Step inside the TED Fellows community

2009

South Africa

Pan Africa Educator // Fred Swaniker is passionate about Africa and believes that Africa's future will be determined by the quality of its future leaders. He has thus devoted the last several years to building an institution that aims to transform Africa by developing its next generation of leaders: African Leadership Academy. Before founding African Leadership Academy, Fred founded Global Leadership Adventures, a leadership development program for youth throughout the world, and also helped launch Mount Pleasant English Medium School, one of the top-performing private elementary schools in Botswana. Fred began his career after college in the Johannesburg office of McKinsey & Company, where he advised management teams of large companies across Africa. Fred has an MBA from Stanford Uni-versity, where he was named an Arjay Miller Scholar, a distinction awarded to the top ten percent of each graduating class. He also holds a BA degree magna cum laude from Macalester College. // Fred Swaniker is passionate about Africa and believes that Africa’s future will be determined by the quality of its future leaders. He has thus devoted the last several years to building an institution that aims to transform Africa by developing its next generation of leaders: African Leadership Academy, (www.africanleadershipacademy.org). Before founding African Leadership Academy, Fred founded Global Leadership Adventures, a leadership development program for youth throughout the world, and also helped launch Mount Pleasant English Medium School, one of the top-performing private elementary schools in Botswana. Fred began his career after college in the Johannesburg office of McKinsey & Company, where he advised management teams of large companies across Africa. Fred has an MBA from Stanford University, where he was named an Arjay Miller Scholar, a distinction awarded to the top ten percent of each graduating class. He also holds a BA degree magna cum laude from Macalester College. // Before he hit eighteen, Fred Swaniker had lived in Ghana, Gambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. What he learned from a childhood across Africa was that while good leaders can't make much of a difference in societies with strong institutions, in countries with weak structures, leaders could make or break a country. In a passionate talk the entrepreneur and TED Fellow looks at different generations of African leaders and imagines how to develop the leadership of the future. // Fred Swaniker is passionate about Africa and believes that Africa’s future will be determined by the quality of its future leaders. He has thus devoted the last several years to building an institution that aims to transform Africa by developing its next generation of leaders: African Leadership Academy, (www.africanleadershipacademy.org). Before founding African Leadership Academy, Fred founded Global Leadership Adventures, a leadership development program for youth throughout the world, and also helped launch Mount Pleasant English Medium School, one of the top-performing private elementary schools in Botswana. Fred began his career after college in the Johannesburg office of McKinsey & Company, where he advised management teams of large companies across Africa. Fred has an MBA from Stanford University, where he was named an Arjay Miller Scholar, a distinction awarded to the top ten percent of each graduating class. He also holds a BA degree magna cum laude from Macalester College. // Pan Africa Educator // children, youth // Hurlingham|Sandton|South Africa|Gauteng

Hurlingham|Sandton|South Africa|Gauteng

Video Art Installations, art

2012

United States

Video sculptor // American video artist creating living video installation pieces of "miniature people" encased inside ordinary objects such as suitcases, blenders and more. My work focuses on memorialization and, more specifically, the act of leaving one's imprint for the next generation. While formally implemented by natural history museums and collections (which find their roots in Renaissance era "cabinets of curiosity"), this process has grown more pointed and pervasive in the modern-day obsession with personal digital archiving and the corresponding growth of social media culture. My video sculptures play upon this exigency in our culture to chronicle, preserve and wax nostalgic, an idea which I renders visually by “collecting” human beings (alongside cultural archetypes) as scientific specimens. I repurpose everyday objects like blenders, suitcases and cans of Spam® into venues for projecting and inserting videos of people. // Gabriel Barcia-Colombo is a mixed media artist whose work focuses on collections, memorialization and the act of leaving one's digital imprint for the next generation. His work takes the form of video sculptures, immersive performances, large scale projections and vending machines that sell human DNA. His work plays upon this modern exigency in our culture to chronicle, preserve and wax nostalgic, an idea which Barcia-Colombo renders visually by “collecting” human portraits on video. Gabriel was commissioned to be the first digital artist to show work at the New Fulton Terminal Stop with the MTA Arts & Design program in New York City. His work has been featured in the Volta, Scope, and Art Mrkt art fairs, Victoria & Albert Museum as well as Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library. He recently received an Art and Technology grant from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where he created The Hereafter Institute; a company that questions the future of death rituals and memorials and their relationship to technology. His work is part of the permanent collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Gabriel served as a member of the artist advisory board at the New York Foundation for the Arts, as well as the education committee member at the Museum of Art and Design. In 2012 Gabriel gave a TED talk entitled Capturing Memories in Video Art, and in 2014 he gave another entitled My DNA Vending Machine and was awarded a Senior TED fellowship. In 2016 Gabe founded Bunker.nyc a pop up gallery showcasing emerging art made with technology. Bunker became the first pop up digital art gallery to open in the Sotheby's Auction House in New York Summer 2017. Gabe is a New York Foundation for the Arts grant awardee and faculty member at the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. // Vending machines generally offer up sodas, candy bars and chips. Not so for the one created by TED Fellow Gabe Barcia-Colombo. This artist has dreamed up a DNA Vending Machine, which dispenses extracted human DNA, packaged in a vial along with a collectible photo of the person who gave it. It’s charming and quirky, but points out larger ethical issues that will arise as access to biotechnology increases. // Using video mapping and projection, artist Gabriel Barcia-Colombo captures and shares his memories and friendships. At TED Fellow Talks, he shows his charming, thoughtful work -- which appears to preserve the people in his life in jars, suitcases, blenders ... // Gabriel Barcia-Colombo is a mixed media artist whose work focuses on collections, memorialization and the act of leaving one's digital imprint for the next generation. His work takes the form of video sculptures, immersive performances, large scale projections and vending machines that sell human DNA. His work plays upon this modern exigency in our culture to chronicle, preserve and wax nostalgic, an idea which Barcia-Colombo renders visually by “collecting” human portraits on video. Gabriel was commissioned to be the first digital artist to show work at the New Fulton Terminal Stop with the MTA Arts & Design program in New York City. His work has been featured in the Volta, Scope, and Art Mrkt art fairs, Victoria & Albert Museum as well as Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library. He recently received an Art and Technology grant from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where he created The Hereafter Institute; a company that questions the future of death rituals and memorials and their relationship to technology. His work is part of the permanent collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Gabriel served as a member of the artist advisory board at the New York Foundation for the Arts, as well as the education committee member at the Museum of Art and Design. In 2012 Gabriel gave a TED talk entitled Capturing Memories in Video Art, and in 2014 he gave another entitled My DNA Vending Machine and was awarded a Senior TED fellowship. In 2016 Gabe founded Bunker.nyc a pop up gallery showcasing emerging art made with technology. Bunker became the first pop up digital art gallery to open in the Sotheby's Auction House in New York Summer 2017. Gabe is a New York Foundation for the Arts grant awardee and faculty member at the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. // Video sculptor // technology, music listening, design, ethics, education, biotech, animation, video art installations, art // New York|United States|Brooklyn|USA

