success by unlocking the potential of families to fuel their children’s learning, especially in underserved communities. She founded TalkingPoints because of her own experience growing up as a Korean immigrant student and seeing her mother be able to make a difference in her education because she had the ‘voice’ to do so. TalkingPoints’ universal family engagement solution transforms something as simple as a cell phone into a tool that empowers millions of PK-12 families and educators to build strong partnerships in support of student success through two-way translated digital conversations, data analytics, and resources in 150+ languages. Previously, Heejae advised the Gates Foundation and Teach First UK at McKinsey & Company, and worked on education reform by serving as chief of staff to a special advisor to the Secretary of Education in the UK. She holds a B.A. from Oxford University, an M.A. from the London School of Economics both with distinctive honors, and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was an Arjay Miller Scholar. Heejae has been recognized as a 2022 TED Fellow, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education, Echoing Green Fellow, Stanford Social Innovation Fellow, Ashoka Changemaker, and Elevate Prize Winner, among others. // Education technology entrepreneur // technology, children, underserved communities, families, family engagement, education technology, data and analytics, education, immigration, learning, underserved, edtech, data, artificial intelligence, teachers, schools, multilingual // California|United States|San Francisco|USA

California|United States|San Francisco|USA

Biodiversity Research, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Mathematics

2016

Japan

Biodiversity mathematician // Biodiversity mathematician // research, biodiversity research, biodiversity, mathematics, evolutionary biology, ecology // Île-de-France|Paris|France

Île-de-France|Paris|France

2010

United States

Social entrepreneur // Hugo Van Vuuren received his Masters of Design Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design where he was a fellow at The Berkman Center for Internet and Society and the The Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. A TED Fellow, he earned his A.B. degree at Harvard College in Economics and co-founded two startups backed by Y Combinator before helping grow Artscience Labs and The Laboratory @ Harvard as Founding Director. South African by birth, Hugo enjoys the camaraderie and adventure of small teams tackling big problems and can be found in New York or Cape Town when not at home in Cambridge, MA. // Hugo Van Vuuren received his Masters of Design Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design where he was a fellow at The Berkman Center for Internet and Society and the The Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. A TED Fellow, he earned his A.B. degree at Harvard College in Economics and co-founded two startups backed by Y Combinator before helping grow Artscience Labs and The Laboratory @ Harvard as Founding Director. South African by birth, Hugo enjoys the camaraderie and adventure of small teams tackling big problems and can be found in New York or Cape Town when not at home in Cambridge, MA. // Social entrepreneur // design // New York|United States|USA

New York|United States|USA

Art, consumerism, data collection & analysis, economics, food systems, inequality, poverty

2024

United Kingdom

Raffles Girls'‚Äã School; Kynetec; Tsinghua University - Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Raffles Girls' School; RGS; Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore; Raffles Junior College; Asymmetrics Research; Grail Insights; TED Fellows Program; National University of Singapore; Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) Beijing Chapter; Tsinghua University; Eco-Business; Chow and Lin; The Poverty Line project

