Step inside the TED Fellows community

Social Enterpreneurship, Software Development

2019, 2014

United States

I'm trying to rebuild the American Safety Net by building a for profit software company that provides software for the 330,000 organizations that assist others in need during challenging times. // Software developer // American software developer and founder of Aunt Bertha, a platform that instantly helps people find social services such as food banks, health care, housing and educational programs. // Erine's the founder of findhelp.org, the leading platform in the US for connecting people in need to social services. // Erine's the founder of findhelp.org, the leading platform in the US for connecting people in need to social services. // Software developer // social enterpreneurship, housing, food, software, software - development, founder of findhelp. social entrepreneur. rebuilding the american safety net. // Texas|Austin|United States|USA

Texas|Austin|United States|USA

2012

United States

Graphic designer // <p>E Roon Kang (<a href="http://eroonkang.com/" target="_blank">eroonkang.com</a>) lives and works in New York, where he operates an interdisciplinary design studio, <a href="http://math-practice.org/" target="_blank">Math Practice</a>. He works in print, web, environmental graphics, as well as interactive installations, with interest in studying, evaluating, and criticizing complex systems and its consequential pointlessness of a pursuit of efficiency. </p> <p>He is also a co-organizer of a Brooklyn based curatorial group <a href="http://www.ag-wf.com/" target="_blank">AGWF</a>, which works to discuss topics both in and outside the field of art, in an effort to present a place for thought, action, and construction.</p> <p>E Roon is a recently appointed <a href="http://www.ted.com/pages/667" target="_blank">TED Fellow</a> (2012), and was previously a research fellow at <a href="http://senseable.mit.edu/" target="_blank">SENSEable City Laboratory of MIT</a> (2009–2010) – following paths of trashed objects, imagining new form of public three-dimensional display, or taking part in re-inventing electronic bicycles. </p> <p>His work has been shown at many places in different contexts, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Platform 2009 of Seoul, Seattle Public Library, and the Architectural League of New York. E Roon's work has won <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/scivis/winners_2010.jsp#video" target="_blank">NSF Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge</a> in 2010, and during the same year, he was a recipient of <a href="http://www.adcyoungguns.org/enter/winners8/?id=81" target="_blank">Young Guns award</a> from The Art Directors Club.</p> <p>He currently teaches Interaction Design at Rutgers University, studied graphic design at School of Visual Arts (BFA) and Yale University (MFA).</p> // E Roon Kang lives and works in New York, and he operates Math Practice — an interdisciplinary design and research studio, with interest in studying, evaluating, and criticizing complex systems and its pursuit of efficiency. E Roon is an Assistant Professor of Interaction Design at Parsons School of Design and currently directs its BFA Communication Design program. He is a TED Senior Fellow, recently served as a board member of AIGA NY, and was previously a research fellow at Senseable City Laboratory of MIT. He received Young Guns award from Art Director's Club, and his work has selected as an inaugural project of LACMA’s Art + Technology Lab, received NSF Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, and shown in places including the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMA), Seattle Public Library, and the Architectural League of New York. E Roon has given talks and lectures at MIT, TED Conferences and Cannes Int'l Festival of Creativity, among others, and taught courses at Bauhaus-University Weimar, SUNY Purchase, NYU ITP, and Rutgers University. He holds an MFA in graphic design from Yale University. // E Roon Kang lives and works in New York, and he operates Math Practice — an interdisciplinary design and research studio, with interest in studying, evaluating, and criticizing complex systems and its pursuit of efficiency. E Roon is an Assistant Professor of Interaction Design at Parsons School of Design and currently directs its BFA Communication Design program. He is a TED Senior Fellow, recently served as a board member of AIGA NY, and was previously a research fellow at Senseable City Laboratory of MIT. He received Young Guns award from Art Director's Club, and his work has selected as an inaugural project of LACMA’s Art + Technology Lab, received NSF Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, and shown in places including the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMA), Seattle Public Library, and the Architectural League of New York. E Roon has given talks and lectures at MIT, TED Conferences and Cannes Int'l Festival of Creativity, among others, and taught courses at Bauhaus-University Weimar, SUNY Purchase, NYU ITP, and Rutgers University. He holds an MFA in graphic design from Yale University. // Graphic designer // research, bicycle, technology, mobility, design, construction, science, efficiency, communication // New York|United States|USA

New York|United States|USA

Human Rights, LGBTQ+, Migrant Rights, Music, Open Source, Product Management, Technology

2009, 2011

Bahrain

Human rights advocate // Bahraini human rights activist, primarily focusing on ethnic and religious minority rights throughout the Middle East. In 2006 founded MideastYouth.com, which grew to become an organization whose mission is to amplify diverse and progressive voices advocating for change throughout the Middle East and North Africa using digital media. We build web products that creatively facilitate the struggle for social change in the region. // Esra'a Al Shafei is a Bahraini human rights activist and founder of Majal.org, a network of digital platforms that amplify under-reported and marginalized voices in the Middle East and North Africa. This work includes Mideast Tunes, a web and mobile application for independent musicians in the MENA who use music as a tool for social justice advocacy, Ahwaa.org, a discussion tool for Arab LGBTQ+ youth which leverages game mechanics to protect and engage its community, and Migrant-Rights.org, the primary resource on the plight of migrant workers in the Gulf region. Esra’a was a Senior TED Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow, and Shuttleworth Foundation Fellow. In 2017, she was elected to the Board of Trustees at the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit which hosts Wikipedia. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors of Access Now, an international non-profit dedicated to an open and free Internet. Esra’a is the recipient of the “Berkman Award” from the Berkman Center for Internet and Society for "outstanding contributions to the internet and its impact on society over the last decade", the Monaco Media Prize, which acknowledges innovative uses of media for the betterment of humanity, and the "Most Courageous Media" award from Free Press Unlimited. In 2014, she received the Human Rights Tulip Prize, awarded annually to organizations or individuals that support human rights in innovative ways. She is the 2018 recipient of the Global Trailblazer Award from Vital Voices. In 2019, she was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and as a Young Leader by Asia Society. // Esra'a Al Shafei is a Bahraini human rights activist and founder of Majal.org, a network of digital platforms that amplify under-reported and marginalized voices in the Middle East and North Africa. This work includes Mideast Tunes, a web and mobile application for independent musicians in the MENA who use music as a tool for social justice advocacy, Ahwaa.org, a discussion tool for Arab LGBTQ+ youth which leverages game mechanics to protect and engage its community, and Migrant-Rights.org, the primary resource on the plight of migrant workers in the Gulf region. Esra’a was a Senior TED Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow, and Shuttleworth Foundation Fellow. In 2017, she was elected to the Board of Trustees at the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit which hosts Wikipedia. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors of Access Now, an international non-profit dedicated to an open and free Internet. Esra’a is the recipient of the “Berkman Award” from the Berkman Center for Internet and Society for "outstanding contributions to the internet and its impact on society over the last decade", the Monaco Media Prize, which acknowledges innovative uses of media for the betterment of humanity, and the "Most Courageous Media" award from Free Press Unlimited. In 2014, she received the Human Rights Tulip Prize, awarded annually to organizations or individuals that support human rights in innovative ways. She is the 2018 recipient of the Global Trailblazer Award from Vital Voices. In 2019, she was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and as a Young Leader by Asia Society. // Human rights advocate // technology, music, activism, human rights, rights, minority rights, migration, open source, marginalized, youth, lgbtq+, advocacy, product management, social justice, workers, migrant rights, justice, social justice advocacy // Capital Governorate|Bahrain|Manama