New York|United States|Brooklyn|USA

Art, City, Consulting, Culture, multidisciplinary research, thinking things up

2010, 2009

United Kingdom

URBAN THINKER, EXPERIMENTALIST // I have always been helplessly fascinated by the place where (so-called) fact and (so-called) fiction merge... by their volcanic and viscous borders, and by those moments when imagination helps mold reality. So it should come as no surprise that I decided from an early age that art and culture--in its myriad forms--would become my territory. Plus this place we call Mexico City, this (im)possible place, almost like an endless real fiction or story in itself. Because, with one of the most enigmatic, complex and fascinating cities in the whole world as playground, I now direct "Laboratorio para la Ciudad*, Mexico City`s new creative think-tank and experimental space: a place to think about all things city, and ponder social scripts and urban futures for the largest megalopolis on the American continent: from the outlandishly speculative to the surprisingly practical and everything in between. This project came about through a personal invitation by Dr. Miguel Angel Mancera--Mexico City`s newly elected and liberal Mayor--to incorporate "Laboratorio para la Ciudad" into the city`s official structure for the next 6 years. Laboratorio para la ciudad will support creativity and innovation through the different layers of both government and social-space, intermingled. Looking to imagine new urban (im)possibilities, further collaboration and discover provocative ways of both thinking and creating city, Laboratorio brings people together from different sectors and disciplines (urbanists, artists, scientists, architects, government officials, sociologists, economists et al). It also induces conversations throughout different platforms, invents and implements pilot programs, creates editorial projects plus other initiatives and strategies: all with the aim of injecting good ideas into the city`s system as well as provoking our inventive and future-ing brain muscles. And so, using many lessons from my experiences as a TED Senior Fellow, this new experimental space and multidisciplinary think-space places imagination at the center of community discourse, and searches for new solutions to social issues even as it satisfies creative impulses. Besides directing this city lab, I am a also a writer, visual artist, cultural curator; recently turned documentary filmmaker. I am a TED City 2.0 grant awardee, a Yale World Fellow, plus the founder of Tóxico Cultura: an award-wining cultural salon and arts incubator based in Mexico City. // Gabriella is the founder and director of Experimentalista (a transdisciplinary urban+creative studio working with cities across the world) and The Institute for Everything In-Between. As former Chief Creative Officer of Mexico City, Gabriella founded and directed Laboratorio para la Ciudad, the award-winning experimental and creative office of the Mexico City government, reporting to the Mayor. She headed a young, transdiciplinary team: from urban geographers, political scientists and civic tech experts, to artists, historians and philosophers. The Lab was created to tackle urban challenges - from experiments in democracy and mobility to projects related to spatial justice, experimental territories, play as a city making tool, tech platforms and new models of governance - creating novel transdisciplinary methodologies and participatory practices, exploring ways to find common ground in a gargantuan, diverse (and often divided) city. Hence the Lab's projects were multiple, often paradigmatic, and covered widely in international publications – such as the crowdsourcing of the Mexico City Constitutionm which was a first for the urban world. She is a Yale World Fellow, MIT Director’s Fellow, a GeorgeTown University Global Cities Initiative Visiting Fellow, a TED Senior Fellow, an Institute for the Future Fellow and has received several awards in different disciplines: from 1st prize in the Audi Urban Future Award to 1st Prize in the Best Arts Practice and TED City 2.0 award , as well as recognized as a leading "creative bureaucrat" in the Creative Bureaucracy Festival 2018. Gabriella is also part of the international advisory committee for the Mayor of Seoul on Social Innovation, as well as NACTO's Streets for Kids, The XXII Triennale of Milan, C40´s Knowledge Hub, Harvard`s Mexican Cities Initiative, Canada`s MaRS Lab, amongst others. She was also named one of the 100 most creative people in business by Fast Company magazine in 2018. // Gabriella is the founder and director of Experimentalista (a transdisciplinary urban+creative studio working with cities across the world) and The Institute for Everything In-Between. As former Chief Creative Officer of Mexico City, Gabriella founded and directed Laboratorio para la Ciudad, the award-winning experimental and creative office of the Mexico City government, reporting to the Mayor. She headed a young, transdiciplinary team: from urban geographers, political scientists and civic tech experts, to artists, historians and philosophers. The Lab was created to tackle urban challenges - from experiments in democracy and mobility to projects related to spatial justice, experimental territories, play as a city making tool, tech platforms and new models of governance - creating novel transdisciplinary methodologies and participatory practices, exploring ways to find common ground in a gargantuan, diverse (and often divided) city. Hence the Lab's projects were multiple, often paradigmatic, and covered widely in international publications – such as the crowdsourcing of the Mexico City Constitutionm which was a first for the urban world. She is a Yale World Fellow, MIT Director’s Fellow, a GeorgeTown University Global Cities Initiative Visiting Fellow, a TED Senior Fellow, an Institute for the Future Fellow and has received several awards in different disciplines: from 1st prize in the Audi Urban Future Award to 1st Prize in the Best Arts Practice and TED City 2.0 award , as well as recognized as a leading "creative bureaucrat" in the Creative Bureaucracy Festival 2018. Gabriella is also part of the international advisory committee for the Mayor of Seoul on Social Innovation, as well as NACTO's Streets for Kids, The XXII Triennale of Milan, C40´s Knowledge Hub, Harvard`s Mexican Cities Initiative, Canada`s MaRS Lab, amongst others. She was also named one of the 100 most creative people in business by Fast Company magazine in 2018. // URBAN THINKER, EXPERIMENTALIST // technology, research, city, participatory, mobility, multidisciplinary research, thinking things up, governance, cities, documentary, government, justice, consulting, urban, art, culture // Mexico|United Kingdom|London|Mexico City|England

Mexico|United Kingdom|London|Mexico City|England

Communication, Data Journalism, Eco-Friendly Practices, Grassroots Activism, Investigative Writing, Job Skills Training, Technology & Renewable Energy, Urban Mobility & Transportation, Youth Empowerment

2019

India

DNA - Daily News & Analysis; Bumshum; Journalist; Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media; Bangalore University; Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media; The Economic Times; The New Indian Express; Zee Media Corporation Limited; Kendriya Vidyalaya

101Reporters is a platform that serves as a network of freelance journalists, connecting them with media houses. Initially facilitating story ideas from reporters to media houses, it has evolved to become a publisher itself, partnering with various media outlets to amplify the reach of articles. The organization supports independent journalists in uncovering underreported stories, offering a platform for freelance reporters to pitch, collaborate, and publish their stories. Through a structured process, reporters can ideate, pitch, collaborate with the editorial team, and get their stories published, receiving payment upon publication. The platform has received accolades for its contribution to journalism and its support for grassroots freelance reporters. // The India Energy Hour is a podcast that delves into the evolving landscape of renewable energy in India. The podcast features interviews and insights from energy experts, discussing topics such as grid stability, renewable energy integration, and the future of the energy sector in India. Guests on the podcast, such as Srivatsan Iyer, Global CEO of Hero Future Energies, highlight the importance of technologies like battery storage and pumped hydro for grid stability. The discussions also touch on the need for incentives to reduce overall power consumption, the role of finance in renewable energy projects, and the diversification of renewable energy companies in India. The podcast aims to provide a // After more than five years in reporting with three national newspapers in four metro cities, I realized what mainstream media is missing. Result, I founded 101reporters.com in October 2015. Bangalore based 101Reporters, an Off Road Media Pvt Ltd venture, is an attempt to bring grassroot journalists across the country on a common platform for wider publication of stories that matter. We are building an interface for grassroot journalists to share their stories which are curated by our team of experienced editors before sharing them with existing publishers on subscription basis. In the process, we would not only recognise the tireless work that our grassroot reporters are doing in tough terrains but also earn an extra bit for a better living. The platform will also help freelance journalist to connect with publishers who would be interested in their work. Being a freelance jouranalist for past 10months, I know the problems faced by independent journalist in terms of compensation. Our attempt is to ensure work of freelance journalists are valued and paid for. Before moving to Bangalore in mid-2015, I worked with The Economic Times as Senior Correspondent mainly covering RTI, Law Ministry & CAG beats. After being trained in journalism from Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore, in 2010, I began my journalism career with The New Indian Express, Chennai. During one year stint with Express, I also served as Express correspondent in Coimbatore and reported briefly for Bangalore bureau. Joined DNA, Mumbai in 2011 as part of its Investigations Bureau and worked for two years before coming to New Delhi and worked here until December 2013. After completing graduation in Commerce from Bangalore University in 2005 for next four years I actively involved in anti-corruption movements in Bangalore and my native, Belgaum, Karnataka. // An eco-friendly store for babies and toddlers. // Writes on corporate fraud and love doing data reporting. // Political Bureau // Worked as Principal Correspondent with dna, New Delhi covering investigating agencies like NCB, CBI, ED and other besides CAG and Nuclear issues. // Worked as a member of Investigations Bureau for a period of two years covering corruption in banking sector to defence, nuclear energy and many more. // While working with The New Indian Express in Chennai I had reported issues pertaining to corruption, environment, tribal rights, among others. Besides, I was given the responsibility of training other reporters in RTI. // Besides bank deposits and investment in real estate and gold, many Lok Sabha election candidates across parties hold shares in big and small companies, including Reliance Industries Adani Group and Larson & Toubro. // Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appeared as government lawyer in a case where he had represented the company in the past. // It's a business-politics relationship that even Arvind Kejriwal couldn't have imagined — Delhi's National Youth Party receives Rs 15 lakh from Itanagar-based event management company Phoenix Rising. Why would a small Itanagar company donate money to a Delhi based party most don't know exist? Or consider this, Mumbai-based political party, Forum for Presidential Democracy, gets Rs 1.15 lakh from Mumbai-based Neptune Resorts and Developers. // In what may well be one of the biggest cases of corporate tax evasion, the income-tax department has served a demand notice to IT multinational IBM India, asking it to pay income tax to the tune of Rs5,357 crore. // Top officials of BEML Limited, a Bangalore-based company, and the defence ministry have siphoned off at least Rs750 crore in bribes and commissions over the past 14 years in the purchase of components for Tatra trucks, backbone of the army’s artillery and transportation wings. // DNA - Daily News & Analysis; Bumshum; Journalist; Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media; Bangalore University; Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media; The Economic Times; The New Indian Express; Zee Media Corporation Limited; Kendriya Vidyalaya // Gangadhar Patil is a seasoned journalist and founder of 101Reporters, an innovative platform connecting grassroots journalists with mainstream publishers. With over five years of experience in reporting for national newspapers in various metropolitan cities, Gangadhar recognized the need to amplify the voices of grassroots reporters and founded 101Reporters in 2015. His platform aims to bridge the gap between grassroots journalists and publishers, ensuring that their stories reach a wider audience. Gangadhar's background includes senior correspondent roles with leading newspapers, where he covered a range of topics from corporate fraud to political investigations. His commitment to quality journalism and empowering freelance journalists underscores his dedication to promoting diverse and impactful storytelling. // At 101Reporters, we aim to revolutionize the field of journalism by empowering grassroots reporters, giving them a platform to share authentic, on-the-ground stories from across India. We seek to bridge the gap between rural and urban narratives, ensuring diverse voices and perspectives are heard. Our goal is to create a more informed and connected society by highlighting underrepresented issues and communities. Driven by the question, "Whose stories are we missing?", we strive to amplify local realities and foster a deeper understanding of the nation's complexities. // Gangadhar Patil is a seasoned journalist and the founder of 101Reporters, a pioneering platform that connects grassroots journalists with mainstream publishers. With over five years of experience reporting for national newspapers in metropolitan cities, Gangadhar established 101Reporters in 2015 to amplify the voices of grassroots reporters. His platform serves as a bridge between these journalists and publishers, ensuring that their stories reach a wider audience. Gangadhar's background includes senior correspondent roles with leading newspapers, covering diverse topics such as corporate fraud and political investigations. His dedication to quality journalism and empowering freelance journalists underscores his commitment to promoting diverse and impactful storytelling, revolutionizing the field of journalism in India. // Journalism entreprenuer // Journalist and founder of 101Reporters, an innovative platform connecting grassroots journalists with international publishers to spotlight rural reporting. // Gangadhar Patil, is founder of 101Reporters. In 2017, he was elected as one of the Ashoka fellow from India. He quit mainstream media to pursue his interest in investigative journalism by building a strong network of grassroots journalists. His last assignment was with India's largest business daily, The Economic Times as Senior Correspondent mainly covering Taxation, Investigative agencies, Law Ministry, financial frauds and major corporates. After being trained in journalism from Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore, in 2010, he began his journalism career with The New Indian Express, Chennai. During one year stint with Express, he also served as Express correspondent in Coimbatore and reported briefly for Bangalore bureau. After completing a year with Indian Express, he joined Mumbai edition of DNA newspaper in 2011 as part of its Investigations Bureau and worked there for two years. In mid-2013, he moved to New Delhi and towards the end of the year he joined the political bureau of The Economic Times. // Local reporters are on the front lines of important stories, but their work often goes unnoticed by national and international news outlets. TED Fellow and journalist Gangadhar Patil is working to change that. In this quick talk, he shows how he's connecting grassroots reporters in India with major news outlets worldwide -- and helping elevate and expose stories that might never get covered otherwise. // Gangadhar Patil is a seasoned journalist and the founder of 101Reporters, a pioneering platform that connects grassroots journalists with mainstream publishers. With over five years of experience reporting for national newspapers in metropolitan cities, Gangadhar established 101Reporters in 2015 to amplify the voices of grassroots reporters. His platform serves as a bridge between these journalists and publishers, ensuring that their stories reach a wider audience. Gangadhar's background includes senior correspondent roles with leading newspapers, covering diverse topics such as corporate fraud and political investigations. His dedication to quality journalism and empowering freelance journalists underscores his commitment to promoting diverse and impactful storytelling, revolutionizing the field of journalism in India. // Journalism entreprenuer // technology, renewable, grassroots, podcasting, writing, cities, data, eco-friendly, energy storage, job skills training, urban, finance, editing, mobility, nuclear, energy, truck, energy industry, youth, journalism, taxes, renewable energy, rural, battery, expose, underrepresented, law, transportation, investigation, communication, government, real estate, investigative journalism, income // India|Bengaluru|Karnataka|Belgaum|Bangalore|Lucknow