Chow and Lin is an organization that focuses on various social issues through art, particularly using photography and visual arts. They explore topics such as poverty, ecological impact, and social structures through their exhibitions, installations, and projects. Their work delves into the complexities of global issues, including the impact of fish farming, the representation of poverty through food, and the exploration of societal structures. Through collaborations with various organizations and participation in international exhibitions, Chow and Lin aim to provoke critical thinking and discussions on important societal matters. // Asymmetrics Research specializes in providing customized market research solutions for the food and agriculture sector in China and the APAC region. With a focus on understanding the dynamic drivers of change in the industry, they offer rigorous data collection and analysis to help clients make strategic business decisions. Their expertise lies in tracking trends, needs, and gaps in various aspects of the food and agriculture value chain, including food products, food service, food retail, food and ag technology, logistics and distribution, and the rural economy. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, they deliver insights on market sizing, end-user studies, regulation and policy impact, sales and distribution channels, supply chain mapping, competition analysis, and technology trends. Asymmetrics Research aims to empower businesses with fact-based analysis to navigate the complexities of the food and agriculture market landscape in China and APAC. // Huiyi impacts commercial and public policy strategies from multi-method data-driven insights. She excels in cross-disciplinary collaborations to create transformational partnerships for public policy review, business market entry and product launch. 15-year career across China and Singapore in private and public sectors. She led two global market research groups' China custom market research businesses supporting Fortune 500 clientele. She has also formulated national enterprise development economic policies and programs. She understands stakeholders' strategic purpose, has strong communication skills, and works across teams for joint innovations. She has founded and now manages a market research and consultancy practice, Asymmetrics Research. Co-artist at Chow and Lin. The crux of the artistic practice lies in the methodology of statistical, mathematical and computational techniques to address global issues. Their work have been exhibited internationally, including St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum, Beijing’s CAFA Museum and Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Photography. They won the Luma Rencontres Book Dummy Award, and Falling Walls x Berlin Science Week (Science in the Arts) for The Poverty Line project. Spoken at UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific 5th Session of the Committee on Social Development, Singapore Summit 2019 Young Societal Leaders program, Channel News Asia, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, New York Parsons School of Design, TedX conferences. // A global community of over 500 remarkable individuals working on-the-ground on world-changing ideas -- the doers, makers, inventors, technologists, filmmakers and photographers, musicians and artists, nonprofit leaders, activists, educators, scientists, entrepreneurs. // Why Asymmetrics? We understand the natural disorder of economic and social systems. We partner clients to deliver reliable, concise answers on "so-what" for informed decisions. The difference: 40+ years of combined customized market research expertise in China and the region; Experience with Fortune 500 companies, academics, senior officials; Knowing the critical points and advising on necessary judgment calls. Focus on providing customized market research on: Consumer products and services; Food; Technology application; Healthcare; Manufacturing; Rural economy.www.asymmetricsresearch.com // The Poverty Line is one of the major artworks by Chow and Lin. It explores a simple question: what does poverty mean? This visual project began in China in 2010 and has since expanded to 31 countries and territories across 6 continents. The Poverty Line uses the universal lens of food to examine the choices you would face if you lived at the poverty line. The project takes a typological photographic approach over time. The images address the complex issues of global poverty using economics, photography and food choices. The project has been exhibited as large scale installations in Paris, Georgia, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei. It has been extensively featured in international media including BBC, Le Monde, CNN, Foreign Policy and is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago and Central Academy of Fine Art Museum, Beijing. // Kynetec is the world’s largest market research provider for agriculture and animal health, headquartered in UK. Clients comprise top 10 global agriculture and animal health companies, and large local agriculture groups. Since its management buy-out, it has made strategic acquisitions such as IPSOS’ North America agriculture and animal health business and Kleffmann Group. It has 950 research professionals based in 30 offices across 5 continents. I led the China custom research business, and I was responsible for business development, client management, research solution building and team leadership. We provide solutions for client problems such as market opportunity assessment, post-launch brand health evaluation, pricing review and campaign evaluation. Research methodologies used comprise primary (e.g. surveys, in-depth interviews, FGDs) and secondary desk research, and quantitative and qualitative analysis. // Grail Research is a global customized research agency founded by the Monitor Group and was under the Integreon Group. Our focus industries are TMT, Healthcare, Consumer Goods/Services, and our clients are mainly Fortune 500 companies. We address clients’ business problems by designing project approach and methodologies (secondary research, qualitative and quantitative research) and making data-driven recommendations. I led the China office operations, and am responsible for project management, client engagement, business development and oversight of office and team development matters. Examples of projects led:- Assess opportunities for technology application in education and healthcare sectors to support market potential assessment and entry strategy- Evaluation of China cross-border e-commerce platforms and consumer behavior to inform online vs offline retail strategy- Assess business prospects and competitive positioning of leading pharmaceutical manufacturer as part of commercial due diligence // Eco-Business is the leading media and business intelligence company dedicated to sustainable development and ESG performance in the Asia Pacific. We provide ESG research and consulting on a wide range of issues, and create thought-leadership platforms which improve business practices, inform policy and foster stakeholder collaboration. As independent director for Greater China, my focus is on building our business and research in the region. www.eco-business.com // Eco-Business is the leading media and business intelligence company dedicated to sustainable development and ESG performance in the Asia Pacific. We provide ESG research and consulting on a wide range of issues, and create thought-leadership platforms which improve business practices, inform policy and foster stakeholder collaboration. As independent director for Greater China, my focus is on building our business and research in the region. www.eco-business.com // - Formulated policies and financing programs to support companies expanding overseas - Developed policies and incentives to attract global offshore trading firms- Partnered govt agencies and banks to launch financing programs for startups and small and medium enterprises- Launched nation-wide survey of businesses to improve regulatory environment // ACE is a social movement for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs. ACE helps aspiring Singapore entrepreneurs start up by building a vibrant community and connecting them to resources, people and knowledge.The ACE Beijing Chapter is the first Overseas Chapter for ACE. Connected to entrepreneurship communities in China and Singapore, ACE Beijing builds networks and platforms to help Singapore startups access opportunities in Beijing and China. // Raffles Girls'​ School; Kynetec; Tsinghua University - Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Raffles Girls' School; RGS; Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore; Raffles Junior College; Asymmetrics Research; Grail Insights; TED Fellows Program; National University of Singapore; Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) Beijing Chapter; Tsinghua University; Eco-Business; Chow and Lin; The Poverty Line project // Huiyi Lin is a seasoned professional with a 15-year career spanning China and Singapore, where she has made significant impacts in both the private and public sectors. She is adept at leveraging multi-method data-driven insights to influence commercial and public policy strategies, excelling in cross-disciplinary collaborations to forge transformational partnerships. Huiyi has led global market research groups, formulated national economic policies, and founded Asymmetrics Research, a successful market research and consultancy practice. Additionally, she is a co-artist at Chow and Lin, where her work combines statistical, mathematical, and computational techniques to address global issues, showcased in prestigious international exhibitions. Huiyi's expertise extends to speaking engagements at high-profile events and institutions, demonstrating her strong communication skills and strategic acumen. // Art opens up new ways to view the world and ask critical questions. Our works make poverty visible, breaks down stereotyped assumptions and builds empathy that we are part of the same system. // Huiyi Lin is a versatile professional with a rich background in market research, economic policy formulation, and art. With a career spanning over 15 years across China and Singapore, she has demonstrated a keen ability to leverage data-driven insights to drive impactful strategies in both the private and public sectors. Huiyi is the founder of Asymmetrics Research, a consultancy specializing in tailored market research solutions for the food and agriculture sector in China and the APAC region. Her expertise in tracking trends, analyzing market dynamics, and providing strategic recommendations has empowered businesses to navigate the complexities of the industry landscape effectively. Furthermore, as a co-artist at Chow and Lin, Huiyi combines statistical, mathematical, and computational techniques to address pressing global issues through art, aiming to provoke critical discussions and raise awareness on social matters. Her multidisciplinary approach, strong communication skills, and strategic acumen underscore her commitment to driving positive change through research and artistic expression. // Visual artist + poverty researcher // Huiyi Lin is a versatile professional with a rich background in market research, economic policy formulation, and art. With a career spanning over 15 years across China and Singapore, she has demonstrated a keen ability to leverage data-driven insights to drive impactful strategies in both the private and public sectors. Huiyi is the founder of Asymmetrics Research, a consultancy specializing in tailored market research solutions for the food and agriculture sector in China and the APAC region. Her expertise in tracking trends, analyzing market dynamics, and providing strategic recommendations has empowered businesses to navigate the complexities of the industry landscape effectively. Furthermore, as a co-artist at Chow and Lin, Huiyi combines statistical, mathematical, and computational techniques to address pressing global issues through art, aiming to provoke critical discussions and raise awareness on social matters. Her multidisciplinary approach, strong communication skills, and strategic acumen underscore her commitment to driving positive change through research and artistic expression. // Visual artist + poverty researcher // technology, entrepreneurship, food technology, fish, data collection, led, education, esg, data, global poverty, finance, research, animal health, agriculture, activism, supply chain, farming, design, sustainable development , food systems, policy, monitoring, rural community development, food system, economics, public policy, data-driven, community development, foster partnerships, logistics, agtech, campaigns, rural, science, food, visual artist, poverty, communication, farmed fish, inequality, ecology, manufacturing, consumerism // Singapore|Greater China|China|Beijing|UK

Singapore|Greater China|China|Beijing|UK

2009

India

Rickshaw business innovator // Founder of the SammaaN Foundation, an social enterprise systematizing the rickshaw business // Founder of the SammaaN Foundation, an social enterprise systematizing the rickshaw business // Rickshaw business innovator // Patna|Bihar|India

Patna|Bihar|India

bonobos, creativity, exploration as learning, human evolution, play, primatology, social animals, social bonding

