Directory

Step inside the TED Fellows community

Each year, a new group of TED Fellows from around the world, and from every discipline, are welcomed into this international community of remarkable thinkers and doers.

TED Fellows
2024 Cohort

TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Photojournalist, visual artist

Daro Sulakauri

Photojournalist Daro Sulakauri chronicles social and political issues in the Caucasus. By focusing on issues that are considered taboo, such as early marriages and the impact of Russian occupation, she defends against the erasure of Georgian culture, history and borders.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Equity bioengineer

Erika Moore

Biomedical engineer Erika Moore Taylor researches how ancestry and sociocultural data affect disease development. Unlike many researchers, she accounts for diverse populations when building regenerative tissue models to create more equitable disease models

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Visual artist, poverty researcher

Huiyi Lin

Huiyi Lin is an economic policy researcher and one-half of Chow and Lin, an artist duo using statistical, mathematical and computational techniques to address food insecurity and poverty. Chow and Lin combine research, design and photography to raise awareness about global inequality in visually arresting ways.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Medical mythbuster

Joel Bervell

Joel Bervell is a medical student educating people about health care disparities and biases through viral social media content. By sharing stories and studies with his audience of more than one million about the neglect of marginalized groups, he advocates for change in the health care system. 

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Ocean navigator

Lehua Kamalu

Lehua Kamalu is a captain and navigator of traditional Hawaiian ocean-voyaging canoes. She preserves and teaches these ancient sustainable navigation practices by integrating them into digital storytelling and daily life for future generations.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Health systems entrepreneur

Mohamed Aburawi

Mohamed Aburawi is a surgeon and founder of Speetar, a digital health platform reshaping health care in conflict zones across the Middle East and Africa, especially his native Libya. Through this work, Speetar is helping to dismantle barriers to quality care and advocate for health care as a fundamental human right.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Mechanical engineer

Norah Magero

Norah Magero is a mechanical engineer and creator of VacciBox, a cold chain solution saving lives in rural communities. She is working to build an Africa that manufactures and produces its own climate-health care technology.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Chemosensory researcher, nurse

Paule Joseph

Taste and smell researcher Paule Joseph explores how conditions such as COVID-19, obesity, neurodegenerative disorders and substance abuse affect the chemical senses. Her lab combines clinical research, behavioral neuroscience, genomics and molecular biology, offering insights on how taste and smell affect our daily lives.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

AI scientist, entrepreneur

Ramin Hasani

Ramin Hasani is cofounder and CEO of Liquid AI, where he helped invent liquid neural networks: a new AI technology inspired by living brains and physics. These revolutionary networks are more flexible and efficient than current AI solutions, shaping the future of machine learning and artificial intelligence research.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Wildland firefighter

Royal Ramey

Royal Ramey is the cofounder of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP), a nonprofit providing career opportunities to formerly incarcerated firefighters in California. A 12-year wildland firefighter veteran, Ramey draws on his own lived experience, rethinking job training for the formerly incarcerated and addressing the challenges they face re-entering the workforce.

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TED Fellows 2024 Cohort

Composer, artistic director

Sahba Aminikia

Iranian-born composer, pianist and educator Sahba Aminikia is the founder and artistic director of Flying Carpet Children Festival, an annual mobile arts festival and artist residency for refugee children escaping conflict zones.

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2024
Cohort

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Fellows Directory

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TED Fellows 2009 Cohort

Santosh Sigdel
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TED Fellows 2009 Cohort

Mangaka, writer, illustrator,

Sara Mayhew
International award-winning mangaka and 2009 TED Fellowship member, Sara E. Mayhew is a Canadian writer and illustrator striving to produce manga that promotes skepticism and critical thinking. Canada's prestigious graphic arts magazine, Applied Arts, featured her in their Young Blood article on "new talent commanding our attention". Sara was awarded the Northern Arts grant in 2007 by the Ontario Arts Council. She has spoken on the TED Fellows stage at the prestigious TED (Technology Entertainment Design) conference, in 2009, in Long Beach, CA, and more recently at TEDActive 2010 in Palm Springs, CA. Currently, Sara is launching her newest series, Legend of the Ztarr, which aims to introduce manga readers to skeptical and humanist values through storytelling, available in the Apple iBookstore. Her blog, There Are Four Lights, combines art and science themes, with occasional pepperings of general geekdom and cuteness.
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TED Fellows 2010 Cohort