India|Bengaluru|Karnataka|Belgaum|Bangalore|Lucknow

Crowdsourcing, Design Thinking, Innovation, Marketing, Social Innovation, Social Media, Storytelling, community, entrepreneurship, technology

2009

China

Election innovator // Gaurav Mishra help organizations and changemakers use design, technology and community to craft better futures. Gaurav is currently working on FutureCrafting, which helps early adopters use technology to make more intentional choices, grow more positive habits, and become their best self. Previously, Gaurav studied at IIM Bangalore, held senior marketing roles at the Tata Group, taught social media at Georgetown University as the 2008-09 Yahoo! Fellow, launched Ushahidi-based crowd-sourced election monitoring platform Vote Report India, co-founded social business consulting firm 2020 Social (acquired by Publicis Groupe), and created global insights and innovation offerings for MSLGROUP/ Publicis Groupe. Gaurav is widely considered to a leading writer, speaker and maker at the intersection of crowd co-creation and social innovation. He has written and edited book chapters, reports, op-eds, a weekly newspaper column, a quarterly magazine, and an award-winning blog. He has spoken at conferences, guest lectured at universities, led workshops for clients, joined award juries, and coached entrepreneurs all over the world. He has helped create a crowdsourcing software, a social analytics software, and a social curation software, apart from several crowdsourcing-driven social platforms for clients. Gaurav has been a 2008-09 Yahoo! Fellow, a 2009 SNCR Fellow, a 2009 TED Fellow, and a 2013-14 THNK participant. // Gaurav Mishra help organizations and changemakers use design, technology and community to craft better futures. Gaurav is currently working on FutureCrafting, which helps early adopters use technology to make more intentional choices, grow more positive habits, and become their best self. Previously, Gaurav studied at IIM Bangalore, held senior marketing roles at the Tata Group, taught social media at Georgetown University as the 2008-09 Yahoo! Fellow, launched Ushahidi-based crowd-sourced election monitoring platform Vote Report India, co-founded social business consulting firm 2020 Social (acquired by Publicis Groupe), and created global insights and innovation offerings for MSLGROUP/ Publicis Groupe. Gaurav is widely considered to a leading writer, speaker and maker at the intersection of crowd co-creation and social innovation. He has written and edited book chapters, reports, op-eds, a weekly newspaper column, a quarterly magazine, and an award-winning blog. He has spoken at conferences, guest lectured at universities, led workshops for clients, joined award juries, and coached entrepreneurs all over the world. He has helped create a crowdsourcing software, a social analytics software, and a social curation software, apart from several crowdsourcing-driven social platforms for clients. Gaurav has been a 2008-09 Yahoo! Fellow, a 2009 SNCR Fellow, a 2009 TED Fellow, and a 2013-14 THNK participant. // Gaurav Mishra help organizations and changemakers use design, technology and community to craft better futures. Gaurav is currently working on FutureCrafting, which helps early adopters use technology to make more intentional choices, grow more positive habits, and become their best self. Previously, Gaurav studied at IIM Bangalore, held senior marketing roles at the Tata Group, taught social media at Georgetown University as the 2008-09 Yahoo! Fellow, launched Ushahidi-based crowd-sourced election monitoring platform Vote Report India, co-founded social business consulting firm 2020 Social (acquired by Publicis Groupe), and created global insights and innovation offerings for MSLGROUP/ Publicis Groupe. Gaurav is widely considered to a leading writer, speaker and maker at the intersection of crowd co-creation and social innovation. He has written and edited book chapters, reports, op-eds, a weekly newspaper column, a quarterly magazine, and an award-winning blog. He has spoken at conferences, guest lectured at universities, led workshops for clients, joined award juries, and coached entrepreneurs all over the world. He has helped create a crowdsourcing software, a social analytics software, and a social curation software, apart from several crowdsourcing-driven social platforms for clients. Gaurav has been a 2008-09 Yahoo! Fellow, a 2009 SNCR Fellow, a 2009 TED Fellow, and a 2013-14 THNK participant. // Election innovator // technology, social innovation, crowdsourcing, innovation, design, entrepreneurship, social media, led, design thinking, storytelling, monitoring, software, community, marketing // Shanghai|China

Shanghai|China

Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Media Production, Mobile Applications, Music & Comedy Management, Product Management, Technology & Open Source

2009

Canada

Visvesvaraya Technological University; The Raghu Dixit Project; All Things Small; The Random Lines; Institute for Canadian Citizenship / Institut pour la citoyenneté canadienne (ICC); Innoz Technologies Pvt.Ltd; Sublime's Teaching for Artistic Innovation (TFAI); Only Much Louder; Citrix R&D India