2011

United States

Primatologist // A Chilean primatologist who studies play behavior among bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo // Scientist, MPhil Cambridge, PhD Oxford. Ethology of human apes & other social animals. I explore & integrate, bonobos laugh. Gruter & TED Fellow. Chile’s Presidential advisor on strategy for science, innovation, technology and knowledge. Love nature & culture, wildness & arts. Based in NYC & Chile. Instagram: isabel_behncke —— Long bio: What makes us human? What does it really mean to be a social animal? And how can these Q’s help humans live win-win with the rest of nature? Knowing our past help us situate our present - & co-create our future. Looking at other animals help us understand ourselves - & our place in the web of life. I am an explorer ethologist by training and essence. I like going to the field, & attempting to look at life at the eye - with my own eyes. To be a story-watcher, to let the complexity of life unfold. I ask questions, travel, observe, think, integrate, & then tell people what I found. I go there, and back. Voy, y vuelvo. I am from Chile, where I learnt to love mountains, exploration & wild things. I was educated in the UK (Oxford, Cambridge & University College London) in behaviour, evolution & ecology. In deep time, complexity, living systems. And a hearty side of British influences, from the Lunar Society to Monty Python & Eddie Izzard. I started working in rainforest conservation in Northern Patagonia. Frustration with our failure to look after nature made me want to understand human nature better - & go back to origins. I then trained as a field primatologist working on the evolutionary roots of social behavior in humans & other animals. Field research led me to walk 3,000+ km in the steamy jungles of Congo observing the social behavior of wild bonobo apes - our closest living relatives. For my PhD I did the first comprehensive study of adult play of bonobos in the wild. The research site was Japanese-directed Wamba, DRC, longest running bonobo site in the world. Chronic bloodshed in Congo meant that at the time I was the first western person to do research there in more than 20 years. Paradox happens to me a lot. Like going into the Heart of Darkness to study play. Or studying matriarchal & most peaceful of great apes -they don't tend to die at the hands of their conspecifics- in a country torn by sexual violence & war. Soon after Congo went to Burning Man & realised it was also adult play of apes in the wild. Instead of jungle, it was desert. Instead of knuckle-walking hairy apes, there were biped naked apes. I continue going every year; collective phenomena make great primatology field-sites. I cannot undo seeing us as social animals. We are embedded in societies & in nature. In my research I saw that play behaviour is like our 'Adaptive Joker' - an ancient wildcard which changes value according to context. It might hold the key to our capacity to adapt to a changing world. The biology of fun is serious business. I apply an evolutionary & complex systems lens to try derive insights onto human behaviour & the modern challenges we face. I ask questions such as why we go to festivals, how can we design rituals for modern life, why trust requires risk-taking, & crucially why is it that the more digital we get, the more understanding of nature (& human nature) we need. Basically I use the Origin of Species to think about the Future of Species. I am currently working on my first book, which is science (human evolution, ethology & primatology) told through adventure travel (field diaries written while in Congo jungle) & sprinkled with classic rock references. Would love to hit notes in an ancient fireside non-fiction storytelling, but with the Rolling Stones, Latin poetic-realism & Darwin as part of the hearth. I enjoy public engagement in different forms (e.g. TED, WIRED, UN, G20, BBC, Nat Geo), concerning questions of how humans & other animals create, connect, play & adapt. Sometimes I curate & co-host 'intellectual safaris' (expeditions of intellectual & geographic exploration) academic conferences & ideas festivals. I like collaborating with thinkers, doers, artists, scientists, explorers. I lived 15 years in the UK (including 3 years of fieldwork in Congo). Now I'm based in NYC & Chile. Night owl, animal person, occasional flaneuse. No allergies. I love reality and the complexity of the world, and think we would be better off embracing it rather than trying to reduce it. I think context, interactions, & trade-offs. Exploration-then-integration is my favored methodology. I am an Associate Professor at the Research Centre for Social Complexity (CICS) in UDD, Santiago Chile, & Fellow of the Bay area based Gruter Institute for research on human behavior & institutions. I’m advising government in my home country. I’m Presidential advisor for Chile’s long term strategy in science, technology, innovation & knowledge. BSc Zoology (UCL), MSc Wildlife Conservation (UCL), MPhil Human Evolution (Cambridge), DPhil Evolutionary Anthropology (Oxford). Gruter & TED Fellow. // With never-before-seen video, primatologist Isabel Behncke Izquierdo (a TED Fellow) shows how bonobo ape society learns from constantly playing -- solo, with friends, even as a prelude to sex. Indeed, play appears to be the bonobos' key to problem-solving and avoiding conflict. If it works for our close cousins, why not for us? // Scientist, MPhil Cambridge, PhD Oxford. Ethology of human apes & other social animals. I explore & integrate, bonobos laugh. Gruter & TED Fellow. Chile’s Presidential advisor on strategy for science, innovation, technology and knowledge. Love nature & culture, wildness & arts. Based in NYC & Chile. Instagram: isabel_behncke —— Long bio: What makes us human? What does it really mean to be a social animal? And how can these Q’s help humans live win-win with the rest of nature? Knowing our past help us situate our present - & co-create our future. Looking at other animals help us understand ourselves - & our place in the web of life. I am an explorer ethologist by training and essence. I like going to the field, & attempting to look at life at the eye - with my own eyes. To be a story-watcher, to let the complexity of life unfold. I ask questions, travel, observe, think, integrate, & then tell people what I found. I go there, and back. Voy, y vuelvo. I am from Chile, where I learnt to love mountains, exploration & wild things. I was educated in the UK (Oxford, Cambridge & University College London) in behaviour, evolution & ecology. In deep time, complexity, living systems. And a hearty side of British influences, from the Lunar Society to Monty Python & Eddie Izzard. I started working in rainforest conservation in Northern Patagonia. Frustration with our failure to look after nature made me want to understand human nature better - & go back to origins. I then trained as a field primatologist working on the evolutionary roots of social behavior in humans & other animals. Field research led me to walk 3,000+ km in the steamy jungles of Congo observing the social behavior of wild bonobo apes - our closest living relatives. For my PhD I did the first comprehensive study of adult play of bonobos in the wild. The research site was Japanese-directed Wamba, DRC, longest running bonobo site in the world. Chronic bloodshed in Congo meant that at the time I was the first western person to do research there in more than 20 years. Paradox happens to me a lot. Like going into the Heart of Darkness to study play. Or studying matriarchal & most peaceful of great apes -they don't tend to die at the hands of their conspecifics- in a country torn by sexual violence & war. Soon after Congo went to Burning Man & realised it was also adult play of apes in the wild. Instead of jungle, it was desert. Instead of knuckle-walking hairy apes, there were biped naked apes. I continue going every year; collective phenomena make great primatology field-sites. I cannot undo seeing us as social animals. We are embedded in societies & in nature. In my research I saw that play behaviour is like our 'Adaptive Joker' - an ancient wildcard which changes value according to context. It might hold the key to our capacity to adapt to a changing world. The biology of fun is serious business. I apply an evolutionary & complex systems lens to try derive insights onto human behaviour & the modern challenges we face. I ask questions such as why we go to festivals, how can we design rituals for modern life, why trust requires risk-taking, & crucially why is it that the more digital we get, the more understanding of nature (& human nature) we need. Basically I use the Origin of Species to think about the Future of Species. I am currently working on my first book, which is science (human evolution, ethology & primatology) told through adventure travel (field diaries written while in Congo jungle) & sprinkled with classic rock references. Would love to hit notes in an ancient fireside non-fiction storytelling, but with the Rolling Stones, Latin poetic-realism & Darwin as part of the hearth. I enjoy public engagement in different forms (e.g. TED, WIRED, UN, G20, BBC, Nat Geo), concerning questions of how humans & other animals create, connect, play & adapt. Sometimes I curate & co-host 'intellectual safaris' (expeditions of intellectual & geographic exploration) academic conferences & ideas festivals. I like collaborating with thinkers, doers, artists, scientists, explorers. I lived 15 years in the UK (including 3 years of fieldwork in Congo). Now I'm based in NYC & Chile. Night owl, animal person, occasional flaneuse. No allergies. I love reality and the complexity of the world, and think we would be better off embracing it rather than trying to reduce it. I think context, interactions, & trade-offs. Exploration-then-integration is my favored methodology. I am an Associate Professor at the Research Centre for Social Complexity (CICS) in UDD, Santiago Chile, & Fellow of the Bay area based Gruter Institute for research on human behavior & institutions. I’m advising government in my home country. I’m Presidential advisor for Chile’s long term strategy in science, technology, innovation & knowledge. BSc Zoology (UCL), MSc Wildlife Conservation (UCL), MPhil Human Evolution (Cambridge), DPhil Evolutionary Anthropology (Oxford). Gruter & TED Fellow. // Primatologist // technology, violence, desert, led, play, social bonding, job skills training, research, design, species, wildlife protection, war, great apes, wildlife, social animals, human evolution, exploration as learning, rainforest protection, adaptive capacity, bonobos, nature, science, rainforest, creativity, government, primatology, ecology, mountains // New York|United States|New York City|Santiago|Chile