Capital Governorate|Bahrain|Manama

activism, education, emergency support, human rights, humanitarian aid, mental health, psychiatry, psychology, refugees, research, trauma, volunteerism

2018

Israel

Magid Institute - מכון מגיד האוניברסיטה העברית; Technion - Israel Institute of Technology; University of Haifa; School of Continuing Medical Education- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv; Humanity Crew; TED Conferences; G12 Clinics; School of Continuing Medical Education- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv  ; Tel Aviv University

Dr. Essam Daod is a trained psychiatrist, psychotherapist, activist, and speaker. He is the co-founder of Humanity Crew, an international aid organization that specializes in providing first response mental health interventions to refugees and individuals in crisis. The organization aims to make mental health support a fundamental component in all emergency efforts for victims of humanitarian crises. Dr. Daod is a TED fellow and speaker who advocates for bringing mental health support to refugees through various conferences and media outlets. // Humanity Crew is a mental health aid organization focused on preventing trauma with displaced children and their families. They provide emergency psychological interventions and training to address the high rates of depression and anxiety among refugees. By offering timely mental health first aid after traumatic events, Humanity Crew aims to prevent psychological escalations and PTSD. Their work emphasizes reframing trauma within the first few weeks to reduce future stress-related disorders. Through direct intervention and training mental health first responders, Humanity Crew envisions a world where victims of humanitarian crises receive essential mental health support. // Essam is a psychiatrist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist who grew up in Israel in a small Arab Palestinian village in the Galilee. He specialized in child and adolescent psychiatry and graduated from psychoanalytic school. In 2015, he flew to Greece for a humanitarian rescue mission where he co-founded Humanity Crew and has been working with refugees ever since. Humanity Crew specializes in the provision of psychological aid to refugees and people in crises, working to deploy mental health and psycho social support to displaced populations in order to improve their wellbeing, to restore order in their lives, and to prevent further psychological escalation. Currently, he is an avid refugee mental health activist and researcher who has spoken at countless conferences and media outlets all over the world advocating for the importance of mental health support for refugees. In 2016 Essam and Humanity Crew were awarded "The Defenders of Refugee Rights Award" at the 4th Edition of Cities Defending Human Rights in Barcelona. In 2018, he became a WHO mental health expert team member, and a TED Fellow // Humanity Crew is an international aid organization specializing in the provision of psychological aid to refugees and people in crises. We work to deploy mental health and psychosocial support to displaced populations in order to improve their wellbeing, to restore order in their lives, and to prevent further psychological escalation. Humanity Crew seeks to create a world in which mental health support is a fundamental component in all emergency efforts for victims of humanitarian crises. We recruit, train, and deploy mental health professionals and qualified volunteers to deliver psychosocial relief to refugees and displaced populations. Our current mission is to provide psychosocial support for refugees arriving to Europe in their own language. We do this through community based activities, focus group sessions, and individual sessions for vulnerable cases As part of Humanity Crew’s mission to make mental health a fundamental component in humanitarian crisis relief efforts, we provide other organizations with workshops on cultural mediation as well and we conduct and lead research in the field of refugee mental health. // Director, Supervisor and Trainer. // Magid Institute - מכון מגיד האוניברסיטה העברית; Technion - Israel Institute of Technology; University of Haifa; School of Continuing Medical Education- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv; Humanity Crew; TED Conferences; G12 Clinics; School of Continuing Medical Education- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv  ; Tel Aviv University // Essam Daod is a psychiatrist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist with a specialization in child and adolescent psychiatry. He is the co-founder of Humanity Crew, an international aid organization dedicated to providing psychological aid to refugees and individuals in crisis situations. Essam is actively involved in advocating for refugee mental health, speaking at various conferences and media outlets worldwide. He has received recognition for his work, including "The Defenders of Refugee Rights Award" in Barcelona. Essam's expertise lies in deploying mental health and psychosocial support to displaced populations, aiming to improve their well-being and prevent further psychological escalation. Additionally, he serves as a WHO mental health expert team member and a TED Fellow. // Bringing mental health to the forefront of every humanitarian crisis. // Dr. Essam Daod is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and co-founder of Humanity Crew, an international aid organization dedicated to providing crucial mental health support to refugees and individuals in crisis situations. With a specialization in child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Daod's expertise lies in deploying timely psychological interventions to prevent trauma and address high rates of depression and anxiety among displaced populations. Through his advocacy work and speaking engagements, he emphasizes the importance of integrating mental health support into all emergency efforts for victims of humanitarian crises. Dr. Daod's commitment to reframing trauma early on to reduce future stress-related disorders underscores his vision of a world where essential mental health aid is readily available to those in need. // Mental health specialist // Essam is a psychiatrist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist who grew up in Israel in a small Arab Palestinian village in the Galilee. He specialized in child and adolescent psychiatry and graduated from psychoanalytic school. In 2015, he flew to Greece for a humanitarian rescue mission where he co-founded Humanity Crew and has been working with refugees ever since. Humanity Crew specializes in the provision of psychological aid to refugees and people in crises, working to deploy mental health and psycho social support to displaced populations in order to improve their wellbeing, to restore order in their lives, and to prevent further psychological escalation. Currently, he is an avid refugee mental health activist and researcher who has spoken at countless conferences and media outlets all over the world advocating for the importance of mental health support for refugees. In 2016 Essam and Humanity Crew were awarded "The Defenders of Refugee Rights Award" at the 4th Edition of Cities Defending Human Rights in Barcelona. In 2018, he became a WHO mental health expert team member, and a TED Fellow // The global refugee crisis is a mental health catastrophe, leaving millions in need of psychological support to overcome the traumas of dislocation and conflict. To undo the damage, child psychiatrist and TED Fellow Essam Daod has been working in camps, rescue boats and the shorelines of Greece and the Mediterranean Sea to help refugees (a quarter of which are children) reframe their experiences through short, powerful psychological interventions. "We can all do something to prevent this mental health catastrophe," Daod says. "We need to acknowledge that first aid is not just needed for the body, but it has also to include the mind, the soul." // Dr. Essam Daod is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and co-founder of Humanity Crew, an international aid organization dedicated to providing crucial mental health support to refugees and individuals in crisis situations. With a specialization in child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Daod's expertise lies in deploying timely psychological interventions to prevent trauma and address high rates of depression and anxiety among displaced populations. Through his advocacy work and speaking engagements, he emphasizes the importance of integrating mental health support into all emergency efforts for victims of humanitarian crises. Dr. Daod's commitment to reframing trauma early on to reduce future stress-related disorders underscores his vision of a world where essential mental health aid is readily available to those in need. // Mental health specialist // mental health, education, refugee crisis, post traumatic growth, psychology, cities, job skills training, research, activism, human rights, rights, volunteerism, emergency mental health, refugees, trauma, humanitarian, migration, humanitarian aid, natural shorelines, psychiatry, children, vulnerability, displacement // Israel|Haifa|Haifa District

Israel|Haifa|Haifa District

Acting, Advocacy, Communication, Education, Performance, Speaker coaching, Technology & AI