The organization, All Things Small, is a media company focused on sharing true stories from India to a global audience. They specialize in curating and producing engaging non-fiction content from the Indian subcontinent across various platforms. The co-founder is currently based in Toronto, Canada, and can be contacted via email or phone. // My latest and current career iteration is as the co-founder of a true-stories focussed media company called All Things Small (https://allthingssmall.in). At All Things Small (ATS), we find and produce the best, most compelling non-fiction from the Indian subcontinent, in a variety of formats and on every platform imaginable. I work as the COO of the company as well as head the audio production division for the company. We have currently produced over 10 critically acclaimed podcasts including commissioned Spotify Original audio podcasts, and podcasts for the BBC, Luminary, Audible and brands like Microsoft and the Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL cricket team. ATS also produces long form journalism on our platform 52 (https://fiftytwo.in) and are working with multiple production studios, both in India and in Hollywood to produce our original long form video shows and movies. We are currently in the middle of producing our first true crime multi-episode documentary series for Netflix India that is due on the platform in 2023. In early 2022, ATS merged with Rainshine Entertainment (https://www.rainshine.com/) where I continue to lead audio production, long form content production and Rainshine’s new blockchain initiatives. // Visvesvaraya Technological University; The Raghu Dixit Project; All Things Small; The Random Lines; Institute for Canadian Citizenship / Institut pour la citoyenneté canadienne (ICC); Innoz Technologies Pvt.Ltd; Sublime's Teaching for Artistic Innovation (TFAI); Only Much Louder; Citrix R&D India // Gaurav Vaz is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in media production and content creation. Currently serving as the COO and head of audio production at All Things Small, a media company specializing in non-fiction storytelling from the Indian subcontinent, Gaurav has played a pivotal role in producing over 10 critically acclaimed podcasts for various platforms including Spotify Originals, BBC, and Audible. With a keen eye for compelling narratives, Gaurav oversees the production of long-form journalism on the platform 52 and collaborates with production studios in India and Hollywood to create original video shows and movies. His recent merger with Rainshine Entertainment has further expanded his role to include leading audio production, long-form content creation, and spearheading new blockchain initiatives within the organization. // Gaurav Vaz is a seasoned professional in media production and content creation, currently serving as the COO and head of audio production at All Things Small. With a diverse background, Gaurav has been instrumental in producing over 10 critically acclaimed podcasts for platforms like Spotify Originals, BBC, and Audible. Specializing in non-fiction storytelling from the Indian subcontinent, he curates engaging narratives and oversees the production of long-form journalism on the platform 52. Gaurav collaborates with production studios in India and Hollywood to create original video shows and movies, showcasing his expertise in creating compelling content across various media platforms. His recent merger with Rainshine Entertainment has expanded his role to include leading audio production, long-form content creation, and driving new blockchain initiatives within the organization. // Developer + musical entpreneur // I have varied interests ranging from music to technology to media to sport and I do my best to keep myself active in all these areas. I am currently the Director for OML Digital, a division of Only Much Louder (OML - http://oml.in) which aims to create products and offer services that target the Indian entertainment industry especially the Indian Indie music scene. Music has always been second nature to me but it became a serious career only late last year when I quit my IT career to pursue music and music business full time! I started out as a rock musician with my college band ‘Phenom’ and from there moved to more solo sessions as a serenader at restaurants to trying various interesting opportunities in Music like singing telegrams etc. For the past 4 years, I have been playing the bass guitar with “The Raghu Dixit Project” (http://raghudixit.com), an Indo-World-Folk-Rock band with a very fresh and original sound. Since the release of our first album 2 years back, the band is counted as one of the most popular bands in its genre in the country. I work with the CAUSE Foundation, Bangalore and am part of the musicals that they stage every year in Bangalore. I have been working with them as a Music Director for the past 2 years. I am currently working with 2 more music projects, a band called ‘Allegro Fudge’ (http://allegrofudge.com) which is working on its debut EP and another project tentatively titled ‘The Fear of Missing Out’. I also play sessions bass guitar for various jingles and recently with Raghu Dixit for his debut Kannada movie score which was quite the rage all over Karnataka. I graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering from PESIT, Bangalore (Part of the Vishveshwaraya Technological University) and from there joined NetScaler (which then became Citrix) as a software developer. I then moved into some other domains in the company before finally settling down with Technical Writing. I currently head OML Digital, a venture by the Bombay based ‘Only Much Louder’ (http://oml.in) that aims at creating products and providing services to the Indian entertainment industry. Our first product, NH7 (still being developed) is a one stop portal for Indian Indie music that will effectively integrate the active Offline music scene with the Internet effectively! I was drawn to the Internet and its ability to manifest itself as a publishing platform and more importantly, an alternative platform to mass media quite early in my career and thus, a lot of my thinking and beliefs are moulded around it. This originally manifested itself in the journal I began to maintain online for about 5 years which I largely used for publicity for my band. My understanding of the entire New Media space took a huge leap forward, when “Phenom”, my band released our first EP (extended play) on the Internet for free under the Creative Common’s license. From there, I joined a friend of mine and started what was then, the first of its kind Online Radio station (http://radioverve.com) which focussed only of Independent Indian Music. Today, RadioVeRVe is a very popular name in the Online Radio Scene in India. I am currently involved in the creation of Fuzzbox (http://fuzzbox.in), a first of its kind, aggregator of short and long form content (both audio and video) that specifically targets the Internet and Mobile as channels of distribution. // I have varied interests ranging from music to technology to media to sport and I do my best to keep myself active in all these areas. I am currently the Director for OML Digital, a division of Only Much Louder (OML - http://oml.in) which aims to create products and offer services that target the Indian entertainment industry especially the Indian Indie music scene. Music Music has always been second nature to me but it became a serious career only late last year when I quit my IT career to pursue music and music business full time! I started out as a rock musician with my college band ‘Phenom’ and from there moved to more solo sessions as a serenader at restaurants to trying various interesting opportunities in Music like singing telegrams etc. For the past 4 years, I have been playing the bass guitar with “The Raghu Dixit Project†(http://raghudixit.com), an Indo-World-Folk-Rock band with a very fresh and original sound. Since the release of our first album 2 years back, the band is counted as one of the most popular bands in its genre in the country. I work with the CAUSE Foundation, Bangalore and am part of the musicals that they stage every year in Bangalore. I have been working with them as a Music Director for the past 2 years. I am currently working with 2 more music projects, a band called ‘Allegro Fudge’ (http://allegrofudge.com) which is working on its debut EP and another project tentatively titled ‘The Fear of Missing Out’. I also play sessions bass guitar for various jingles and recently with Raghu Dixit for his debut Kannada movie score which was quite the rage all over Karnataka. Technology / Entrepreneurship I graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering from PESIT, Bangalore (Part of the Vishveshwaraya Technological University) and from there joined NetScaler (which then became Citrix) as a software developer. I then moved into some other domains in the company before finally settling down with Technical Writing. I currently head OML Digital, a venture by the Bombay based ‘Only Much Louder’ (http://oml.in) that aims at creating products and providing services to the Indian entertainment industry. Our first product, NH7 (still being developed) is a one stop portal for Indian Indie music that will effectively integrate the active Offline music scene with the Internet effectively! We are also working with various companies and bands to help grow and maintain their online presence Media I was drawn to the Internet and its ability to manifest itself as a publishing platform and more importantly, an alternative platform to mass media quite early in my career and thus, a lot of my thinking and beliefs are moulded around it. This originally manifested itself in the journal I began to maintain online for about 5 years which I largely used for publicity for my band. My understanding of the entire New Media space took a huge leap forward, when “Phenomâ€, my band released our ï¬rst EP (extended play) on the Internet for free under the Creative Common’s license. From there, I joined a friend of mine and started what was then, the ï¬rst of its kind Online Radio station (http://radioverve.com) which focussed only of Independent Indian Music. Today, RadioVeRVe is a very popular name in the Online Radio Scene in India. I am currently involved in the creation of Fuzzbox (http://fuzzbox.in), a first of its kind, aggregator of short and long form content (both audio and video) that specifically targets the Internet and Mobile as channels of distribution. // Gaurav Vaz is a seasoned professional in media production and content creation, currently serving as the COO and head of audio production at All Things Small. With a diverse background, Gaurav has been instrumental in producing over 10 critically acclaimed podcasts for platforms like Spotify Originals, BBC, and Audible. Specializing in non-fiction storytelling from the Indian subcontinent, he curates engaging narratives and oversees the production of long-form journalism on the platform 52. Gaurav collaborates with production studios in India and Hollywood to create original video shows and movies, showcasing his expertise in creating compelling content across various media platforms. His recent merger with Rainshine Entertainment has expanded his role to include leading audio production, long-form content creation, and driving new blockchain initiatives within the organization. // Developer + musical entpreneur // technology, open source, mobile phones, music, product manager, nature, entrepreneurship, science, blockchain, mobile applications, media producer, podcast producer, documentary, software, comedy, artist manager, mining // India|Bangalore|Ontario|Toronto|Canada

India|Bangalore|Ontario|Toronto|Canada

Copyright, Entrepreneurship and Startup Management, Food Processing, Law, New things, Social Media, non-profits, technology

2009

India

Entrepreneur + educator // I started out as a lawyer with a focus on Intellectual Property laws. Post that, I have been an entrepreneur in the food industry, an agriculturalist, of sorts, worked as a small wheel in the cogs of a large company and now work with non-profits in the fields of education and publishing. I work at the <a href="http://akshara.org.in/" target="_blank">Akshara Foundation</a> where I helped build and lead the <a href="http://klp.org.in/" target="_blank">Karnataka Learning Partnership</a> project, which is a technology based transparency and accountability project that creates leverage, policy and advocacy output in the public education space. I also lead Akshara's data and technology functions and work on organizational strategy. Previously, I worked at <a href="http://prathambooks.org/" target="_blank">Pratham Books</a> where I built their community and social media strategy and an <a href="http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Case_Studies/Pratham_Books" target="_blank">open source children's book publishing model</a>. Currently, I am an advisor to <a href="http://www.prathambooks.org/" target="_blank">Pratham Books</a>, <a href="http://inclusiveplanet.org.in/" target="_blank">Inclusive Planet Centre for Disability and Policy</a>, <a href="http://www.stireducation.org/" target="_blank">STIR Education</a> in India and <a href="http://www.cltindia.org/" target="_blank">Children’s Lovecastles Trust</a>. During this time, I have also been fortunate to advise a few small startups in the legal, food and social entrepreneurship spaces and have been a <a href="http://wiki.wikimedia.in/Past_EC_Members" target="_blank">founding board member</a> of the <a href="http://wiki.wikimedia.in/About_us" target="_blank">Wikimedia India Chapter</a>. My passion is 'access' as applied to knowledge and information. // I started out as a lawyer with a focus on Intellectual Property Laws. Post that, I have been an entrepreneur in the food industry, an agriculturalist of sorts, worked as a small wheel in the cogs of a large company and now work in the non-profit field within the folds of education and publishing. During this time, I have also been fortunate to advise a few small startups in the legal, food and social entrepreneurship space. // I started out as a lawyer with a focus on Intellectual Property Laws. Post that, I have been an entrepreneur in the food industry, an agriculturalist of sorts, worked as a small wheel in the cogs of a large company and now work in the non-profit field within the folds of education and publishing. During this time, I have also been fortunate to advise a few small startups in the legal, food and social entrepreneurship space. // Entrepreneur + educator // technology, non-profits, education, entrepreneurship, copyright, food processing, data, entrepreneurship and startup management, inclusion, social media, policy, public policy and advocacy, food industry, public policy, open source, new things, advocacy, transparency, food, law, accountability // Bangalore|Bengaluru|India|Karnataka