New York|United States|New York City|Santiago|Chile

2018

Canada

Photojournalist + filmmaker // Isadora Kosofsky is a documentary photographer, journalist, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Albuquerque. She began photographing at the age of fourteen, documenting individuals in hospice care. When she was sixteen, she relocated to the Balkans to imbed inside the youth prison system in Romania. Isadora takes an immersive approach to visual storytelling, spending months and years imbedded in the lives of the people she shadows. For her, the relationships formed with the subjects are tantamount to the image-making. She works on a range of subject matters through the lens of one individual or group of people, working from an interpersonal, humanistic stance, while documenting healthcare, geriatric health, mental health, disability rights, impacts of incarceration, substance use, gender violences, childhood trauma, senior citizen issues, and experiences of grief, loss, and resilience. She is a National Geographic Photographer and has contributed to the NY Times, TIME, the New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Stern, Le Monde, M le Magazine du Monde, GEO Germany, Paris Match, The London Sunday Times, The Guardian, Slate, Internazionale, and many others. She is the recipient of the 2012 Inge Morath Award from the Magnum Foundation for her multi-series work on the aged. She was nominated for a 2016 Lead Award (German Pulitzer) for her long-term documentary about a senior citizen love triangle. She was a participant in the 2014 Joop Swart Masterclass of World Press Photo. Her work has received distinctions from Flash Forward Magenta Foundation, Ian Parry Foundation, Social Documentary Network, International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Women in Photography International, Prix de la Photographie Paris, The New York Photo Festival and others. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and can be found in Family Photography Now (Thames and Hudson, 2016), a photographic anthology, and in Public Private Portraiture from Mossless. She had an exhibition of her work on youth facing incarceration and their families at the 2017 Visa Pour L’Image International Festival of Photojournalism in Perpignan, France. She is the recipient of a 2017 Getty Images Instagram Grant for elevating the stories of marginalized communities. Her storytelling has also been used for public policy, doubling the budget of a program to connect children with their incarcerated parent; her work has been used as evidence for the need for additional rights for women in prison through the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act, a congressional bill. In addition, she is a teacher and has lectured at the National Geographic Photography Seminar, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Ohio University School of Visual Communication, Loyola Marymount University, Harold Washington College, the National Conference on Crime and Delinquency, and has instructed high school students on topics related to the language of empathy, working intimately with subjects, and trauma studies; she is an instructor in critical visual journalism with the Connected Academy, sponsored by the World Press Photo Foundation. She holds a B.A. in Gender Studies from University of California Los Angeles. She is a recipient of a 2018 Grant from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting for her ongoing work on girl survivors of complex trauma. The Royal Photo Society recently named her one of a hundred “heroines” in photography worldwide. Isadora is a TED Fellow, part of a network of 450 global change makers, and gave a talk at TED 2018 in Vancouver. She is a 2020 Gwen Ifill Mentor through the International Women’s Media Foundation. Her first monograph, Senior Love Triangle, was published by Kehrer Verlag in 2020. // Photographer and TED Fellow Isadora Kosofsky is a chronicler of love, loss and loneliness. In this searching talk, she shares photos from her four years documenting the lives of a senior citizen love triangle -- and reveals what they can teach us about the universal search for identity and belonging. // Isadora Kosofsky is a documentary photographer, journalist, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Albuquerque. She began photographing at the age of fourteen, documenting individuals in hospice care. When she was sixteen, she relocated to the Balkans to imbed inside the youth prison system in Romania. Isadora takes an immersive approach to visual storytelling, spending months and years imbedded in the lives of the people she shadows. For her, the relationships formed with the subjects are tantamount to the image-making. She works on a range of subject matters through the lens of one individual or group of people, working from an interpersonal, humanistic stance, while documenting healthcare, geriatric health, mental health, disability rights, impacts of incarceration, substance use, gender violences, childhood trauma, senior citizen issues, and experiences of grief, loss, and resilience. She is a National Geographic Photographer and has contributed to the NY Times, TIME, the New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Stern, Le Monde, M le Magazine du Monde, GEO Germany, Paris Match, The London Sunday Times, The Guardian, Slate, Internazionale, and many others. She is the recipient of the 2012 Inge Morath Award from the Magnum Foundation for her multi-series work on the aged. She was nominated for a 2016 Lead Award (German Pulitzer) for her long-term documentary about a senior citizen love triangle. She was a participant in the 2014 Joop Swart Masterclass of World Press Photo. Her work has received distinctions from Flash Forward Magenta Foundation, Ian Parry Foundation, Social Documentary Network, International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Women in Photography International, Prix de la Photographie Paris, The New York Photo Festival and others. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and can be found in Family Photography Now (Thames and Hudson, 2016), a photographic anthology, and in Public Private Portraiture from Mossless. She had an exhibition of her work on youth facing incarceration and their families at the 2017 Visa Pour L’Image International Festival of Photojournalism in Perpignan, France. She is the recipient of a 2017 Getty Images Instagram Grant for elevating the stories of marginalized communities. Her storytelling has also been used for public policy, doubling the budget of a program to connect children with their incarcerated parent; her work has been used as evidence for the need for additional rights for women in prison through the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act, a congressional bill. In addition, she is a teacher and has lectured at the National Geographic Photography Seminar, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Ohio University School of Visual Communication, Loyola Marymount University, Harold Washington College, the National Conference on Crime and Delinquency, and has instructed high school students on topics related to the language of empathy, working intimately with subjects, and trauma studies; she is an instructor in critical visual journalism with the Connected Academy, sponsored by the World Press Photo Foundation. She holds a B.A. in Gender Studies from University of California Los Angeles. She is a recipient of a 2018 Grant from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting for her ongoing work on girl survivors of complex trauma. The Royal Photo Society recently named her one of a hundred “heroines” in photography worldwide. Isadora is a TED Fellow, part of a network of 450 global change makers, and gave a talk at TED 2018 in Vancouver. She is a 2020 Gwen Ifill Mentor through the International Women’s Media Foundation. Her first monograph, Senior Love Triangle, was published by Kehrer Verlag in 2020. // Photojournalist + filmmaker // children, public policy, resilience, marginalized, rights, youth, gender, education, policy, disability rights, documentary, communication, teachers, women, marginalized communities // California|Los Angeles|United States|USA

California|Los Angeles|United States|USA

International law, human rights, political theory, refugee and migration studies

2020

United States

Human rights lawyer // I'm a lawyer and a legal scholar focusing on migrant and refugee rights. I teach at the University of Haifa, Faculty of Law, and am a co-founder of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), a London-based human rights group. I have also taught in Washington DC, London and Berlin. My book, Humanity at Sea, was published in 2016 by Cambridge University Press. // In this gripping talk, litigator and TED Fellow Itamar Mann details the perilous boat migrations of asylum seekers crossing the Mediterranean Sea. With a surplus of evidence gathered by researchers and activists, he explains how lawyers are making progress in prosecuting human rights abuses happening on militarized coasts. On a basic human level, Mann speaks to the obligation we have to defend each other's right to a dignified life -- because the future of how we inhabit the planet together depends on it. // I'm a lawyer and a legal scholar focusing on migrant and refugee rights. I teach at the University of Haifa, Faculty of Law, and am a co-founder of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), a London-based human rights group. I have also taught in Washington DC, London and Berlin. My book, Humanity at Sea, was published in 2016 by Cambridge University Press. // Human rights lawyer // litigation, activism, human rights, rights, international law, law, refugees, refugee and migration studies, political theory, migration // Israel|Haifa|Haifa District

Israel|Haifa|Haifa District

Digital Fabrication, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Technology Transfer, Tissue Engineering, Yoga, entrepreneurship, mesenchymal stem cells, poetry (reading and writing)