2009

United States

Esther Chae is a Hollywood actress and consultant specializing in Korean entertainment and Hollywood projects. She has an extensive background in television, theatre, and commercials, with notable roles in popular shows and movies. Esther is also a speaker, actor, and teacher, offering coaching services to help individuals improve their public storytelling and presentation skills. She has worked on major entertainment hits and projects, including collaborations with well-known companies and organizations. Esther's experience as a consultant and speaker coach has led her to work with various clients and present at prestigious events and conferences. // 3 Hearts Coaching, led by Esther Chae, is an organization that offers coaching services for public speaking, presentation skills, and media training. Esther, an award-winning actor and speaker coach, has worked with various companies and individuals, helping them improve their communication and presentation abilities. With a background in acting and teaching, Esther focuses on enhancing clients' verbal and non-verbal communication to effectively represent themselves and their organizations. Through personalized coaching sessions, she aims to empower individuals to become confident and authentic speakers, crucial in today's virtual-office environment. // I continue to promote diversity and global perspectives and representation in the performance and acting sector. My goal is to ensure that this industry reflects the richness and diversity of humanity as a whole, rather than being accessible only to those with financial means and privileged access. Currently, I am questioning how AI technologies will impact traditional storytelling methods and how it can be utilized most impactfully with the art of performance. // Esther K. Chae is a versatile Hollywood actress, consultant, and award-winning speaker coach known for her expertise in Korean entertainment and Hollywood projects. With a background in television, theatre, and commercials, Esther has played significant roles in popular shows and movies, showcasing her talent and versatility. Through her organization, 3 Hearts Coaching, Esther offers coaching services for public speaking, presentation skills, and media training, working with individuals and companies to enhance their communication abilities. She is dedicated to promoting diversity and global perspectives in the entertainment industry and is exploring the intersection of AI technologies with traditional storytelling methods to advance the art of performance. // Actress + playwright // Esther K. Chae is an award-winning actor/writer based in Los Angeles and New York. Her artistic work has been seen and heard in the US, Korea, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Italy and Russia. Her numerous credits as a performer include TV shows NCIS, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, 24, The Shield, Night Stalker; and theatre stages such as Yale Repertory Theater, La Mama, Mark Taper Forum/ Kirk Douglas Theater, P.S. 122 and Harvard/A.R.T. Chae's performances have been lauded as "talented" (Variety), "engaging" (Hollywood Reporter) - and "the willowy actress [with] subtle physicality" (LA Times). Her life in Hollywood has been featured in a Korean Broadcasting Station (KBS) documentary. Her most recent solo performance So the Arrow Flies, about a North Korean spy and the FBI Agent who hunts her down, was invited to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival ("a powerful and compelling script... fascinatingly gripping" - ThreeWeeks Magazine), Ars Nova Theater Festival (NY) , World Women's Forum (Seoul), TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference of which she is an inaugural fellow, CUNY's Martin Segal Theater and NYU's Performance Studies. The play is being adapted into a film script incorporating live performance and animation. Chae graduated from the Yale School of Drama with an MFA in Acting, the University of Michigan with an MA in Theater Studies, and Korea University. Chae's honors include: • 2010 Asian American Trail Blazer Award by NYS Governor Paterson • 2010 University of Michigan Emerging Artist Alumni Award & King/Chavez/Parks Visiting UM Professorship • 2007 Korean Wave Asian Star Award // Esther K. Chae is an award-winning actor, published playwright, Korea-Hollywood consultant, inaugural TED Fellow and assistant professor in acting at USC's School of Dramtic Arts. Her work has been covered by The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Hollywood Reporter. Her life in Hollywood was the subject of a Korean Broadcasting Station (KBS) documentary. Chae’s acting roles include Soul (Disney Pixar/Academy Award For Best Animation 2020), Over The Moon (Netflix), NCIS, Law and Order, The West Wing, 24, The Shield, S.W.A.T., Guidance (Hulu) and numerous national commercials; her stage credits include Yale Repertory Theater, La Mama, Mark Taper Forum/Kirk Douglas Theater, East West Players, Harvard/A.R.T., Alexandrinsky Theater (Russia). As a published playwright, Chae created and performed So the Arrow Flies, her internationally acclaimed solo performance. It is about an alleged North Korean spy and the FBI agent who interrogates her and “explores nothing less than the identity of our world today,” quoted from the preface written by Tony award-winning David Henry Hwang. She performed it around the world, on stages such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), Cherry Lane Theater (NYC), David Henry Hwang Theater (LA), October Nights Theater Festival (Italy), Dongkuk Art Theater (Korea) and also on the TED stage. So the Arrow Flies is the first of its kind to be published both in English and Korean by NoPassport Press (US) and by Dong-in Press (South Korea). During the two decades working as a professional multi-hyphenate artist, she has taught and mentored students from diverse backgrounds in a variety of domestic and international academic institutions — from Abuja, Nigeria, to Seoul, Korea. Currently at the USC School of Dramatic Arts, she teaches Intermediate Acting, Physical Theatre, Movement for Actors, Improv for Engineers (Viterbi School of Engineering) and Using Communication to Facilitate Organizational Change (Rossier School of Education). As a published playwright, Chae created and performed So the Arrow Flies, her internationally acclaimed solo performance. It is about an alleged North Korean spy and the FBI agent who interrogates her and “explores nothing less than the identity of our world today,” quoted from the preface written by Tony award-winning David Henry Hwang. She performed it around the world, on stages such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), Cherry Lane Theater (NYC), David Henry Hwang Theater (LA), October Nights Theater Festival (Italy), Dongkuk Art Theater (Korea) and also on the TED stage. So the Arrow Flies is the first of its kind to be published both in English and Korean by NoPassport Press (US) and by Dong-in Press (South Korea). During the global challenges of the recent few years, Chae had the unique opportunity to develop and direct a live VR performance. She directed a scene from her play Ae-ri in Otherland, where Western and Eastern languages and philosophies collide. In this particular scene, Ae-ri (who keeps getting misidentified as Alice) meets Humpty Dumpty, a “languish eggspert,” and the two theatrically battle in linguistic and cultural idioms in English, Korean and Chinese characters. This performance, presented by a bi-cultural and bi-lingual ensemble, was attended by a live global audience using VR headsets, Spatial.io app from smart phones or tablets, and YouTube live streaming. A short excerpt of this multi-camera VR performance, using various technologies, can be viewed here. Chae graduated from the Yale School of Drama (MFA in Acting), the University of Michigan (MA in Theater Studies), Korea University (BA French Literature). She has been recognized with the Martin Luther King Jr./Cesar Chavez/Rosa Parks Visiting Professorship (University of Michigan), Asian Pacific Islander American Trailblazer Award (NYS Governor Patterson) and Korean Wave (Hallryu) Asia Star Award. An avid explorer, she has summited Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), trekked the Himalayan Mountains (India) and Machu Picchu (Peru). Learn more at www.estherchae.com, or on IMDb.com. // Esther K. Chae is a versatile Hollywood actress, consultant, and award-winning speaker coach known for her expertise in Korean entertainment and Hollywood projects. With a background in television, theatre, and commercials, Esther has played significant roles in popular shows and movies, showcasing her talent and versatility. Through her organization, 3 Hearts Coaching, Esther offers coaching services for public speaking, presentation skills, and media training, working with individuals and companies to enhance their communication abilities. She is dedicated to promoting diversity and global perspectives in the entertainment industry and is exploring the intersection of AI technologies with traditional storytelling methods to advance the art of performance. // Actress + playwright // technology, acting, education, led, job skills training, finance, design, women, parks, voice-over actor, documentary, teachers, presentation skills coach, executive leadership, hollywood, performance, law, communication, artificial intelligence, professor in acting, mountains // Hollywood|USA|Seoul|South Korea|California|Santa Monica|United States

Hollywood|USA|Seoul|South Korea|California|Santa Monica|United States

2026

Mexico + US

Climate & Environmental Restoration, Data Collection, Digital Economy, Education, Employment Solutions, Entrepreneurship and Startup Management, Innovation and creativity techniques, Technology, Web 2.0 Innovation, Youth Empowerment