Artist Astronaut

Sarah Jane Pell
Sarah Jane Pell is a multi-award-winning artist with an experimental practice spanning 20 years. The “Artist Astronaut” began civilian spaceflight training in 2016 with the support of a two-year Australia Council Fellowship to investigate new modes of ‘Performing Astronautics’. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy at Edith Cowan University in Australia and has collaborated with NASA, ESA, JAXA and the private sector on numerous space missions and strategic sci-art interests. Her work has been exhibited and performed worldwide. She is a commercial diver with extensive experience in remote isolated confined environment (ICE), black water operations and sea survival. Founder/director of the Aquabatics Research Team initiative ARTi 2002-2012, her work on Human Performance Underwater (Aquabatics) was awarded the MIT Leonardo LABS Best PhD Art & Science in 2007. Pell joined Monash University as Adj. Associate Professor (Research), in the Faculty of Engineering, Engineering Office of the Dean, and Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture in Aug 2018. Pell’s research focuses on human expression and performance. She designs tactical laboratories for experimental arts to support performance within operational ICE environments for application in sea and space domains. She collaborates with the Monash Immersive Visualisation Platform [MIVP]. Her team have produced tools for spatial awareness during simulated spacewalks known as EVAs in terrestrial analogue sites including the high altitudes of the Himalaya's Mustang region and the US Utah desert, and post-processing large data transmission between global sites for affective visualisation in the CAVE2, Virtual Reality, Dome and Future Control Room. Artefacts include immersive media, mixed reality, human-robotic interaction design, and new systems for live art and translocation communication and interdisciplinary human performance research. Outcomes are real and speculative, poetic and practical with high technical cultural value and human factors benefits. Pell is currently an Associate Professor at Monash University in Human-Centered Computing and Creativity, and Vice-Chair of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Technical Committee for the Cultural Utilisation of Space [ITCCUS] 2018-2021. Sarah Jane has danced with underwater rovers, flown space art payloads, designed rebreathers and helmets, and broadcast Earth-Moon-Earth performances. Prestigious awards include Australia Council Fellow. Australia Council Arts Leader. Gifted Citizen – Hon. Mention. She is a 2010 TED Fellow.
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TED Fellows 2012 Cohort

Satellite archaeologist + TED Prize winner

Sarah Parcak
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TED Fellows 2020 Cohort

Astrophysicist

Sarah Rugheimer
I am TED Fellow and professor in astrophysicist working on how to detect life on an exoplanet by looking for atmospheric biosignatures at York University. I am originally from Montana, and started at Flathead Valley Community College before eventually ending up at Harvard University for my Ph.D. I then went to St Andrews and Oxford for postdoctoral fellowships before starting as the Carswell Chair for the Public Understanding of Astronomy at York. I'm there co-Lead of the Project Office for LIFE, the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets, which I believe will be the best way to detect life on another planet in our lifetimes. I am passionate about science communication and outreach to promote scientific literacy. I have been on over 70 times on radio and TV including Global National, NPR, and BBC and was a presenter for the Discovery Channel's "Killers of the Cosmos" series. In 2020, I wrote and recorded a popular-level Audible Originals Course called "Searching for Extraterrestrial Life." I advocate for Women in STEM and co-host a podcast with another astronomer named Sarah Ballard called “Self-care with Drs. Sarah” for junior scientists navigating academia.
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TED Fellows 2018 Cohort

Clean water advocate

Saran Kaba Jones
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TED Fellows 2009 Cohort

Air Pollution Scientist + Comic Strip Artist

Sarath Guttikunda
Dr. Sarath Guttikunda, is the Founder/Director of UrbanEmissions.Info (UEinfo), an adjunct professor at Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi) and recipient of the International Award by the American Geophysical Union in 2022, given annually in recognition of furthering the Earth and space sciences for the benefit of society in developing nations. He conducts research in an independent capacity at UEinfo to support science, policy, and public dialogue on air pollution in India and cities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. For India's national clean air program, UEinfo maintains the only open-repository of information necessary for the cities to conduct and evaluate their emissions and pollution analysis, as part of the air pollution knowledge assessments (APnA) city program. He is also an author of multiple illustrated primers on air pollution themes, designed to bridge the knowledge gaps for a broad audience with technical and non-technical background. More details @ https://urbanemissions.info
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TED Fellows 2021 Cohort