2012

Neuroscientist + poet // I am from Serbia, many people know only by extremely good tennis players (GO NOVAK DJOKOVIC :) or some other not so extremely good news. Let me just say: do not believe everything you read in the news (ok, Novak is extremely good, that's true :). After I finished my BSc/MS studies in Biology in Belgrade, capital of Serbia, I continued my education/work abroad. First in Germany where I did my PhD in Neuroscience at Georg-August University, Goettingen, one of the highest-ranked universities in Germany. It is associated with 45 Nobel laureates; I studied calcium channels in the model of multiple sclerosis using toxic substances like black mamba venom and alike to block different types of calcium channels and determine which type has the most important role in multiple sclerosis. After the PhD I became a postdoc at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, the highest ranked university in Germany and I worked on in vivo imaging of injured axons in multiple sclerosis. After that postdoc I became assistant professor in Serbia and my interests shifted to stem cell biology and tissue engineering. After I received Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award I went to the Columbia University - Lab for Stem cells and Tissue Engineering (Head Prof. dr Gordana Vunjak Novakovic) to work on calcium signaling in stem cell-based cartilage tissue engineering. It was a very fruitful year at Columbia - I have 2 published science papers in high-impact journals and the 3rd on revision. However, I'm not "just" a lab-dwelliing science nerd :)) I also LOVE to travel, do adrenaline-boosting things (like walking alone through the military zone in East Jerusalem, getting in the small plane to high turbulence over the Grand Canyon, walking through the unlit coalmine in Central Serbia etc). I am also a big fan of coffee (double espresso with just a bit of lactose-free milk being my favorite) and I have an unusual passion for seafood. That passion is matched only by my passion for reading (mostly sci-fi and epic fantasy books - love love love Neil Stephenson and Martin!) I also love Edgar Allan Poe, especially his poems. And I write poems myself. Some critics call my poetry "organic poetry". I love that description. I currently am deep into R&D for my IT/biotech startup Pubsonic - we are making emantic search algorithm to extract knowledge from the largest scientific data bases and present it in the form of clickable diagrams which allow visualization of the complex signaling mechanisms underlying stem cell differentiation in health and disease. // Biologist, PhD in Neuroscience, Fulbright Alumna, working in the field of stem cells and tissue engineering (TE), particularly on electrospinning and 3D bioprinting. Published 2 books of poetry in Serbian, "Demoni" ("Demons") and "Klinasto pismo" ("Cuneiform script"). Received the "Strazilovo" award at the literary manifestation "Brankovo kolo" in Sremski Karlovci 2008, for "Klinasto pismo". Serbian-English poetry book - in preparation. Founder of Fab Initiative - non-profit organization working on establishing fab labs in South East Europe and promoting entrepreneurship in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics). Founder at Pubsonic - web application for interactive graphical presentation of the open-access biomedical data. Reviewer for the Journal of Visual Experiments (JoVE); the Tissue Engineering; PLoS One TEDGlobal Fellow 2012 Young Scientist at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of New Champions, Tianjin, 2014. Represented Young Scientists community at the Plenary Session: http://www.weforum.org/sessions/summary/new-champions-plenary-creating-value-through-innovation // Biologist, PhD in Neuroscience, Fulbright Alumna, working in the field of stem cells and tissue engineering (TE), particularly on electrospinning and 3D bioprinting. Published 2 books of poetry in Serbian, "Demoni" ("Demons") and "Klinasto pismo" ("Cuneiform script"). Received the "Strazilovo" award at the literary manifestation "Brankovo kolo" in Sremski Karlovci 2008, for "Klinasto pismo". Serbian-English poetry book - in preparation. Founder of Fab Initiative - non-profit organization working on establishing fab labs in South East Europe and promoting entrepreneurship in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics). Founder at Pubsonic - web application for interactive graphical presentation of the open-access biomedical data. Reviewer for the Journal of Visual Experiments (JoVE); the Tissue Engineering; PLoS One TEDGlobal Fellow 2012 Young Scientist at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of New Champions, Tianjin, 2014. Represented Young Scientists community at the Plenary Session: http://www.weforum.org/sessions/summary/new-champions-plenary-creating-value-through-innovation // Neuroscientist + poet // technology, neurodegenerative diseases, digital fabrication, entrepreneurship, seafood, data, coffee, toxic substances, mesenchymal stem cells, multiple sclerosis, stem, science, tissue engineering, technology transfer, poetry (reading and writing), milk, disease, yoga

Community development, Social justice, Youth at risk, constitutional policing, criminal justice reform, evidence-based policing, gender equity, homelessness & housing policy, intersectionality, police culture, women in policing

2019

The Netherlands

Center for Policing Equity; CNA Corporation; Open Society Foundations; Newark Police Department; TED Conferences; 30x30 Initiative