2009, 2010

Pakistan

Pakreport.org; Raabta Consultants; Cogilent Solutions & BrightSpyre; Making All Voices Count; Global Philanthropy Forum; International Islamic University, Islamabad; McKinsey; The Service Monitor Group; University of the Punjab, Lahore; Herdict.org (Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University); Luth Research; International Islamic University; Cogilent Solutions; ICMAP

The organization is a digital platform that focuses on job search, recruitment, software development, and open data initiatives. They have a membership of over 1.3 million registered members and have worked with more than 5,000 companies to streamline their recruitment processes. Additionally, they have a platform, ework.pk, dedicated to connecting unemployed individuals, especially youth and disabled people, with internet-based work opportunities. They also provide training to unskilled workers, such as in WordPress, to connect them with skilled work opportunities. The organization emphasizes writing better software, conducting security audits, and utilizing open data to fight corruption and promote the digital economy. They have been involved in various initiatives, such as launching pakreport.org during the 2010 floods in Pakistan to report and map flood information, resulting in worldwide media coverage. Their work involves analyzing and visualizing data to address important societal issues, such as improving education in Pakistan. // The organization is a platform that facilitates job opportunities in various industries such as field work, media and communication, tender management, project management, business services, technology, construction, healthcare, art and design, project assistance, and more. They offer full-time and contractual positions for individuals with different expertise and backgrounds. The organization aims to connect job seekers with relevant employment opportunities in Pakistan. // Faisal is tech entrepreneur, geek, innovator and problem solver. His work made him selected for TED fellowship in 2009; one of the best recognition a person can get in his life time. He has lead initiatives in the domain in online recruitment, disaster and open data mapping, transparency and accountability and virtual economy. In 2002, as a young entrepreneur, he became founding member of Cogilent Solutions (one of early technology start-ups in Pakistan). He worked on BrightSpyre; building and scaling one of the early online businesses in Pakistan. The BrightSpyre membership grew to 1.4 million members. He continued working in the areas of mapping for disaster and transparency; digital work opportunities to solve un-employment work in developing countries. When you meet him, in background, he is thinking of solving the problem of connecting billions of people with job and work opportunities. With his passion to compete in Internal competitions he stood finalist in MIT BAP and NOKIA million dollar growth economy venture challenge. Looking around his surroundings, he pitched and won TED City 2.0 Prize to improve sanitation in Pakistan. He has worked with General Electric, Making All Voices Count, Luth Research, Monitor Group and University of Manchester. Faisal's work is covered by Wired UK, Christian Science Monitor, DW TV, BBC and many international news channels. // Pakreport.org was launched in early August 2010, when Pakistan was hit by one most devastating floods.In just less than 30 days of launch pakreport.org has grown to 70 international volunteers including 5 core members of the Ushahidi Haiti and Chili team."Pakreport.org supports the Pakistani people by collecting, map, and share information from individuals and relief organizations involved in the response operations throughout the country." It is a long-term project - we will continue to support the people of Pakistan as we move through the crisis and into the rebuilding and restoration process. Further, it is creating specific relationships to match needs and situations with stakeholders providing relief and help in the specific areas.Pakreport.org is covered by Yahoo News, Wired UK, Christain Science Monitor, Amnesty International, JustMeans, OWNI.fr, TED, BBC Radio, Voice of America, The Express Tribune and Deutsche Welle. Additionally, many radio channels and local media have worked with us in spreading our message to flood affected communities . // Co founded Cogilent Solutions, and launched one of the largest job portals in Pakistan www.BrightSpyre.com.Developed long term consistent strategy, vision and lead the company in providing innovative products and solutions in the eBusiness markets for local and international.· Played a key role in developing objectives, plans of the company for short term (1 year) and long term (5-10 years).· Panned and maintained key market position in the on line recruitment market in Pakistan through BrightSpyre.com and its product extensions.· Created the largest electronic asset in Pakistan with 550,000 registered users of the company's products and services.· Created and managed a satisfied customer base in Pakistan and globally.Worked with long term commitments and extended the relationship with more than 300 clients locally and globally.· Planned & Implemented ISO 9001:2000 certification in the company in Jan 2006. Being one of the 100 companies in Pakistan's IT that achieved this milestone.· Managed offshore development team for developing US job boards products for 2 years.· Developed relationships, partnerships and collaborations with companies like PSEB, Google, Microsoft and International organizations.· Created multiple revenue streams for the company in the existing products and clients. Maintained a positive revenue growth of the company for consecutiveyears.· Worked with stakeholders, partners and clients regularly to develop and deliver solutions and products with maximum customer satisfaction.· Created and worked with a core team on long term basis. Created employee oriented policies to have top talent in the team. // Selected proper tools, technologies for the products. Used open source tools for creating web based products in Cogilent solutions· Developed the core technology running behind the BrightSpyre.com, iCMS and other customers projects.· Managed a clientèle of local and multinational clients, stakeholders in getting, and prioritizing requirements of the products.· Created and planned proper road map for implementing the user requirements in-to products.· Designed core components according to the requirements. Implemented the core components with the team members, database developers and middle-tier developers.· Developed and trained teams for different products and projects in the company.· Worked with products users on optimizing and improving the systems consistently. Worked towards creating patterns and standardizing the products.· Achieved the product & projects implementation goals by efficient planning, complete consistent and efficient design and implementation plans. // Selected proper tools, technologies for the products. Used open source tools for creating web based products in Cogilent solutions· Developed the core technology running behind the BrightSpyre.com, iCMS and other customers projects.· Managed a clientèle of local and multinational clients, stakeholders in getting, and prioritizing requirements of the products.· Created and planned proper road map for implementing the user requirements in-to products.· Designed core components according to the requirements. Implemented the core components with the team members, database developers and middle-tier developers.· Developed and trained teams for different products and projects in the company.· Worked with products users on optimizing and improving the systems consistently. Worked towards creating patterns and standardizing the products.· Achieved the product & projects implementation goals by efficient planning, complete consistent and efficient design and implementation plans. // Trained Raabta Consultants staff members to on FrontlineSMS, EpiSurveyor. Developed use case scenarios and assist in the development of a portfolio of use-cases for utilizing mobiles for data collection and information dissemination.Provide guidelines on best practice for setting up instances of FrontlineSMS and epicsurveyor in third part organisations. // Herdict is a project of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University to gain insight into what users around the world are experiencing in terms of web accessibility; or in other words, determine the herdict.Faisal is working as a country leader for Pakistan (This is volunteer position.) // I was part of the team ranging from social media to religion and law. I took active part in discussions, conversations and dialogues about shaping the future of Singapore and the broader region. // Provided consultancy to INTEL on emerging data economy. // Pakreport.org; Raabta Consultants; Cogilent Solutions & BrightSpyre; Making All Voices Count; Global Philanthropy Forum; International Islamic University, Islamabad; McKinsey; The Service Monitor Group; University of the Punjab, Lahore; Herdict.org (Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University); Luth Research; International Islamic University; Cogilent Solutions; ICMAP // Faisal Chohan is a tech entrepreneur with a passion for innovation and problem-solving. His expertise lies in leading initiatives in online recruitment, disaster and open data mapping, transparency, and accountability. Faisal co-founded Cogilent Solutions, one of the early technology start-ups in Pakistan, and played a key role in building and scaling BrightSpyre, one of the early online businesses in the country. With a focus on connecting billions of people with job and work opportunities, Faisal has a track record of success in developing and implementing innovative solutions. His work has been recognized internationally, including being selected for a TED fellowship and winning the TED City 2.0 Prize. Faisal has collaborated with organizations like General Electric, Making All Voices Count, and the University of Manchester, and his projects have been featured in various media outlets such as Wired UK, BBC, and Christian Science Monitor. // I work on solving un-employment problem in the developing countries. // Faisal Chohan is a tech entrepreneur known for his innovative work in online recruitment, disaster and open data mapping, transparency, and accountability. With a strong focus on addressing unemployment challenges in developing countries, Faisal has co-founded successful ventures like Cogilent Solutions and BrightSpyre, pioneering online platforms that connect job seekers with employment opportunities. His expertise extends to leading initiatives that leverage technology to streamline recruitment processes, provide training to unskilled workers, and promote internet-based work opportunities for marginalized groups like youth and disabled individuals. Faisal's projects have garnered international recognition, including prestigious accolades like a TED fellowship and the TED City 2.0 Prize. Through collaborations with renowned organizations and media features, Faisal's impactful work continues to drive positive change in the digital economy and societal issues like education and disaster response. // Web entrepreneur // Faisal is Technology Entrepreneur, Geek and innovator. He spends time building solution and services with intrinsic social benefits for millions of users. He has lead initiatives in online recruitment, mobiles, disaster mapping, open data, social games and virtual economy domains.<br><br> As a geek; he is co-founder at Cogilent Solutions the company that focuses on digital innovation. At BrightSpyre.com, he focuses on online-recruitment; and his work connects 1 million users with opportunities. He is also working on bringing thousands of work opportunities for people with basic computer skills and more than 12 years of education, thus reducing un-employment and increase the income levels in the developing countries through crowd-sourcing opportunities in digital economy.<br><br> During 2010 floods in Pakistan, he built a team of 50 volunteers from all over the world and launched pakreport.org. He is building pakreport.org towards disaster and open data mapping company. <br><br> He is the first Pakistani to be selected as TED Fellow in 2009 and a Senior TED Fellow in 2010. Faisal was also finalists in $1 million Nokia growth economy venture challenge in 2010 held in UK and finalist in MIT Business acceleration Program in 2008.<br><br> He won TED Prize for City 2.0 initiative in 2012. His worked is covered by Wired UK, Christian Science Monitor, DW TV, BBC and other international medias.<br><br> As a researcher his research paper on "Crowdsourcing for Multipurpose and Multicategory Climate related Disaster Reporting" is published by University of Manchester. <br><br> Additionally he has lead many surveys and student projects in the area of Human Resources and Computer Science.<br><br> Specialties Technology entrepreneur, Innovator, Change Maker, Mapper // Faisal is a technology and social entrepreneur from Pakistan. He is one of the early innovators of online businesses in Pakistan. Recently, during floods in Pakistan, he lead the flood incident reporting and mapping initiative Pakreport.org. In 2002, he co-founded technology enterprise Cogilent and BrightSpyre. Faisal was finalist in the Nokia's Growth Economy Venture challenge in 2010 and MIT BAP in 2008. Faisal is Country leader at herdict.org ( Berkman Center) and Senior Fellow at TED. Faisal's passion is to scale technology in the developing countries. // Faisal Chohan is a tech entrepreneur known for his innovative work in online recruitment, disaster and open data mapping, transparency, and accountability. With a strong focus on addressing unemployment challenges in developing countries, Faisal has co-founded successful ventures like Cogilent Solutions and BrightSpyre, pioneering online platforms that connect job seekers with employment opportunities. His expertise extends to leading initiatives that leverage technology to streamline recruitment processes, provide training to unskilled workers, and promote internet-based work opportunities for marginalized groups like youth and disabled individuals. Faisal's projects have garnered international recognition, including prestigious accolades like a TED fellowship and the TED City 2.0 Prize. Through collaborations with renowned organizations and media features, Faisal's impactful work continues to drive positive change in the digital economy and societal issues like education and disaster response. // Web entrepreneur // technology, sanitation, education, entrepreneurship, data collection, paper, data, jobs, works on solving unemployment problem., job skills training, certification, research, developing countries, entrepreneurship and startup management, electric, climate, design, volunteerism, digital economy, floods, monitoring, open source, construction, accessibility, youth, web 2.0 innovation, mobile applications, open data, streams and rivers, transparency, workers, science, law, restoration, software, communication, accountability, income, innovation and creativity techniques // Islamabad Capital Territory|Pakistan|Islamabad