Bangalore|Bengaluru|India|Karnataka

Data Science, Data Visualization, Digital Entertainment, Game Design, Public Engagement, Software Development, Storytelling, Technology, Wildlife Conservation

2022

Kenya

Internet of Elephants is an organization dedicated to rekindling relationships between people and wildlife and transforming conservation support. They utilize real scientific data on individual animals to create engaging digital experiences, such as games and gamified data visualizations. Through partnerships with various institutions like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, they aim to involve the public in wildlife conservation efforts. Their focus on leveraging technology, storytelling, and play to inspire the protection of wildlife sets them apart in the conservation space. // I am trying to change the way the public engages with wildlife and conservation by using digital tools such as games to deliver planetary stories. Through creating a bottom-up, citizen-driven movement for the environment, we hope to influence the way people buy, vote, and donate for a healthier planet. // Gautam Shah is the founder of Internet of Elephants, an organization at the forefront of transforming conservation support by rekindling connections between people and wildlife. Through innovative use of real scientific data on individual animals, they develop engaging digital experiences like games and gamified data visualizations. By collaborating with esteemed institutions such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Internet of Elephants aims to actively involve the public in wildlife conservation efforts. Gautam's focus on utilizing technology, storytelling, and play to inspire wildlife protection represents a unique approach in the conservation field, with a vision to drive positive change in how society interacts with and supports environmental causes. // Games conservationist // Gautam is the founder of Internet of Elephants, a social enterprise with a mission to change the way the world engages with wildlife and its conservation. He got to this place by combining a long career in IT consulting, mostly at Accenture, where he led large systems delivery projects, with a deep love for animals and a passion for wildlife. Gautam never intended to be an entrepreneur, but now he's in charge of a company that makes playful games and mesmerizing digital experiences about wildlife and gets them to the world in creative ways. Leading a team to catalyze a whole new approach to telling wildlife stories is the only job he will ever want. Gautam believes that games and digital experiences can and should make a huge difference in wildlife conservation his objective is to speed up that reality and do it right. He is always happy to chat with other individuals or organizations in the conservation, game, media, or corporate world that are interested in wildlife, whether its to think about a potential great collaboration, or just to geek out on gibbons and leafy sea dragons. Gautam is a National Geographic Fellow and when the magazine did a full page feature on him, his parents finally understood why he decided to do what he did. His company, Internet of Elephants, was selected as a Fast Company Most Innovative Company in 2018 and has been featured in CNN, BBC, TechCrunch and even GQ and Runners World of all places. He lives in Nanyuki, Kenya with his wife and daughter. // Technologist and TED Fellow Gautam Shah invites us to imagine how the metaverse could redefine the relationships between humans and other species. By giving individual wild animals a personal identity (such as Fio, a young orangutan in Borneo, or Mweituria, an elephant living in Kenya) and sharing data on their migration, milestones and habitats, Shah thinks we could empathize with wildlife in a whole new way. Learn more about how emerging technology could bring us closer to the natural world -- and what the connections we build there could mean for the future of the planet. // Gautam Shah is the founder of Internet of Elephants, an organization at the forefront of transforming conservation support by rekindling connections between people and wildlife. Through innovative use of real scientific data on individual animals, they develop engaging digital experiences like games and gamified data visualizations. By collaborating with esteemed institutions such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Internet of Elephants aims to actively involve the public in wildlife conservation efforts. Gautam's focus on utilizing technology, storytelling, and play to inspire wildlife protection represents a unique approach in the conservation field, with a vision to drive positive change in how society interacts with and supports environmental causes. // Games conservationist // technology, architecture, led, storytelling, data, digital entertainment, research, design, tech for wildlife, public engagement, species, wildlife protection, orangutans, emerging technology, migration, wildlife, data visualization, data science, elephant, wildlife conservation, conservation, software development, science, game design, environmental conservation, software // Nanyuki|Kenya|Laikipia County

Nanyuki|Kenya|Laikipia County

Youth Crime, Youth Culture, Youth Marketing, Youth Projects, Youth at-risk, Youth engagement and citizenship

2010

Canada

Urban Youth Activist // Creator & Writer Gavin Sheppard is a 2010 TED Fellow, a 2010 Vital People award recipient from the Toronto Community Foundation and a 2011 Yale World Fellow. He is most popularly known as co-founder and CEO of the internationally award winning arts and cultural incubator, The Remix Project in Toronto, Canada. Professionally involved in community development and the cultural industries since the age of 17, Gavin has served as a board member for Schools Without Borders, the Chair of the Youth Organizing Committee with the Laidlaw Foundation – as well as Recording Artist & Producer management to Rochester aka Juice (Maple Music/Universal Canada) and Tone Mason Inc. A consultant for countless artists, producers, and companies throughout Canada involved in hip-hop & cultural industries, Gavin has used his insights gained from life experiences to tell stories and act as a strong advocate for both young people and the arts throughout the world. Speaking regularly at venues as diverse as conferences for UN Habitat and the Organization of American States to more comfortably on street corners across slums, barrios and favelas around the world, Gavin has been hurtling between worlds for over a decade. A member of Toronto Mayor Miller’s community safety secretariat (2006-2010) and a co-founder of the Grassroots Youth Collaborative (GYC) and the South Etobicoke Youth Assembly (SEYA) – in 2009 Gavin was asked to accompany Governor General Michaelle Jean on state visits to Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica – touring community projects and sharing intimate meals with world leaders grappling with the social issues of the day. Both on the frontlines of community organizing across the hemisphere and in the backrooms with the political elite, Gavin’s life experiences help inform the stories he tells. // Gavin Sheppard belongs to a class of people that skipped class. // Gavin Sheppard belongs to a class of people that skipped class. // Urban Youth Activist // community projects, youth engagement and citizenship, youth engagement, grassroots, youth crime, youth projects, youth marketing, youth, youth culture, community development, youth organizing, advocacy, community organizing, at risk youth, youth at-risk, slum, habitat // Ontario|Toronto|Canada

Ontario|Toronto|Canada

Ancient DNA, Ancient rock art, Cave Art, Cognitive Evolution, Data Collection, Development of symbolic behaviour, European Ice Age Studies, Origins of mankind, Paleoanthropology, Research in Prehistoric Cultures

2011, 2013

Canada

TED Conferences; National Geographic Society; Simon and Schuster; University of Victoria