The 3030 Initiative is a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations working to advance the representation and experiences of women in policing agencies across the United States. Currently, women make up only a small percentage of sworn officers and police leadership in the U.S., leading to significant public safety implications. The initiative aims to increase the representation of women in police recruit classes to 30% by 2030 and ensure that police policies and culture support the success of women officers throughout their careers. Through research and evidence-based strategies, the 3030 Initiative addresses barriers to women's inclusion and success in law enforcement, with a focus on improving recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion, and agency culture. The movement is based on the premise that greater gender diversity in policing leads to better outcomes for communities. // Roman: Pioneering Leader & Advocate for Progressive Change in Policing Evolving Journey from Officer to Chief Beginning my policing career in 1995 with the Newark Police Department, I ascended through every rank, culminating as Police Chief. My leadership was defined by spearheading strategic multi-agency initiatives and launching impactful public/private partnerships, significantly reducing crime and revitalizing downtown Newark. Innovating with NIJ LEADS Scholarship and Women’s Leadership Academy Awarded the National Institute of Justice's LEADS scholarship in 2016, I leveraged this opportunity to establish the Woman's Leadership Academy, advocating for women in policing through evidence-based research. This initiative marked a significant stride towards gender equality in law enforcement. Driving Change with 30x30 Initiative and Global Outreach My efforts transcended national borders with a TED Talks fellowship, amplifying my insights and experiences to a global audience. In collaboration with the NYU Policing Project, I co-founded the 30x30 Initiative, a bold endeavor to increase female representation in policing to 30% by 2030. This project, working hand-in-hand with police departments across the U.S., demonstrates my commitment to shaping a more inclusive and effective policing future. Influential Voice and Recognized Expert in Law Enforcement and Public Policy My expertise and perspectives have been showcased in notable publications like the Marshall Project, VICE, and MarketWatch, with my advocacy work featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. A sought-after commentator on police policies, I contribute regularly to media discussions and academic conferences. My role as an executive fellow at the National Police Foundation, my service on the Measuring Justice police advisory board, and my board membership at the American Society for Evidence-Based Policing reflect my deep involvement in shaping the future of law enforcement. Academic Pursuits and Future Goals I am currently pursuing a PhD in Public Affairs and Community Development at Rutgers, Camden. This academic journey is a continuation of my commitment to integrating academic research with practical law enforcement strategies, aiming to further innovate and enhance public safety and community welfare. // Project Manager for Police Director Consent Decree Negotiation Team coordinator US Dept. of Justice - Violence Reduction Network coordinator Newark Police Foundation liaison Safer Newark Council board member White House Police Data Initiative representative Newark Youth Policy Board member Newark Violence Reduction Initiative coordinator Mayor's Promise Zone Team liaison Public Private Partnerships coordinator Special Conditions Unit commander Newark Community Street Team liaison Greater Newark Youth Violence Consortium liaison Call-Out Program for Youth liaison Homelessness Coalition / Dept. of Health liaison Transparency Project- In efforts to foster police data transparency and accountability, Roman applied to become a Code for America fellow to create Comport, an open data toolkit that lets public safety agencies quickly create an open data site by uploading existing internal affairs data and adding contextual information about policies and programs. On February 18, 2016, the Newark Police Department and the City of Newark was selected as a finalist to participate in the 2016 Code for America’s Community Police Relations Tool (Comport) Pilot. This opportunity will allow the NPD to provide accessibility to open data regarding complaints against personnel, use of force, and officer-involved shooting. Show less // As the Commander of the Special Enforcement and Investigations Bureau, Roman oversees criminal investigations in the Newark Police Department. In addition, the Bureau consists of Special Enforcement Units created to address violence in the City of Newark. The Special Enforcement and Investigations Bureau contains the Investigations Division and the Narcotics and Gangs Division. The Investigations Division is comprised of: Homicide Task Force Major Crimes Section Rapid Response Intelligence Team Firearms Interdiction Team Criminal Intelligence Section Ballistics Unit Robbery Section Fugitive Section Special Victims Unit Auto Squad Youth Aid Section The Narcotics and Gangs Division is comprised of: Narcotics Unit Gang Unit Vice Unit Liaison Unit Show less // As Chief of Police in the City of Newark, Roman was charged with managing the day to day operations of the police force. Upon appointment as Chief, Roman focused on collaboration to address violence in the City of Newark. Through support from Rutgers University and John Jay College, a series of meetings resulted in a reinvigorated partnership between the Newark Police Department and Newark Housing Authority, DEA, FBI, State Police, U.S. Attorney's Office, Essex County Prosecutor and Sheriff's Office, NJ Parole and Probation, YouthBuild, Essex County Family Courts, Newark Youth Policy Board and Independence Family Services. The project launched in the 4th Precinct on March 31, 2014. As of June 1, 2014 the designated grid experienced a 61% decrease in violence. During her tenure as Chief of Police, homicides were reduced by 35%. Show less // Commander of the 2nd Precinct, January 2012-March 2014 Operational control of a precinct encompassing 3 political wards. The 2nd Precinct was once staffed with 205 officers. Due to police lay-offs, attrition and transfers, the 2nd Precinct staffing was reduced to approximately 100 officers during 2012-2013. Through intelligence sharing, community and law enforcement partnerships and close monitoring of crime trends, the 2nd Precinct Command staff was able to reduce overall crime by a combined 13% for calendar years 2012 and 2013. Show less // Internal Affairs Investigator, April 2005-May 2007 investigated complaints against Newark Police Department personnel. Internal Affairs Executive Officer, May 2007-September 2007 assigned investigations and reviewed work submitted by Investigators Gang Unit Commander September, 2007- November 2010 Overall management of the Gang Intelligence Unit and the Gang Suppression Unit. Received Unit of the Year Award from Director Garry McCarthy Received Unit Award from the Hispanic Law Enforcement Society of Essex County Partnered with the Attorney General's Statewide Violent Crime Anti-Gang Initiative (2008) 3rd Precinct Coordinator for Narcotics and Crime Suppression Units, November 2010-May 2011 Responsible for the Narcotics Unit and the Crime Suppression Units Initiated a partnership with the Newark Downtown District for the development of public-private police community center in Downtown Newark Lieutenant, Director's Office, May 2011-January 2012 Project Manager for the creation of the Community Resource Center; a Public/Private Partnership which provides community policing for the Newark Downtown area. The Community Resource Center is located at 189 Market Street. The CRC has led to a reduction in crime and quality of life concerns, and is credited with increased business development in Downtown Newark. Coordinator for the Super Summer Initiative. The multi-agency based Super Summer Initiative provided police presence in high-crime neighborhoods through walking and roving patrols. Clergy and Community Affairs officers provided service to at-risk youth in cooperation with local civic, social, and faith-based organizations. The Fire Department, Neighborhood Services, Department of Health and Family Well-being, State Police, Essex County Sheriff and Prosecutor's Office participated in the Super Summer Initiative, on a daily basis. Show less // Patrol Officer- assigned to the South District of Newark, July 1995 - September 1997 TARGET Team, September 1997-March 1999 The Target Team was a task force created in response to the high number of vehicles reported stolen in the City of Newark. The team received national recognition for their success in reducing car thefts in Newark. NITRO, March 1999-November 1999 Narcotics Interdiction to Reduce Open Air Drug Markets (NITRO) addressed open air-drug markets by targeting street dealers, and investigating citizen drug complaints. YVTF, November 1999-January 2001 The Youth Violence Task Force was created to address violence committed by and perpetrated against the City's youth. The task force worked in collaboration with the Essex County Youth House and Family Court to address violence impacting the children of Newark. Show less // Central Juvenile Arrest Processing Unit-Shift Supervisor, January 2001-May 2002 ensure Juvenile Offenders were processed in accordance to Attorney General Guidelines Prisoner Processing Unit-Shift Supervisor, May 2002-March 2005 ensure safety and timely processing of adult prisoners West District- Desk Supervisor, March 2005 to April 2005 general supervision of Precinct and on-duty personnel // Selected as one of ten TED Talks Fellows for 2019 // Center for Policing Equity; CNA Corporation; Open Society Foundations; Newark Police Department; TED Conferences; 30x30 Initiative // Ivonne Roman is a seasoned law enforcement professional with a diverse background spanning various roles within the policing sector. With over two decades of experience, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, from her early days as a Patrol Officer to her tenure as Chief of Police. Ivonne's career highlights include spearheading strategic initiatives, establishing impactful partnerships, and advocating for gender equality in law enforcement through the Women's Leadership Academy. She is a recognized expert in law enforcement and public policy, with her work featured in reputable publications and media outlets. Currently pursuing a PhD, Ivonne continues to blend academic research with practical strategies to enhance public safety and community welfare. // I am working to transform policing by integrating evidence-based practices that enhance service delivery and reduce unintended harms to communities. I aim to foster better relationships between police and the public and to increase gender diversity within law enforcement through initiatives like the 30x30 Initiative. The impact I hope to have is a more effective, equitable, and just policing system that is guided by scientific research and meets the needs of all community members. The questions that drive my work are: How can we make policing more evidence-based and just? How can we ensure that police practices do not harm the communities they are meant to protect? // Ivonne Roman is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over two decades of experience in various roles within the policing sector. She is a recognized expert in law enforcement and public policy, known for her exceptional leadership skills and strategic initiatives. Ivonne is dedicated to advancing gender equality in law enforcement through initiatives like the Women's Leadership Academy and the 3030 Initiative, which aims to increase the representation of women in policing agencies. Currently pursuing a PhD, she combines academic research with practical strategies to enhance public safety and community welfare. Ivonne's work focuses on integrating evidence-based practices to improve service delivery, foster better police-community relationships, and create a more effective and equitable policing system guided by scientific research. // Police captian // Police captain and co-founder of the Women’s Leadership Academy, an organization working to increase the recruitment and retention of women in policing. // Ivonne Roman cofounded the 30x30 initiative to address the stagnation of women in policing. Currently, women make up only 12% of sworn officers and 3% of police leadership in the U.S. This under-representation of women in policing undermines public safety. Research shows women officers use less force and less excessive force; are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits; are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate; see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases; and make fewer discretionary arrests. The 30×30 Initiative is a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in policing agencies across the United States. Our ultimate goal is to increase the representation of women in police recruit classes to 30% by 2030, and to ensure police policies and culture intentionally support the success of qualified women officers throughout their careers. Participating agencies must address intersectionality in all efforts to improve the representation and experiences of women in policing. Intersectionality acknowledges the ways in which people’s multiple identities race and ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and more—magnify or transform their exposure to discrimination. This means the way race and discrimination is experienced is not the same for everyone. Women of color in particular will often face compounding experiences of bias and discrimination based not only on their gender, but also their race or ethnicity. Though 30×30 focuses on increasing the representation of women, it is critical that agencies apply an intersectional lens when analyzing their culture and practices to better promote the creation of a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone Roman has 25 years of experience in policing, serving in ranks from police officer to chief of police. Her research interests include evidence-based policing, women in policing, and organizational legitimacy and procedural justice. Roman also enjoys writing. Her work has been featured in the Marshall Project and MarketWatch. As an advocate for evidence-based policing, Roman serves on the board of directors at the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing, and is an executive fellow at the National Police Foundation. She is a National Institute of Justice LEADS (Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science) Scholar. She is a subject matter expert on recruitment and retention of women in policing. // Less than 13 percent of police officers in the United States are women -- despite their proven effectiveness in diffusing violent situations and reducing the use of force. Drawing on more than two decades of experience as a police officer and chief, TED Fellow Ivonne Roman shares how a simple change to police academy physical fitness tests could help build a more balanced force that benefits communities and officers alike. // Ivonne Roman is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over two decades of experience in various roles within the policing sector. She is a recognized expert in law enforcement and public policy, known for her exceptional leadership skills and strategic initiatives. Ivonne is dedicated to advancing gender equality in law enforcement through initiatives like the Women's Leadership Academy and the 3030 Initiative, which aims to increase the representation of women in policing agencies. Currently pursuing a PhD, she combines academic research with practical strategies to enhance public safety and community welfare. Ivonne's work focuses on integrating evidence-based practices to improve service delivery, foster better police-community relationships, and create a more effective and equitable policing system guided by scientific research. // Police captian // police culture, violence, led, fire, data, equity, gender equity, research, constitutional policing, inclusion, policy, monitoring, at risk youth, feminism, criminal justice reform, women, discrimination, public policy, evidence-based policing, police reform, accessibility, intersectionality, gender, youth, homelessness and housing, vehicles, community development, advocacy, open data, social justice, transparency, cars, children, litigation, policewomen, housing, science, law, equality, accountability, women in policing, justice // Princeton|New Jersey|United States|USA