Islamabad Capital Territory|Pakistan|Islamabad

2018

Kenya

Infectious disease doctor // Faith Osier, MBChB, MRCPCH, MSc, PhD. Faith is a 2018 TED Fellow and holds a Sofja Kovalevskaja Award from the Humboldt Foundation. She is Vice-President/President-elect of the International Union of Immunological Societies. Her research is focused on understanding how humans acquire immunity to malaria, with the ultimate aim of translating this knowledge into effective malaria vaccines. She is the leader of SMART (South-South Malaria Antigen Research Partnership), a network of researchers that have shared resources to study antibody responses to the malaria parasite in multiple longitudinal cohorts in Africa. Her research group is spread over two continents, at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya and at Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany. She is passionate about the training of African scientists to tackle the health issues the continent faces. Faith trained as a Paediatrician in Kenya and the United Kingdom before turning to the immunology of malaria. She has held substantial research funding from the Wellcome Trust, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and the MRC/DFID African Research Leader Programme. Her work has gained international recognition and earned her multiple awards, including the Royal Society Pfizer Award. // The malaria vaccine was invented more than a century ago -- yet each year, hundreds of thousands of people still die from the disease. How can we improve this vital vaccine? In this informative talk, immunologist and TED Fellow Faith Osier shows how she's combining cutting-edge technology with century-old insights in the hopes of creating a new vaccine that eradicates malaria once and for all. // Faith Osier, MBChB, MRCPCH, MSc, PhD. Faith is a 2018 TED Fellow and holds a Sofja Kovalevskaja Award from the Humboldt Foundation. She is Vice-President/President-elect of the International Union of Immunological Societies. Her research is focused on understanding how humans acquire immunity to malaria, with the ultimate aim of translating this knowledge into effective malaria vaccines. She is the leader of SMART (South-South Malaria Antigen Research Partnership), a network of researchers that have shared resources to study antibody responses to the malaria parasite in multiple longitudinal cohorts in Africa. Her research group is spread over two continents, at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya and at Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany. She is passionate about the training of African scientists to tackle the health issues the continent faces. Faith trained as a Paediatrician in Kenya and the United Kingdom before turning to the immunology of malaria. She has held substantial research funding from the Wellcome Trust, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and the MRC/DFID African Research Leader Programme. Her work has gained international recognition and earned her multiple awards, including the Royal Society Pfizer Award. // Infectious disease doctor // research, developing countries, technology, shared resources, job skills training, infectious disease, disease, malaria // Kilifi County|Kilifi|Kenya

Kilifi County|Kilifi|Kenya

Agriculture, Sustainable finance, alternate money systems, clean energy, clean technology, economics, electricity pricing, energy efficiency & off-grid solutions, entrepreneurship, livestock, public policy, rural infrastructure, smallholder farmers, statistical analysis

2021

Pakistan

Knox College; Faber Capital; UNDP; Lahore University of Management Sciences; UpTrade(Goats for water); UpTrade (Goats for Water) ; Columbia | SIPA; Asian Development Bank (ADB); Cartier Women's Initiative; Karachi Grammar School; Columbia University - School of International and Public Affairs; Asian Development Bank; Energy Policy Project; USAID; JS Investments; Summit; USAID - Energy Policy Project - AEAI; The World Bank