Green farming innovator

Sathya Raghu V. Mokkapati
I am the Co-Founder of Kheyti, which delivers climate resilient incomes to the smallholder farmers. I am the cofounder of Cosmos Green, which builds climate smart farms, that promote nature friendly living. We are currently developing an economically viable model for a biodiverse agroforest. Our work is one of the winners of Earthshot Prize 2022. I am a TED Speaker. I write Opinion Editorials for major Media Outlets like Huff post, Stanford Social innovation review, HinduBusinessLine, SciDevnet and Yourstory on issues involving farmers, climate change and economy. I was lucky to have been a part of 4 remarkable fellowships which added tremendous value to my life – Acumen India Fellowship, Aspen NewVoices fellowship, Mulago’s Rainer Arnhold Fellowship and TED Fellowship.
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TED Fellows 2009 Cohort

Extreme Mountaineer

Satyabrata Dam
A mountaineer, skier and sailor; Satyabrata is the only Indian to accomplish one of the rarest feats in the adventure world The Three Poles - Mt Everest (2004), South Pole (2006) and North Pole (2008) and the Seven Summits (climbing the highest peaks in all the seven continents). He is the first person in the world to have led successful expeditions to all the Three Poles. After serving in the Indian Navy Submarine Arms for 23 years and commanding HDW German boats Satya took voluntary retirement to pursue his outdoor passions full time. An ex Special Forces officer with combat experiences, he was a specialist in underwater navigation and super-specialist in submarine tactics and weapon control. During his Naval career Satya was decorated with numerous gallantry awards for exceptional acts of bravery, which includes Nao Sena Medal for gallantry twice. Satyas true passion lies in the sport of extreme mountaineering. Charting new routes, undertaking highly technical climbs and exploring unknown valleys has led him to some of the deepest, remotest corners of the world. He has many solo and first ascents to his credit. He has climbed many major Himalayan peaks to date in his 40 years of climbing career. Besides Mt Everest, he has climbed several of the highest peaks in the world. Outside the Himalaya, he has climbed in almost all the major mountain ranges in the world, including the European Alps, Canadian Rockies, Yosemite, Andes, Patagonia, Southern Alps, Pamir, Tien Shan, Urals, Caucuses, Western Cape & Drakensberg (South Africa), Japanese Alps, etc. He has led 16 Indian expeditions (including naval and IMF) and seven international expeditions. He is a past Secretary of the Himalayan Club, India. Satya has led skiing and Arctic survival expeditions to Alaska, Greenland, Norway, North Pole, South Pole, Iceland. When he is not climbing, he has sailed around the world. He was a national champion in yachting and has represented the country in yachting, windsurfing and water skiing. He is an ardent speleologist and ice caver. He has done caving in some of the largest cave systems in the world in France, South Africa, Wales and USA and has done ice caving in Alaska, Greenland and Spitsbergen (Norway). He has traversed the ancient Silk Route from Mongolia to Turkey and has also walked the entire length of Africa from Tunisia to South Africa. Satya is a member of the Indian Mountaineering Foundations Scientific Exploration Committee and has consulted with with TERI (The Energy Resources Institute) Glacier Project Team and collaborating with Icelandic Glacier Studies on climate change and effects of global warming. Satya is a recipient of Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) twice, Chief of Naval Staff Commendation (twice), Commander-in-Chief Commendation and Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award Satyabrata is featured in the Limca Book of Records (Indian equivalent of Guinness Book) twice in 2005 and 2009 He is featured regularly in some of Indias leading national journals and dailies like; Hindustan Times, TOI, Business Times, Economic Times, India Today, Statesman, Hindu, The Week, etc in print and net and has often been interviewed on leading TV channels Publications & Writings (a) Poles Apart (2008) A coffee table book on his journey to the ends of the World (North and South Pole) (b) From the Ocean Depths to the Highest Peak (2006) A coffee table book on Mt Everest (c) Eyewitness and Other Tales of Detection (2001) Collection of crime stories (d) Mountaineering articles are regularly featured in some of the worlds leading mountaineering journals High (UK), Himalayan Journal & Indian Mountaineers (India), The Mountain Ears (South Africa), American Alpine Journal, Japanese Alpine Club Journal, etc. (e) Scripted, edited, directed Mountaineering Films for NatGeo (f) Television serials, documentaries depicting submarine and naval life. (g) Executive Editor of Anil Aggrawals Internet Journal of Book Review Member (a) Indian Mountaineering Foundation member of the Climbing Committee, Program Planning Committee, Scientific Exploration Committee (b) Nehru Institute of Mountaineering Executive Committee (c) The Himalayan Club Managing Committee (d) Technical Advisor to the All Woman Commonwealth Antarctica Expedition Lectures & Workshops He has lectured around the globe on mountaineering, climate change and held workshops on wilderness survival
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TED Fellows 2009 Cohort