Princeton|New Jersey|United States|USA

2010

United States

Poet + recording artist // A first-generation Nigerian-American poet and recording artist currently based in Boston, Iyeoka was a practicing pharmacist before launching her musical career. Iyeoka began her musical career by founding the group The Rock by Funk Tribe, a collective of musicians that enabled her to interweave her poetry with jazz, blues, funk, and gospel. She released her first solo full length album of poem-songs called “Black and Blues” in 2004 through Phanai Records and then began to tour and make numerous appearances on other artist’s albums. In 2007, Iyeoka released her second album of poetry and music fusion “Hum The Bass Line” again on Phanai Records that featured four poems from her brother, Omoizele "Oz" Okoawo. That same year, Iyeoka lent her vocal talent to a cover of U2′s hit song “Desire” for a compilation of U2 covers called “In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2. In 2008 Iyeoka received a National Performance Network grant resulting in the production of a Live album broadcasted and recorded on air on KTUH radio station in Honolulu, Hawaii. The live album was mastered and distributed promotionally by Phanai Media Group. In November 2010, Iyeoka released her new album, SAY YES, containing nine songs and two poems, through the Underground Sun artist development company. Before the album’s release, the first song “The Yellow Brick Road Song” was featured in an episode of the HBO series “How To Make It In America.” "The Yellow Brick Road Song" is being used as the theme song for the series "Fairly Legal" that premiered January 20, 2011 on USA Network, renewed for a second season for 13 episodes beginning on March, 16 2012. Iyeoka is a frequent visiting teacher at the Esalen Institute in California and the Omega Institute in New York. Iyeoka is currently working on books of poetry and presenting her one woman musical, When Women Were Drummers, internationally (Nigeria, Barcelona, Spain, USA cities) Specialties: Recording Artist, Experienced Voice Over Professional, Creative Writing, Workshop Facilitator, Meditation Drummer, Yoga Percussionist, Vocal and Performance Coach Groups and Associations: The Rock by Funk Tribe, Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria(PMAN), ASCAP, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, TED, Amenawon Foundation Honors and Awards: TED Global Fellowship 2010 Independent Music Award Nomination, 2011 Massachusetts Industry Hip-Hop Award, 2007 New England Urban Music Award, 2006 National Poetry Slam Individual Finalist, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009 Cambridge Poetry Awards, Performance Poet of the Year, 2002, 2003 Northeastern University Fine Arts Award, 1998 JDOAAI Dean L. Roland Oratory Competition first prize, 1995, 1997 Cornelius M. Sullivan Award for Declamation, 1993 Francis Gardner Prize for Declamation, 1992 Experience: Independent Recording Artist, Songwriter at Underground Sun Artist Development Company 2009-present / Venice, California Media Consultant at Phanai Media Group 2004-present / Boston-San Francisco Lyrics For Literacy Program Coordinator, Spokeswoman at Amenawon Foundation 2007-present / DC,USA-Edo State,Nigeria Registered Pharmacist at Boston Medical Center December 2008- January 2010 Registered Pharmacist at CVS Caremark Corporation August 2000- Februry 2009 // A first-generation Nigerian-American poet and recording artist currently based in Boston, Iyeoka was a practicing pharmacist before launching her musical career. Iyeoka began her musical career by founding the group The Rock by Funk Tribe, a collective of musicians that enabled her to interweave her poetry with jazz, blues, funk, and gospel. She released her first solo full length album of poem-songs called “Black and Blues” in 2004 through Phanai Records and then began to tour and make numerous appearances on other artist’s albums. In 2007, Iyeoka released her second album of poetry and music fusion “Hum The Bass Line” again on Phanai Records that featured four poems from her brother, Omoizele "Oz" Okoawo. That same year, Iyeoka lent her vocal talent to a cover of U2′s hit song “Desire” for a compilation of U2 covers called “In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2. In 2008 Iyeoka received a National Performance Network grant resulting in the production of a Live album broadcasted and recorded on air on KTUH radio station in Honolulu, Hawaii. The live album was mastered and distributed promotionally by Phanai Media Group. In November 2010, Iyeoka released her new album, SAY YES, containing nine songs and two poems, through the Underground Sun artist development company. Before the album’s release, the first song “The Yellow Brick Road Song” was featured in an episode of the HBO series “How To Make It In America.” "The Yellow Brick Road Song" is being used as the theme song for the series "Fairly Legal" that premiered January 20, 2011 on USA Network, renewed for a second season for 13 episodes beginning on March, 16 2012. Iyeoka is a frequent visiting teacher at the Esalen Institute in California and the Omega Institute in New York. Iyeoka is currently working on books of poetry and presenting her one woman musical, When Women Were Drummers, internationally (Nigeria, Barcelona, Spain, USA cities) Specialties: Recording Artist, Experienced Voice Over Professional, Creative Writing, Workshop Facilitator, Meditation Drummer, Yoga Percussionist, Vocal and Performance Coach Groups and Associations: The Rock by Funk Tribe, Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria(PMAN), ASCAP, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, TED, Amenawon Foundation Honors and Awards: TED Global Fellowship 2010 Independent Music Award Nomination, 2011 Massachusetts Industry Hip-Hop Award, 2007 New England Urban Music Award, 2006 National Poetry Slam Individual Finalist, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009 Cambridge Poetry Awards, Performance Poet of the Year, 2002, 2003 Northeastern University Fine Arts Award, 1998 JDOAAI Dean L. Roland Oratory Competition first prize, 1995, 1997 Cornelius M. Sullivan Award for Declamation, 1993 Francis Gardner Prize for Declamation, 1992 Experience: Independent Recording Artist, Songwriter at Underground Sun Artist Development Company 2009-present / Venice, California Media Consultant at Phanai Media Group 2004-present / Boston-San Francisco Lyrics For Literacy Program Coordinator, Spokeswoman at Amenawon Foundation 2007-present / DC,USA-Edo State,Nigeria Registered Pharmacist at Boston Medical Center December 2008- January 2010 Registered Pharmacist at CVS Caremark Corporation August 2000- Februry 2009 // Poet + recording artist // education, law, cities, teachers, women, urban, fusion // Boston|Massachusetts|United States|USA