UpTrade is an organization founded by Fariel Salahuddin that focuses on enabling smallholder rural, off-grid farming communities in Pakistan to meet their farming and household needs using livestock as currency. Recognizing the lack of access to electricity and expensive diesel-powered pumps in rural areas, UpTrade facilitates the exchange of livestock for solar water pumps and other solar devices. Through a three-party agreement with communities and an energy partner, UpTrade ensures the installation and maintenance of water pumps, while also selling livestock through its electronic market platform. The organization aims to empower farmers to use their produce and livestock as currency, expanding its reach to potentially reach one billion smallholder farmers globally. UpTrade's innovative approach has already doubled the number of people with access to electricity and water between 2019 and 2020, emphasizing self-reliance and community empowerment as key outcomes of their work. // Fariel has over 10 years of international experience in energy finance, project… // Project lead for development of Power Sector Integrated Model (PSIM). PSIM is a dynamic excel based tool to evaluate the quantitative impact of various policy interventions including tariff, operational and fuel mix and price changes on over all sector operational and financial performance. // The report quantifies the existing stock of circular debt within Pakistan's power sector while analyzing and quantifying the factors that have led to the accumulation of sector debt to over $8 billion. It examines the impact of debt on generation and efficient provisioning of electricity to the Public. The report recommends strategies to remove the existing stock of debt while preventing the accumulation debt in the future. // Business Plan for GENCO III comprehensively analyzes financial, technical, HR and Legal issues that have led to the entity's poor financial and technical performance. The BP recommends an action plan for re-vamping the entity to bring about technical and financial improvements. // Knox College; Faber Capital; UNDP; Lahore University of Management Sciences; UpTrade(Goats for water); UpTrade (Goats for Water) ; Columbia | SIPA; Asian Development Bank (ADB); Cartier Women's Initiative; Karachi Grammar School; Columbia University - School of International and Public Affairs; Asian Development Bank; Energy Policy Project; USAID; JS Investments; Summit; USAID - Energy Policy Project - AEAI; The World Bank // Fariel Salahuddin is an experienced professional with a background in energy finance and project management. With over a decade of international experience, Fariel has demonstrated expertise in developing tools and models to evaluate the impact of policy interventions on the operational and financial performance of the energy sector. Fariel has led projects such as the development of the Power Sector Integrated Model (PSIM), a dynamic tool that assesses the effects of various factors on the sector's performance. Additionally, Fariel has worked on reports analyzing and addressing issues such as circular debt within the power sector and devising strategies for financial and technical improvements in entities like GENCO III. // I and my team are changing the money systems of the world to make them inclusive of those that are currently left out of the traditional fiat-based, centralized money systems. We do this by enabling the use of non-traditional assets (goats, cows, maize) as a means of exchange for smallholder farmers in Pakistan and Kenya instead of fiat. By using use assets as money we have found their affordability for key productive assets moves from becoming out of affordability to easily affordable. // Fariel Salahuddin is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in energy finance, project management, and innovative economic models. As the founder of UpTrade, Fariel has spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative that empowers smallholder rural communities in Pakistan by facilitating the exchange of livestock for essential solar-powered devices. Through UpTrade's unique approach, Fariel aims to revolutionize traditional money systems, enabling farmers to utilize their produce and livestock as currency. With a strong focus on community empowerment and self-reliance, Fariel's work has already doubled access to electricity and water for numerous individuals. Fariel's expertise extends to developing tools like the Power Sector Integrated Model (PSIM) and addressing complex issues such as circular debt within the energy sector, showcasing a commitment to driving impactful change in the industry. // Barter economist // Fariel Salahuddin is the Founder and CEO of UpTrade (Goats for Water), a company that targets rural poverty in developing countries by enabling smallholder farmers to use their livestock as currency to purchase otherwise unaffordable assets such as solar water pumps, solar home lighting systems, smartphones etc. The model is based out of Pakistan and has been successfully tested in other developing countries. Fariel started her career as an energy professional and has worked in energy finance, project development and energy policy, advising private sector and government stakeholders in Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia and the MENA region. She has a MPA from the School of International and Public Affairs, University of Columbia and a B.Sc. In Economics from the Lahore University of Management Sciences. She is a TED Fellow, Summit Fellow, Cartier Women’s Initiatives Fellow and a Fulbright Fellow. Her work has been featured by the BBC, Inc. Magazine, Vikatan Magazine. // What if smallholder farmers could use their produce and livestock to pay for goods and services? TED Fellow and alternative currency enthusiast Fariel Salahuddin is working to make this a reality in places including rural Pakistan, where basic necessities like water and electricity are often expensive or inaccessible. She explores how the way we exchange value has evolved over time -- from bartering to blockchain -- and shares a new perspective on currency that promotes self-reliance for farmers and creates a more inclusive economy. // Fariel Salahuddin is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in energy finance, project management, and innovative economic models. As the founder of UpTrade, Fariel has spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative that empowers smallholder rural communities in Pakistan by facilitating the exchange of livestock for essential solar-powered devices. Through UpTrade's unique approach, Fariel aims to revolutionize traditional money systems, enabling farmers to utilize their produce and livestock as currency. With a strong focus on community empowerment and self-reliance, Fariel's work has already doubled access to electricity and water for numerous individuals. Fariel's expertise extends to developing tools like the Power Sector Integrated Model (PSIM) and addressing complex issues such as circular debt within the energy sector, showcasing a commitment to driving impactful change in the industry. // Barter economist // renewable, infrastructure, water, maize, sustainable finance, entrepreneurship, alternate currency, led, inclusive finance, lighting, efficiency, finance, developing countries, inclusion, agriculture, solar thermal, climate, farming, sustainable development , infrastructure projects, sustainable agriculture, policy, alternate money systems, farmers, solar home power, off grid, clean energy, economics, heating, public policy, power, affordable, smallholder, blockchain, statistical analysis, solar, renewable energy, energy policy, rural poor, livestock, goats, energy finance, rural, smallholder farmers, energy efficiency, empowerment, rural areas, solar water, governance, law, electricity, poverty, electricity pricing, government, energy // Netherlands|Sindh|Paris|France|Bolivia|Pakistan|Santa Cruz|Karachi|Amsterdam

Netherlands|Sindh|Paris|France|Bolivia|Pakistan|Santa Cruz|Karachi|Amsterdam

Advocacy, Endangered Wildlife, Environmental Justice, Forest & Biodiversity Conservation, Grassroots Activism, Indigenous Rights, Natural Resource Management & Restoration, Planetary Health & Climate Resilience, Policy, Public Advocacy, Species Protection

2021

Indonesia

University of Amsterdam; University Sains Malaysia; Universiti Sains Malaysia; The University of Queensland; Madania Boarding School; Radboud University Nijmegen