The organization described in the provided text is YouTube. YouTube is a platform that allows users to discover, watch, and share videos and other content. It serves as a forum for global connection, information sharing, and inspiration. Users can create accounts, watch videos, upload content, and manage channels. The platform offers various services such as YouTube Kids, the YouTube Partner Program, and YouTube Paid Memberships. Users can access the service with or without a Google account and can adjust privacy settings to control data collection. YouTube collects information about users' activity, devices, and interactions to provide personalized experiences and improve services. The organization also provides tools for managing privacy settings, controlling ads, and accessing and deleting personal information. YouTube emphasizes security and data protection, using strong security features to safeguard user information. The organization shares information with trusted partners for processing and complies with legal requirements for data disclosure. YouTube offers various resources for users, including Help Center, Community Help Forum, and Current Site Issues page for bug reporting. Users can contact YouTube for inquiries, abuse issues, security concerns, copyright infringement notices, and participation in programs like the YouTube Partner Program and Content ID. // The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Symbols // TED Conferences; National Geographic Society; Simon and Schuster; University of Victoria // Genevieve von Petzinger is a researcher and author known for her work in deciphering the world's oldest symbols. Her expertise lies in exploring the significance and patterns of ancient symbols, shedding light on the early human communication systems. Through her research and publications, such as "The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Symbols," she has contributed significantly to the understanding of prehistoric art and its cultural implications. Genevieve's work delves into the origins of human symbolism, offering valuable insights into our ancestors' cognitive development and societal structures. // I am a Paleoanthropologist and I study ancient cave art as a way to get inside the minds of our ancestors. I am fascinated by the question of "when did we become us?" and art offers a fascinating window into these distant minds. It gives us a peek at how they understood themselves and the world around them, and how this understanding expanded into self-awareness and culture. I would argue that the invention of graphic marks was as important as the invention of fire and stone tools. Our entire modern world relies on these visual communication systems. I am also passionate about sharing what I have learned about our collective history with my fellow Homo sapiens and I want to preserve as much of it as we can while we can in the form of a global database with my new ONEart project. My long-term goal is to inspire and empower cultural heritage partners around the world as we work together to build a digital storehouse of ancient art as a legacy for humanity. // Genevieve von Petzinger is a renowned researcher and author specializing in the study of ancient symbols, particularly focusing on deciphering the world's oldest symbols. Through her work, including the publication "The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Symbols," she has made significant contributions to understanding prehistoric art and early human communication systems. Genevieve's expertise lies in exploring the patterns and significance of ancient symbols, offering valuable insights into the cognitive development and societal structures of our ancestors. She is dedicated to shedding light on the origins of human symbolism and sharing her knowledge to enhance our understanding of ancient cultures and their visual communication systems. // Paleoanthropologist + rock art researcher // Genevieve von Petzinger is a third year PhD student in the department of Anthropology at the University of Victoria. Her main area of interest is European Ice Age rock art, in particular the geometric imagery, and how we can use this type of behaviour to identify cognitive and symbolic evolution in modern humans, as well as look for patterns of migration and cultural borrowing. Her work was featured as the cover of New Scientist in 2010, Science Illustrated in 2011 and she has also appeared on the Discovery Channel's Daily Planet show, along with doing quite a few radio and print interviews about her research. Genevieve does a lot of outreach work in Canada, and regularly gives public talks for adult community groups as well as going into schools to talk about archaeology and encourage kids to pursue their academic dreams. // Genevieve von Petzinger is a PhD student studying European Ice Age rock art (10,000–40,000 years ago) at the University of Victoria in Canada. Genevieve’s previous research in France included creating the first full typology of abstract rock art (30 distinct signs have been identified to date), and building the largest database of geometric imagery in the world (146 sites with over 5,000 separate images). She found that many of the signs remained in use for over 20,000 years, and appeared throughout a broad geographic region. This continuity suggests the signs were being used with purpose and were meaningful to their creators. It also implies that this could be a very early form of graphic communication. Genevieve’s current work includes expanding her database to incorporate all other Ice Age rock art sites in Europe, and exploring the cognitive and symbolic capacity of our distant ancestors. // Written language, the hallmark of human civilization, didn't just suddenly appear one day. Thousands of years before the first fully developed writing systems, our ancestors scrawled geometric signs across the walls of the caves they sheltered in. Paleoanthropologist, rock art researcher and TED Senior Fellow Genevieve von Petzinger has studied and codified these ancient markings in caves across Europe. The uniformity of her findings suggest that graphic communication, and the ability to preserve and transmit messages beyond a single moment in time, may be much older than we think. // Genevieve von Petzinger is a renowned researcher and author specializing in the study of ancient symbols, particularly focusing on deciphering the world's oldest symbols. Through her work, including the publication "The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Symbols," she has made significant contributions to understanding prehistoric art and early human communication systems. Genevieve's expertise lies in exploring the patterns and significance of ancient symbols, offering valuable insights into the cognitive development and societal structures of our ancestors. She is dedicated to shedding light on the origins of human symbolism and sharing her knowledge to enhance our understanding of ancient cultures and their visual communication systems. // Paleoanthropologist + rock art researcher // ancient rock art, data collection, fire, data, research, development of symbolic behaviour, paleoanthropology, geometric signs, origins of writing, migration, disclosures, european ice age, ice age, cognitive evolution, origins of mankind, ancient dna, stone age, prehistoric culture, science, law, communication, cave art // Victoria|Canada|British Columbia

Victoria|Canada|British Columbia

AI, Biotechnology, Data Analysis, Genomics, Infectious Disease, Machine Learning, Medicine, Microbiology, Nanotechnology, RNA Research, Sustainable Manufacturing, Synthetic Biology

2014

United States

Sedna Genome, Inc.; University of Notre Dame; Dartmouth College; Seattle Biomedical Research Institute; Sedna.bio; Egerton University; IBM; Saguaro Capital Management; Tafuta (User Generated Search Engine); Anza Bio; Next Einstein Forum (NEF); Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; Sayansia; IBM Research; Singularity University; Michigan Medicine

Siwo Research focuses on leveraging AI and computational approaches to gain fundamental insights into biology, speeding up drug discovery, clinical medicine, and promoting health equity. // Geoffrey Siwo is a Computational Biologist with a passion for technology, history, and creating things from scratch. He enjoys playing soccer, exploring the intersection of history and technology, visiting local coffee shops, going for walks, and engaging in hands-on activities with his sons. Geoffrey values humility, thoughtful expression, and prioritizing diverse perspectives in technology design. With a background in Biological Sciences and Biomedical Science, he is an expert in Genomic medicine, systems biology, RNA science, drug discovery, innate immunity, cancer biology, global health, AI/machine learning, and natural language processing. Geoffrey is a Research Assistant Professor at Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, and has been recognized as a TED Fellow and Next Einstein Forum Fellow. He believes in the transformative power of technology when designed to benefit everyone and emphasizes the importance of community support and care for loved ones. // Accelerating discovery & sustainable manufacturing of therapeutics using nature’s ingenuity augmented with AI // Accelerating discovery & sustainable manufacturing of therapeutics using nature’s ingenuity augmented with AI // Developing the United Genomes Project- the first open source genetic database for African populations comprising an education and open innovation platform for solving genomic medicine challenges. www.unitedgenomes.org // Research Scientist, IBM Research-Africa, South Africa LabGenomics Specialist, IBM TJ Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York // Reverse Engineering Genetic NetworksLeveraging Community Intelligence for Systems Biology Models // Computational Design of T-cell Antigens for Malaria at the Malaria Antigen Discovery Group.Implementing machine learning methods in the experimentally intractable malaria parasite liver stage forms for gene dicovery // Developing the United Genomes Project- a cloud based computational resource for genomic medicine research, education and open innovation, especially in African populations. www.unitedgenomes.org // A Team developing a Human Computation Platform that leverages symbiotic human-computer interaction for Drug Discovery, Nanotechnology and 3D Problem Solving: Founded team, filed provisional patent application, secured funding and engaged private partners. // Part of a team working towards positively impacting a billion people in the next 10 years. // A user generated search engine and social network for the developing world. // // // Best performing model in the Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods (DREAM6) promoter activity challenge that was aimed at predicting protein production levels of synthetic and natural genes using DNA sequence. // A graphical user interface for accessing text message (SMS) based information services such as banking, bills and web search without the need for numerous keywords or shortcodes // Sedna Genome, Inc.; University of Notre Dame; Dartmouth College; Seattle Biomedical Research Institute; Sedna.bio; Egerton University; IBM; Saguaro Capital Management; Tafuta (User Generated Search Engine); Anza Bio; Next Einstein Forum (NEF); Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; Sayansia; IBM Research; Singularity University; Michigan Medicine // Geoffrey Siwo is a research scientist with a focus on accelerating the discovery and sustainable manufacturing of therapeutics by integrating nature's ingenuity with AI. He has a background in genomics and has worked on projects like the United Genomes Project, an open-source genetic database for African populations. With experience at IBM Research in Africa and the United States, Geoffrey has expertise in reverse engineering genetic networks, computational design of T-cell antigens for diseases like malaria, and implementing machine learning methods in genomics research. He is also involved in developing innovative platforms for human-computer interaction in drug discovery and nanotechnology. // I am trying to change who, where and how science is conducted across the world so everyone can enjoy the benefits of science. I believe that the democratization of science and the abstraction of human challenges to information problems, humanity could accelerate scientific advances and make them more equitable. While my primary focus is especially on how this applies to human health, I believe its implications touch every facet of human needs and challenges in a fast, changing world. // Geoffrey Siwo is a Computational Biologist and Research Assistant Professor at Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan. His research is centered on utilizing AI and computational methods to advance biological insights, expedite drug discovery, enhance clinical medicine, and advocate for health equity. With a background in Biological Sciences and Biomedical Science, Siwo is an expert in Genomic medicine, systems biology, RNA science, drug discovery, innate immunity, cancer biology, global health, AI/machine learning, and natural language processing. He has contributed significantly to projects like the United Genomes Project and has experience in reverse engineering genetic networks, computational design of T-cell antigens, and implementing machine learning in genomics research. Siwo is dedicated to democratizing science and leveraging technology to address human challenges across various domains, particularly in healthcare, with a vision to make scientific advances more accessible and equitable globally. // Systems biologist // Geoffrey Siwo is a computational biologist with key interests in the development of scalable solutions for genome medicine. As an undergraduate in Kenya, Geoffrey independently developed a novel hypothesis for HIV drug resistance through computational analysis of retrovirus-like sequences in the human genome, performing all the analysis at local internet cafes and later presenting the work at the American Society for Microbiology annual meeting on anti-microbial therapeutics. He has continued to pioneer the development of novel methods for decoding information in DNA including in 2014, developing the top solution for estimating human age from DNA (Innocentive Challenge 9933359) that uses DNA sequencing. In 2011, he developed the top computational model for predicting expression of natural and engineered yeast ribosomal genes using DNA sequences in the IBM led Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods (DREAM) challenges. He leads the development of Fit2Cure- the first computer game that abstracts a fundamental step of drug discovery into a shape fitting game. He is a co-founder of Helix Nanotechnologies- a company developing a DNA based recording device that records information inside cells. He is currently based at Dartmouth Medical School where he is set to launch the first open source genetic database for African populations and educational platform for genome medicine. He holds a PhD degree in Biology from the University of Notre Dame and is the recipient of several awards including an IBM PhD scholarship and a Young Investigator Award from Sage Bioinetworks, a leading open science organization. // Geoffrey is currently a research assistant professor at the Center for Research Computing and the Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA. His research focuses on accelerated and equitable innovation using emerging computational technologies such as artificial intelligence, programmable biotechnologies such as CRISPR/Cas systems and frameworks for scientific discovery at a global scale such as open innovation challenges. Previously, he was a lead researcher at IBM Research Africa and a co-founder of Helix Nanotechnologies, a DNA nanotechnology company. His work has been featured in several media including CNN, USA Today, Fast Company, Ozy, among other media. // Geoffrey Siwo is a Computational Biologist and Research Assistant Professor at Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan. His research is centered on utilizing AI and computational methods to advance biological insights, expedite drug discovery, enhance clinical medicine, and advocate for health equity. With a background in Biological Sciences and Biomedical Science, Siwo is an expert in Genomic medicine, systems biology, RNA science, drug discovery, innate immunity, cancer biology, global health, AI/machine learning, and natural language processing. He has contributed significantly to projects like the United Genomes Project and has experience in reverse engineering genetic networks, computational design of T-cell antigens, and implementing machine learning in genomics research. Siwo is dedicated to democratizing science and leveraging technology to address human challenges across various domains, particularly in healthcare, with a vision to make scientific advances more accessible and equitable globally. // Systems biologist // technology, education, led, data, machine learning, equity, medicine, infectious disease, research, coffee, microbiology, design, mining, open source, genomics, data analysis, biotech, data mining, nanotechnology, malaria, ai, synthetic biology, rna, science, sustainable factories, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, manufacturing // Brighton|USA|South Africa|New York|Michigan|South Bend|United States|Yorktown Heights|Indiana