Boston|Massachusetts|United States|USA

Art, Documentary Production, Mushroom-Based Materials, Permaculture, Recycling, Research, Sustainability, Technology

2020, 2011

United States

I'm building a retreat center whose primary beneficiaries will be creators who need respite and healing. // Jae Rhim Lee is an innovative artist and entrepreneur who is known for her work at the intersection of art, technology, and environmental sustainability. She is the founder of a retreat center designed to provide respite and healing for creators, showcasing her commitment to fostering well-being in the creative community. Lee's projects often explore themes related to the human relationship with nature and the environment, reflecting her deep concern for ecological issues. Through her unique artistic vision and entrepreneurial endeavors, she aims to inspire mindfulness and promote a more sustainable way of living. // Scientific artist // Bio A: Jae Rhim Lee is a visual artist and designer whose living units, furniture, wearables, and recycling systems propose unorthodox relationships between the mind/body/self and the built and natural environment. She has been a consultant for the City of New Orleans’ disaster recovery office, a lecturer in visual art at MIT, and has studied art, permaculture, psychology, and the natural sciences. Lee is a recipient of a 2009 Creative Capital Foundation Grant (NY, USA), a 2010 Grant from the Institut fur Raumexperimente/Universitaet der Kunste Berlin (Germany), and a 2011 MAK-Schindler Scholarship. Lee is currently a Research Affiliate in the MIT Program in Art, Culture and Technology in Cambridge, MA, where she explores recompisition, taking previously dead tissue and reanimating it through the use of tight-fitting meshes of high-voltage wire to create a reverse Farraday cage, energizing tissue by drawing in ambient energy. Bio X: I have taken over 15 personality tests and vocational inventories, read 20 self-help books, consulted 4 career counselors and 2 therapists, and attempted a range of careers in an effort to find a vocation perfectly matched to my interests and abilities. So far, I have learned that I strongly resemble a Navy general, I may have an aptitude for window dressing, I am an "idealist" and a "healer", and I am ill-suited for careers in academia, investment banking, medicine, social work, non-profit management, psychology, documentary photography, the military, tutoring, administration, research, retail, and telemarketing. My favorite hobby at age thirteen was regularly rearranging my bedroom furniture in the middle of the night. At fourteen, I moved my bedroom furniture to the basement, gave away most of my clothing and other belongings, and slept on the floor for eight months. In September 2003, I spent two weeks in silence, semi-isolation, and painful stillness while learning Vipassana meditation. Eight months later I built a "weightless" bed made of 10 separate pieces of wood molded to the negative spaces of my supine body. // Jae Rhim Lee is an artist, designer, and entrepreneur whose work reimagines the mundane and the profound—eating and bodily waste, sleep, death, and consciousness. Her living units, furniture, wearables, and designed experiences propose new and often unorthodox relationships between the mind/body/self and the built and natural environment. She invented the Infinity Burial Suit ("Mushroom Death Suit”), an alternative burial method for people and pets. Her work has been featured in the National Geographic, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, the Nobel Prize Museum, Vogue, Somerset House London, Wired, and the Aspen Ideas Festival. She is a TED Senior Fellow. // Here's a powerful provocation from artist Jae Rhim Lee. Can we commit our bodies to a cleaner, greener Earth, even after death? Naturally -- using a special burial suit seeded with pollution-gobbling mushrooms. Yes, this just might be the strangest TEDTalk you'll ever see ... // Jae Rhim Lee is an innovative artist and entrepreneur who is known for her work at the intersection of art, technology, and environmental sustainability. She is the founder of a retreat center designed to provide respite and healing for creators, showcasing her commitment to fostering well-being in the creative community. Lee's projects often explore themes related to the human relationship with nature and the environment, reflecting her deep concern for ecological issues. Through her unique artistic vision and entrepreneurial endeavors, she aims to inspire mindfulness and promote a more sustainable way of living. // Scientific artist // research, technology, wood, wearables, mushrooms, design, permaculture, disaster response and recovery, design for trust, documentary, retreat design, recycling // Atlanta|USA|Suwanee|United States|Georgia

Atlanta|USA|Suwanee|United States|Georgia

Electrical Engineering, Graphic Design, Software Development, interaction design

2011

United States

Inventor // James Patten is an interaction designer, inventor and visual artist working at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds. Patten is a TED fellow and the founder and principal of the design firm Patten Studio, where his clients have included Barneys New York, General Electric, Steelcase and Autodesk. Patten earned his doctorate at the MIT Media Lab where he studied in the Tangible Media Group under Hiroshi Ishii. His work has been exhibited or performed in venues such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Transmediale festival in Berlin, the Museo Guggenheim Bilbao and the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria. Patten's work has been recognized in several international design competitions including the International Design Magazine's Annual Design Review, and the International Design Excellence Awards. // James Patten is an interaction designer, inventor and visual artist working at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds. Patten is a TED fellow and the founder and principal of the design and engineering firm Patten Studio, where he creates new interactive experiences to help people connect with brands, places and each other. // "The computer is an incredibly powerful means of creative expression," says designer and TED Fellow James Patten. But right now, we interact with computers, mainly, by typing and tapping. In this nifty talk and demo, Patten imagines a more visceral, physical way to bring your thoughts and ideas to life in the digital world, taking the computer interface off the screen and putting it into your hands. // James Patten is an interaction designer, inventor and visual artist working at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds. Patten is a TED fellow and the founder and principal of the design and engineering firm Patten Studio, where he creates new interactive experiences to help people connect with brands, places and each other. // Inventor // software development, graphic design, electric, interaction design, design, electrical engineering, software // New York|United States|Brooklyn|USA

New York|United States|Brooklyn|USA

2009, 2012

United States

Infant health entrepreneur // Co-founder of Embrace, a social enterprise designing and deploying a low-cost infant warmer // In the developing world, access to incubators is limited by cost and distance, and millions of premature babies die each year. TED Fellow Jane Chen shows an invention that could keep millions of these infants warm -- a design that's safe, portable, low-cost and life-saving. // Co-founder of Embrace, a social enterprise designing and deploying a low-cost infant warmer // Infant health entrepreneur // design, low-cost // California|United States|San Francisco|USA

California|United States|San Francisco|USA