Farwiza Farhan is a forest conservationist dedicated to protecting, conserving, and restoring the Leuser ecosystem in Sumatra, Indonesia. She emphasizes the importance of inclusive conservation efforts involving various stakeholders, from Indigenous communities to policymakers and NGOs. Farhan serves as the chairperson of the Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh Foundation, focusing on policy, advocacy, and promoting women's and local communities' involvement in environmental decision-making. Currently pursuing a Ph.D., her research focuses on the political economy of natural resource management in Aceh, particularly the Leuser ecosystem. Farhan was honored with the 2022 National Geographic Wayfinder Award for her contributions to conservation. // Forest, Nature & Environment Aceh (HAkA) is an Acehnese NGO led by environmental activist Farwiza Farhan, focusing on protecting the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra, Indonesia. The organization emphasizes ground-level species protection and legal advocacy, collaborating with communities to advocate for law enforcement against illegal activities and empowering locals in policymaking. HAkA's vision is the long-term health of Aceh Province socially, financially, and environmentally, achieved through campaigns, lawsuits, collaboration with the government, education initiatives, and more. The organization aims to create a stronger and healthier Aceh by enhancing environmental function and promoting sustainable development. Skills necessary for impactful environmental justice campaigns include listening, collaboration, finding common ground, and dialogue to achieve shared goals. // Farwiza is the chairperson of Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh Foundation (Yayasan HAkA), a grassroots organisation based in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia that focus on the conservation, protection and restoration of the Leuser Ecosystem. She mainly work on the policy and advocacy aspects, seeking to increase meaningful access and involvement of local community in the development of policy pertaining to their environment and livelihood. In addition to passionately working to tackle the herculean task of creating permanent conservation status for the Leuser Ecosystem, Farwiza is also mad enough to enrol in a PhD program in the Faculty of Anthropology and Development studies in Radboud University Nijmegen. Her research seek to bring light on the political economy of natural resource management in Aceh, Indonesia, with particular spotlight on (of course) the Leuser Ecosystem. A place so close to her heart. // University of Amsterdam; University Sains Malaysia; Universiti Sains Malaysia; The University of Queensland; Madania Boarding School; Radboud University Nijmegen // Farwiza Farhan is a dedicated environmental advocate and chairperson of the Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh Foundation (Yayasan HAkA) in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. Her work primarily focuses on policy and advocacy efforts aimed at conserving, protecting, and restoring the Leuser Ecosystem. Farwiza is committed to ensuring meaningful community engagement in environmental policy development to safeguard both the ecosystem and local livelihoods. Alongside her grassroots conservation work, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Anthropology and Development Studies at Radboud University Nijmegen, with a research focus on the political economy of natural resource management in Aceh, particularly within the Leuser Ecosystem. Her passion for environmental conservation and community empowerment drives her multifaceted efforts in academia and on-the-ground conservation initiatives. // Working to conserve, protect and restore the Leuser Ecosystem in Indonesia, but I am also trying to make conservation become more inclusive. The question that drive my work is how to create space for women and other minorities to have voice and meaningful participation. // Farwiza Farhan is an environmental advocate and forest conservationist known for her dedicated work in protecting the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra, Indonesia. As the chairperson of the Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh Foundation (HAkA), she leads policy and advocacy efforts to promote inclusive conservation involving Indigenous communities, policymakers, and NGOs. Farhan's commitment to community engagement in environmental decision-making is evident in her initiatives to empower local stakeholders and promote women's involvement in conservation efforts. Currently pursuing a Ph.D., her research focuses on the political economy of natural resource management in Aceh, with a specific emphasis on the Leuser ecosystem. Farhan's passion for environmental conservation and her inclusive approach to conservation efforts have earned her recognition, including the 2022 National Geographic Wayfinder Award. // forest conservationist // Farwiza is an award-winning forest conservationist with a mission to protect, conserve, and restore the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra, the last place on earth where the critically endangered sumatran rhino, elephant, tiger and orangutan still roam together in the wild. Her conservation work put emphasis in strenghtening the role of communities in forest protection, as well as advocating for better policy to protect the Leuser Ecosystem. She is 2023 TIME Impact Award recipient, TIME100next 2022, National Geographic Wayfinder Award Winner, 2022 Mulago Fellow, and 2021 TED Fellow. Farwiza is looking to scale up her work in the landscape, and seeking mentorships, partnerships and collaboration opportunity in the space of climate and biodiversity financing - finding ways to make conservation an economically sensible choice for grassroots communities. // When it comes to big problems like climate change, we tend to focus on big solutions -- but many of the best ideas come from people on the ground, facing day-to-day conservation battles. Sharing her effort to protect the Leseur ecosystem in Indonesia (the last place on Earth where the Sumatran rhino, tiger, elephant and orangutan still roam together in the wild), TED Fellow and conservationist Farwiza Farhan explains the challenges women face on the front lines of forest preservation within patriarchal societies -- and the resilient, world-changing power they hold. // Farwiza Farhan is an environmental advocate and forest conservationist known for her dedicated work in protecting the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra, Indonesia. As the chairperson of the Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh Foundation (HAkA), she leads policy and advocacy efforts to promote inclusive conservation involving Indigenous communities, policymakers, and NGOs. Farhan's commitment to community engagement in environmental decision-making is evident in her initiatives to empower local stakeholders and promote women's involvement in conservation efforts. Currently pursuing a Ph.D., her research focuses on the political economy of natural resource management in Aceh, with a specific emphasis on the Leuser ecosystem. Farhan's passion for environmental conservation and her inclusive approach to conservation efforts have earned her recognition, including the 2022 National Geographic Wayfinder Award. // forest conservationist // forest protection, minorities, planetary health, grassroots, policymakers, forest, education, biodiversity, led, finance, research, inclusion, resilience, activism, climate, sustainable development , campaign, environmental justice, policy, natural resources, scuba instructor, public policy and advocacy, species, resource management, orangutans, forest conservation, livelihoods, women, public policy, elephant, advocacy, natural resource management, campaigns, conservation, litigation, nature, indigenous, environmental conservation, law, restoration, tiger, government, justice, ecology, endangered species // Indonesia|Jakarta|Banda Aceh|Aceh

Indonesia|Jakarta|Banda Aceh|Aceh

Astrophysics, Boxing, Data Science, Urban Science

2019

United States

Urban astrophysicist // Astrophysicist using an interdisciplinary approach to study stellar explosions and help build resilient cities by applying astronomical data processing techniques to urban science. // Dr. Bianco is a Professor at the University of Delaware in the Physics and Astronomy Department, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, and Data Science Institute. She built her unusual career by letting her passions and her desire to learn new things guide her: trained as an astrophysicist, she splits her time between unveiling the secret of the Universe, finding new ways to improve quality of life in cities, and fighting in the ring. As an astrophysics she studies astronomical transients, things that change in the night sky, from solar system objects passing in front of background stars to explosions at the edge of the known Universe. As the Coordinator of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Science Collaborations she is creating a network of over 1500 scientists as they prepare to study the night skies through the largest, most complex astrophysical dataset to date. The telescope will come online in 2023 and it will observe the whole southern sky every few days from the mountains of Chile, to unprecedented depths and spatial resolution. The sky that to our naked eye looks like a static painted celestial volt is the site of continuous, tumultuous, dramatic changes which a telescope as powerful as this can reveal. Dr. Bianco will focus on understanding the nature of the millions of things that change every night in the night sky. The potential for discovery is transformational! When Dr. Bianco turns her instruments to study urban environments she works on developing new ways to predict energy needs and measure pollution that are accessible to all economies, not just the richest countries, and uses her data skills to improve the prosecutorial justice system. Outside of academia, Dr. Bianco is known as the Madscientist; she is a professional boxer in the bantamweight class, with a record of 4-1, 2KOs (not bad for a geek!). // To study a system as complex as the entire universe, astrophysicists need to be experts at extracting simple solutions from large data sets. What else could they do with this expertise? In an interdisciplinary talk, TED Fellow and astrophysicist Federica Bianco explains how she uses astrophysical data analysis to solve urban and social problems -- as well as stellar mysteries. // Dr. Bianco is a Professor at the University of Delaware in the Physics and Astronomy Department, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, and Data Science Institute. She built her unusual career by letting her passions and her desire to learn new things guide her: trained as an astrophysicist, she splits her time between unveiling the secret of the Universe, finding new ways to improve quality of life in cities, and fighting in the ring. As an astrophysics she studies astronomical transients, things that change in the night sky, from solar system objects passing in front of background stars to explosions at the edge of the known Universe. As the Coordinator of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Science Collaborations she is creating a network of over 1500 scientists as they prepare to study the night skies through the largest, most complex astrophysical dataset to date. The telescope will come online in 2023 and it will observe the whole southern sky every few days from the mountains of Chile, to unprecedented depths and spatial resolution. The sky that to our naked eye looks like a static painted celestial volt is the site of continuous, tumultuous, dramatic changes which a telescope as powerful as this can reveal. Dr. Bianco will focus on understanding the nature of the millions of things that change every night in the night sky. The potential for discovery is transformational! When Dr. Bianco turns her instruments to study urban environments she works on developing new ways to predict energy needs and measure pollution that are accessible to all economies, not just the richest countries, and uses her data skills to improve the prosecutorial justice system. Outside of academia, Dr. Bianco is known as the Madscientist; she is a professional boxer in the bantamweight class, with a record of 4-1, 2KOs (not bad for a geek!). // Urban astrophysicist // public policy, pollution, resilience, nature, data analysis, boxing, science, data science, policy, cities, data, solar, astrophysics, justice, urban, mountains, urban science // Delaware|United States|USA