CEO

Sean Blagsvedt
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TED Fellows 2009 Cohort

Physicist and military theorist

Sean Gourley
Co-founder and CTO of Quid, part time physicist and sometimes decathlete. I'm based in San Francisco where I spend most of my time working at Quid building the next generation global intelligence platform. Not an easy task, but luckily I have a great team of quants and engineers coming along with me for the ride. I'm originally from New Zealand where I divided my time between, studying Physics, running, surfing and organizing political rallies. Back in New Zealand I ran for National elected office, helped start New Zealand's first Nanotech company and won two national Decathlon titles. I spent best 7 years studying at Oxford and trying to understand the mathematical patterns that underly insurgent warfare. This research has taken me all over the world from the Pentagon, to the House of Lords, the United Nations and most recently to Iraq. You can see more of the 'mathematics of war' research here on TED.com
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TED Fellows 2007 Cohort

Segeni Ngethe
For most of my professional life I have been an entrepreneur, I founded one of Kenya’s first e-commerce businesses, ‘MamaMikes Online’, a business I have run for close to 15 years. MamaMikes offers the Kenyan Diaspora a platform to buy gifts and groceries for their family and friends back home. We became famous for pioneering the e-Mbuzi ‘e-goat’ the delivery of goats over Christmas time. Our philosophy is ‘Share Love. Spread Happiness’ More recently, I joined a Kenyan startup called BRCK, a business whose ambition is to offer advertiser supported Free Wifi across East Africa. I run business development at BRCK.
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TED Fellows 2011 Cohort

Serge Mouangue
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TED Fellows 2014 Cohort

Aerial robotics researcher

Sergei Lupashin
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TED Fellows 2009 Cohort

Fellows Talks

We’ve organized Fellows talks into curated playlists to make it easier to find content you’re interested in.

TED Fellows impact at a glance

Change that gets noticed

200M

200M people impacted by Fellows work annually

451M

451M TED Talk views

2,234

2,234 articles published by/about Fellows per year

1,303

1,303 speaking engagements each year

234

234 businesses launched

The groundbreaking work of a TED Fellow does not stay in the shadows. Each year we study the impact Fellows have on their respective fields, as measured by tangible forms of recognition. Here are some highlights from the past few years.

Our purpose

What makes a TED Fellow?

TED Fellows are some of the brightest, most ambitious thinkers, future-shapers and culture-shakers from nearly every discipline and corner of the world.

Whether it’s discovering new galaxies, leading social movements or making waves in environmental conservation, with the support of TED, Fellows are dedicated to making the world a better place through their innovative work. In 2024 the program will shift to a nomination-based application process.

Qualifications

We look for the proximate emerging leaders working on-the-ground on world-changing ideas -- the doers, makers, inventors, technologists, filmmakers and photographers, musicians and artists, educators, scientists, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and human rights activists. Here is what we look for in a TED Fellow:

1

Emerging leaders. We focus our efforts on individuals who are in the earlier phases of their career, those who have a track record of excellence but have not received a numerous other fellowships and accolades. We search for those who are not already on the global stage.

2

Originality and authenticity. We look for proximate leaders with a unique approach to solving humanity’s greatest challenges. We look for the people working on-the-ground on world-changing ideas, putting ideas into action.

3

Kind, collaborative character. We look for individuals who have an early track record of great work in their field. We look for individuals from all disciplines, who have collaborative, kind personalities. Many Fellows claim that the community of other Fellows is the most valuable aspect of the fellowship. We try to nurture this collaborative spirit in the community.

4

Poised to grow. Since this is not a granting fellowship, we look for individuals who would best be able to use the TED community and this opportunity as a launching pad. The TED Fellowship is best for candidates who are prepared to grow with TED’s forms of support: amplification, network-building, communication training, professional development coaching and mentoring.