Brighton|USA|South Africa|New York|Michigan|South Bend|United States|Yorktown Heights|Indiana

2025

UK

Biomedical Engineering, Data-Driven Health Systems, Electronic Medical Records, Health Technology Innovation, Informatics, Job Skills Training in Health Tech, Medical Devices

2009

Malawi

University of Pittsburgh

The Global Health Informatics Institute (GHII) focuses on improving healthcare delivery through the development of biomedical informatics interventions. They train the next generation of biomedical informaticians and engineers using a unique service learning approach to address global health issues. GHII offers career and internship opportunities, short courses, and a master's degree program in applied global health informatics. They also run initiatives like OpenO2 to repair oxygen concentrators and have an Electronics Club for technical professionals interested in electronics. GHII collaborates with partners to develop innovative solutions for healthcare challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance and efficient specimen collection. The organization values sustainability, innovation, capacity building, honesty, integrity, data-driven approaches, and respect. // The Oxygen Alliance is an organization dedicated to advocating for the maintenance and repair of biomedical equipment, particularly focusing on health systems strengthening in low- and middle-income countries. They work towards building a sustainable healthcare ecosystem by emphasizing the importance of regular maintenance to prevent malfunctions and extend the longevity of medical devices. The organization collaborates with various partners, including governments, biomedical engineers, NGOs, manufacturers, and academic institutions, to ensure the functionality and reliability of essential medical tools. Through initiatives like regular maintenance, repair, and knowledge exchange, they aim to enhance healthcare resilience and improve patient care. Additionally, they provide resources, training, and // University of Pittsburgh // At the root of my work I am trying to mentor and provide opportunities to you Malawian graduates working in the technology space by providing them with service-learning opportunities that address problems of global health importance. // Gerry Douglas is a dedicated individual who focuses on improving healthcare delivery through the development of biomedical informatics interventions. He is the founder of the Global Health Informatics Institute (GHII), which offers training programs and initiatives aimed at addressing global health issues. Through GHII, Gerry collaborates with partners to develop innovative solutions for healthcare challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance and efficient specimen collection. Additionally, he is involved in initiatives like OpenO2 to repair oxygen concentrators and leads an Electronics Club for technical professionals interested in electronics. Gerry's work emphasizes sustainability, innovation, capacity building, and data-driven approaches to enhance healthcare systems globally. // Health technologist // Gerry Douglas is the co-founder of Baobab Health, a nonprofit organization aimed at improving health care in the developing world through medical informatics. since 2000, Baobab has grown into a predominantly Malawian-run organization that has instituted the use of the touchscreen clinical workstation appliance, a low-power, robust and inexpensive device for putting technology into the hands of clinicians at point of care.<br /><br />Douglas holds a degree in computer science from the University of Victoria and a master's degree in Information Science. Douglas spends roughly four months of the year in Malawi, and is completing his PhD in Biomedical Informatics at the University of Pittsburgh. // Gerry Douglas is the founder of Baobab Health, a non-profit organization based in Malawi that is revolutionizing healthcare in lower-income countries. Baobab's cornerstone is using medical informatics to improve healthcare delivery in Malawian hospitals and clinics. Their cutting-edge touchscreen clinical workstation appliance has generated significant interest amongst the international healthcare community. By empowering clinicians with robust, low-power, inexpensive clinical workstations at the point of care, they have significantly decreased documentation errors and vastly improved continuity of care for the patients, particularly with HIV/AIDS. Baobab is committed to a philosophy of creating free and open source software and building in-country capacity to develop and support local systems. While currently operating solely in Malawi, Baobab provides technical support and knowledge transfer to international organizations working throughout the developing world. Mr. Douglas first came to Malawi in 1996, to organize medical data for the Ministry of Health. The issues he encountered spurred him to pursue graduate work in medical informatics, which involved significant field work. In 2000, he founded Baobab with his wife, a Peace Corps physician who was equally dedicated to improving healthcare in the developing world. Prior to Baobab, Gerry Douglas spent several years as an avionics technician in Canada. Gerry and his family split their time between Malawi and Pittsburgh, USA. He holds a Diploma in Electronics, BS (hons) in Computer Science from the University of Victoria, an MS in Information Science and a PhD in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Pittsburgh. // Gerry Douglas is a dedicated individual who focuses on improving healthcare delivery through the development of biomedical informatics interventions. He is the founder of the Global Health Informatics Institute (GHII), which offers training programs and initiatives aimed at addressing global health issues. Through GHII, Gerry collaborates with partners to develop innovative solutions for healthcare challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance and efficient specimen collection. Additionally, he is involved in initiatives like OpenO2 to repair oxygen concentrators and leads an Electronics Club for technical professionals interested in electronics. Gerry's work emphasizes sustainability, innovation, capacity building, and data-driven approaches to enhance healthcare systems globally. // Health technologist // technology, open source, health technology innovation, resilience, electronic medical record systems, science, data-driven, health systems strengthening, medical oxygen, medical devices, software, data, job skills training, global health informatics, biomedical engineering, capacity building // Pennsylvania|Central Region|Lilongwe|USA|Pittsburgh|Malawi

Pennsylvania|Central Region|Lilongwe|USA|Pittsburgh|Malawi

Businesses, Chocolate, Cocoa Industry, Economic Opportunity, Economics, Indigenous culture, Social Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Development & Farming

2021

Mexico

Universidad Tecnológica de la Mixteca; YLAI / Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative; University of Notre Dame; Oaxacanita chocolate; China Chamber of Commerce and Technology Mexico