Delaware|United States|USA

2026

Netherlands

2011

Nigeria

Mobile commerce innovator // Founder of SlimTrader, the first platform in Africa allowing consumers to shop for goods and services via their mobile phones through text. // Founder of SlimTrader, the first platform in Africa allowing consumers to shop for goods and services via their mobile phones through text. // Mobile commerce innovator // mobile phones // Lagos|Victoria Island|Nigeria

Lagos|Victoria Island|Nigeria

2020

Germany

Documentary filmmaker // Filmmaker documenting the lives of his fellow Syrian citizens as they struggle to survive and save their neighbors. // Feras Fayyad is a two-time Academy Award-nominated film director, producer, writer, editor, and cinematographer, best known for his 2017 documentary “Last Men in Aleppo” and his recent 2019 documentary “The Cave,” which earned him critical acclaim and numerous awards and nominations, including Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, making him the first Syrian director to be nominated for an Oscar, and he also won an Emmy award for best current affairs documentary. Fayyad has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2018 and a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Fayyad's films bear witness to the struggles of his fellow Syrians. // Society has a set of stories it tells itself about who refugees are and what they look like, says documentarian and TED Fellow Feras Fayyad. With his films, he's on a mission to separate the facts about refugees from fiction, as a form of resistance -- for himself, his daughter and the millions of other Syrian refugees across the world. A harrowing account, a quest to end injustice and a testament to the power of storytelling. // Feras Fayyad is a two-time Academy Award-nominated film director, producer, writer, editor, and cinematographer, best known for his 2017 documentary “Last Men in Aleppo” and his recent 2019 documentary “The Cave,” which earned him critical acclaim and numerous awards and nominations, including Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, making him the first Syrian director to be nominated for an Oscar, and he also won an Emmy award for best current affairs documentary. Fayyad has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2018 and a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Fayyad's films bear witness to the struggles of his fellow Syrians. // Documentary filmmaker // refugees, migration, documentary // Berlin|Germany

Berlin|Germany

Development research, Epidemiology, Global Health, Infectious diseases, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Parasitology, Visual Art

2021

United Kingdom

Global health researcher // I am an award-winning international Global Health Researcher and Leader based at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I focus on infectious diseases, especially neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). I was the first black African woman appointed to a professorship in Scotland. I conduct and leads basic scientific research that has had an extraordinary impact on the policy, practice and implementation control measures against infectious. I have contributed to shaping national and global NTD policies by working closely with the WHO, African Union, and local governments in affected countries, impacting millions of lives. My work on paediatric schistosomiasis (bilharzia) made a major contribution to the WHO recommending screening and treatment of pre-school children in 2012 giving access to treatment to approx. 50 million children across Africa. I have received several awards for the impact of my work in bilharzia including the David Livingstone Medal from the Glasgow Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. My research on COVID-19 contributed to hospital infection control policy in Zimbabwe and I am a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Post Covid-19 Futures Commission established to support Scotland in emerging as positively as it can from the current pandemic. I am helping shape research and training in Africa through independent advisory boards. I sit on several advisory bodies including; the WHO Africa Regional Director’s Advisory Board; the UK Government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (formerly DFID) Science Advisory Group; the UK Research, and Innovation Global Challenges Research Fund Strategic Advisory Group; the board of Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases; Wellcome Trust Global Monitor External Advisory Board and; Royal Society/African Academy of Science Future Leaders – African Independent Researchers Fellowships steering committee. I am a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. I was a founding member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy of Scotland. I am also a 2021 Aspen New Voices Fellow. I am also an accomplished visual artist ( see details on section ‘People don’t know I am good at’) and have just embarked on an additional career as a nonfiction author. I am the founding director of Mwenje Wedu Trust whose aim is to enable children and youth in Zimbabwe to reach their full potential through providing scholarships, training, social enterprise and creating an enabling learning environment. // TED Fellow and global health researcher Francisca Mutapi discusses how COVID-19 responses borrowed from the West created significant obstacles for other public health programs in Africa -- and makes the case for the continent to chart out its own health care policies. "The solutions to Africa's health problems must be home-grown and must be led by Africans," she says. // I am an award-winning international Global Health Researcher and Leader based at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I focus on infectious diseases, especially neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). I was the first black African woman appointed to a professorship in Scotland. I conduct and leads basic scientific research that has had an extraordinary impact on the policy, practice and implementation control measures against infectious. I have contributed to shaping national and global NTD policies by working closely with the WHO, African Union, and local governments in affected countries, impacting millions of lives. My work on paediatric schistosomiasis (bilharzia) made a major contribution to the WHO recommending screening and treatment of pre-school children in 2012 giving access to treatment to approx. 50 million children across Africa. I have received several awards for the impact of my work in bilharzia including the David Livingstone Medal from the Glasgow Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. My research on COVID-19 contributed to hospital infection control policy in Zimbabwe and I am a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Post Covid-19 Futures Commission established to support Scotland in emerging as positively as it can from the current pandemic. I am helping shape research and training in Africa through independent advisory boards. I sit on several advisory bodies including; the WHO Africa Regional Director’s Advisory Board; the UK Government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (formerly DFID) Science Advisory Group; the UK Research, and Innovation Global Challenges Research Fund Strategic Advisory Group; the board of Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases; Wellcome Trust Global Monitor External Advisory Board and; Royal Society/African Academy of Science Future Leaders – African Independent Researchers Fellowships steering committee. I am a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. I was a founding member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy of Scotland. I am also a 2021 Aspen New Voices Fellow. I am also an accomplished visual artist ( see details on section ‘People don’t know I am good at’) and have just embarked on an additional career as a nonfiction author. I am the founding director of Mwenje Wedu Trust whose aim is to enable children and youth in Zimbabwe to reach their full potential through providing scholarships, training, social enterprise and creating an enabling learning environment. // Global health researcher // led, public health, infectious diseases, job skills training, infectious disease, visual art, research, policy, monitoring, covid, youth, parasitology, development research, epidemiology, children, global health, neglected tropical diseases, science, pandemic, disease // Scotland|United Kingdom|Edinburgh

Scotland|United Kingdom|Edinburgh