The organization is focused on reviving Indigenous Mixtec cocoa traditions in Mexico through a chocolate business in one of the country's poorest regions. They have been recognized by various platforms for their work in combating inequality and promoting local self-reliance through chocolate production. Additionally, they have received awards for their leadership in the Mexican industry and have been acknowledged for their economic contributions to rural Mexico. // Devorador de tacos profesional. Innovador Social a través de Oaxacanita chocolate. Pensador Universal y Miembro de 4 Consejos Directivos de Organizaciones Internacionales. Licenciado en Ciencias Empresariales de la Universidad Tecnológica de la Mixteca con Diplomado en Liderazgo de la Universidad de Notre Dame. Graduado del programa GSBI Boost para el Desarrollo de Capacidades de Empresas Sociales del Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship de Sillicon Valley. Graduado del programa Mexican Alumni Capacity Building through Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership de la Embajada de Estados Unidos en México. Miembro: Consejo Directivo y Asociado Fundador de la Asociación de Chocolateros del Estado de Oaxaca A.C. Junta Asesora de YLAI. Red de Líderes de Facebook. 1MillionStartups firmante de la 1a Declaración de Emprendimiento Global de las Naciones Unidas. YouthActionNet. YouthLead de USAID y PEPFAR. Asociación Mexicana de Ex Becarios del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos de América. Kybernus. Premio Nacional al Desempeño de Excelencia EGEL-CENEVAL. Becario profesional YLAI (Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative) del US Department of State. Nombrado por el Ex Presidente Barack Obama como Joven Líder de las Américas. Premio UVM 2017 de la Universidad del Valle de México. Nombrado por The International Youth Foundation y Laureate como uno de los 20 mejores emprendedores sociales del mundo en el Global Laureate Fellows. Premio Razón de Ser 2019. Caso de éxito internacional de Facebook. Goula Award 2020, 2021 y 2023. TED Fellow 2021. YABT - TIC Americas Award de la OEA 2021. Young Founders Programme Westerwelle Foundation 2021. Caso de éxito de la World Intellectual Property Organization 2023. Promesa de los Negocios de la Revista Expansión 2023. Beneficiario: Programa para la Creación de Comunidades Creativas en Oaxaca del Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Programa Innovadores Emergentes de Ashoka y American Express. International Visitor Leadership Program del US State Department. ACCELERATE2030 de UNDP e Impact Hub. BBVA Momentum 2020. Trascender Irrazonable de Citibanamex y Unreasonable México. // Somos una chocolatería tradicional ubicada en el municipio de Villa de Tamazulápam del Progreso, Oaxaca. Nos encargamos de la producción de chocolate tradicional de la región Mixteca.Oaxacanita chocolate es un proyecto social fundado el 1° de mayo de 2015 que busca la reactivación de la economía local de la Mixteca Oaxaqueña mediante la contratación de cocineras tradicionales y amas de casa del pueblo de Villa de Tamazulápam del Progreso, Oaxaca, quienes se encargan de elaborar el más exquisito chocolate tradicional de la región.Adicionalmente, en Oaxacanita trabajamos en conjunto con artesanos de la palma de la Mixteca para la elaboración de algunos de nuestros envases y con esto poder contribuir a la compra de sus productos a un precio más justo que eleve el bienestar de este sector.Nuestro actuar ha sido integral y durante nuestro primer año, hemos logrado motivar a la siembra de árboles de cacao en Villa Putla de Guerrero, Oaxaca, con el fin de incrementar la producción de este fruto en el Estado. // La Cámara de Comercio y Tecnología México-China, es un organismo empresarial sin fines de lucro, que representa, promueve y defiende los intereses de sus asociados en:El comercio bilateral de bienes y servicios.El turismo.La industriaTecnología.El buen desarrollo de negocios en general. // Representante del ex alumnado del programa del Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos de América para la zona norte de América. // Universidad Tecnológica de la Mixteca; YLAI / Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative; University of Notre Dame; Oaxacanita chocolate; China Chamber of Commerce and Technology Mexico // Germán Santillán is a seasoned professional known for his innovative work in social entrepreneurship, particularly in the realm of Oaxacanita chocolate. With a background in Business Sciences and specialized training in leadership, Germán has been actively involved in various international organizations and advisory boards, showcasing his expertise as a strategic thinker and leader. He has received prestigious awards and recognitions for his outstanding contributions to the field, including being named a Young Leader of the Americas by former President Barack Obama. Germán's impact extends beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, as he has also been involved in programs aimed at fostering creativity, innovation, and sustainable development in communities, showcasing his commitment to social impact and positive change. // In a world that seems more connected and advanced but at the same time has a lots of inequalities, it is important that everyone can participate in the creation of solutions to have a better world. Indigenous cultures are too far from being part of the global community and that is the main reason I believe that some of the most pressing solutions for global problems are already practised by our originary towns in terms of sustainability, governance and social structures. We must hear them, learn from them, respect them and involve them to refresh our ideas of what is the "best" for the world. Probably what we think is ancient, is the future. // Germán Santillán is a distinguished figure in the realm of social entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on revitalizing Indigenous Mixtec cocoa traditions in Mexico through his Oaxacanita chocolate business. His innovative work has garnered recognition for combating inequality, promoting local self-reliance, and making significant economic contributions to rural Mexico. Germán's expertise in Business Sciences and leadership, coupled with his involvement in international organizations and advisory boards, underscores his strategic acumen and visionary leadership. Noteworthy accolades, including being named a Young Leader of the Americas by former President Barack Obama, attest to Germán's outstanding contributions to the field. Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Germán is dedicated to fostering creativity, innovation, and sustainable development in communities, emphasizing his commitment to social impact and positive change. // Cultural chocolatier // Germán Santillán is a Social Entrepreneur - Taco Lover, Founder and CEO of Oaxacanita chocolate, social company that through the production of artisanal chocolate contributes to the social, economic and environmental development of proudly indigenous communities of the Mixtec Region of Oaxaca, the poorest region of Mexico. By the creation of a productive and a collaborative chain Germán's social company involves de work of cocoa farmers, traditional cooks and palm artisans who are involved from the cultivation of cocoa to the put in the market of the chocolate. Germán Santillán has a Business Science Degree by the Technological Univesity of the Mixtec (México) and a Leadership Diploma by the University of Notre Dame (USA). In 2016 Former President Barack Obama and the U.S. Government named Oaxacanita chocolate one of the best social projects of Latin America and the Caribbean in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative - YLAI, entrepreneurial initiative with impact in all the continent where Germán Santillán is a Former Alumni Advisory Board Member where he represented the North America region. Currently he is the only Alumni Advisory Leader for the Initiative in all the continent. In 2018 Germán Santillán and Oaxacanita chocolate were awarded with the Laureate Global Fellowship of the International Youth Foundation and Laureate International Universities considering the project as one of the best social entrepreneurial initiatives in the world and also becoming part of YouthActionNet. Germán Santillán is also Founder Member and Board Member of the Association of Chocolatiers of the State of Oaxaca, a non-profit that works for the boost of the chocolate industry in Oaxaca State and which represents more than 10 chocolate companies. As Oaxacanita chocolate develops its work in communities of rural Mexico, the need of social media and internet was very important to reach new costumers, this was the main reason the social company decided to focus their sales efforts via social media, principally Facebook. 4 years after this choice, Facebook selected Oaxacanita chocolate as its Succees Case Worldwide in the Facebook Communities Summit 2019. By 2021, Germán and Oaxacanita chocolate were the winners of the TIC Americas competition of the Young Americas Business Trust InnovAction Challenge, an initiative powered by the Organization of American States, the Summit Americas Secretariat and the Inter-American Foundation, putting the work of Oaxacanita chocolate as one of the best initiatives to solve the recovery of marginalized communities after COVID. He was invited by the Westwerwelle Foundation to be one of their 9 Global Ambassadors promoting entrepreneurship in emerging markets. By 2022, after preseting his first TED Talk in Monterey, California, Germán attended to TED2022 to give the "Farm to la Copa: a cacao experience" Discovery Session and also attended to TED2023 as Ambassador of the TED Fellows Program participating in the Re-Imagination process of the program Selected as the representant of Mexican Youth during the IX Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles and World Intellectual Property Organization success story. In 2024 he was considered a World Economic Forum UpLink Top Innovator and Next Gen Changemaker of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Oaxacanita chocolate's work and social impact has also been awarded by national organizations like the Premio UVM for the Social Development Award, the Premio Razón de Ser Award of Fundación Merced and the 3 Goula Awards, as Industry Leaders, by the Food Agency Goula. Thanks to the efforts of Germán's team they were a participants of the International Visitor Leadership Program - IVLP of the U.S. Department of State. Graduates of the GSBI Boost Program of the Miller Center of Social Entrepreneurship of the University of Santa Clara. Graduates of the Mexican Alumni Capacity Building through Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership Program of the U.S. Embassy Mexico. Graduates of the ACCELERATE 2030 Program named as one of the best 10 social companies of Mexico by the Impact Hub Monterrey, Impact Hub Geneva and the United Nations Development Program - UNDP. Particpants of BBVA Momentum Program and Trascender Irrazonable Program of Unreasonable Mexico and CitiBanamex. Oaxacanita chocolate is member of entrepreneurial organizations like 1MillionStartups where they sign the First Global Entrepreneurship Declaration at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIDO, of YouthLead of USAID and of the "Boost With Facebook" Leaders Network. Oaxacanita chocolate's work is part of the Premios Latinoamérica Verde Ranking as one of the best socioenvironmental projects of Latin America. Participant of the OC3 Program of the MIT D-Lab and Connector for Ashoka in Oaxaca State. Allies of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network - SDSN Youth Mexico . Part of the TOP 2030 of the International Youth Agency for Iberoamerica. Considered one of the 20 social projects that is changing Mexico by Entrepreneur Mexico Magazine and one of the Business Promises of Expansión Magazine. Germán's vision for a better world stands by the principle of "the best way to think of myself is to think of others" and they're core values are humillity, honesty, responsability, professionalism, order and transparency. // Dating back more than 800 years, chocolate is deeply woven into the Indigenous history of Oaxaca, Mexico. TED Fellow Germán Santillán talks about his work reviving the Mixtec technique used to prepare this ancient delicacy by training a new generation of local farmers -- helping create economic opportunity and preserve a delicious legacy at the same time. // Germán Santillán is a distinguished figure in the realm of social entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on revitalizing Indigenous Mixtec cocoa traditions in Mexico through his Oaxacanita chocolate business. His innovative work has garnered recognition for combating inequality, promoting local self-reliance, and making significant economic contributions to rural Mexico. Germán's expertise in Business Sciences and leadership, coupled with his involvement in international organizations and advisory boards, underscores his strategic acumen and visionary leadership. Noteworthy accolades, including being named a Young Leader of the Americas by former President Barack Obama, attest to Germán's outstanding contributions to the field. Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Germán is dedicated to fostering creativity, innovation, and sustainable development in communities, emphasizing his commitment to social impact and positive change. // Cultural chocolatier // technology, entrepreneurship, industry leaders, storytelling, job skills training, marginalized communities, social entrepreneurship, economic opportunity, indigenous peoples, farming, sustainable development , leadership, indigenous culture, farmers, covid, economics, marginalized, youth, networking, cacao, businesses, transparency, rurality, rural, science, cocoa, food, governance, indigenous, government, industrial, inequality, chocolate, capacity building // Mexico|Villa de Tamazulápam del Progreso|Oaxaca

Mexico|Villa de Tamazul√°pam del Progreso|Oaxaca

Ecology, Environmental Education, Evolutionary Biology, Herpetology

2020

India

King cobra conservationist // I am a king cobra conservationist studying king cobras for two decades. MY WORK: My Ph.D. study reconstructs the biogeographic history of king cobras in Southeast Asia demarcating them into more than one species. I regularly rescue king cobras from distress situations which helps both humans and the king cobra. I conduct specialized workshops called Scientific Training On Reptile Management(STORM) and the King Cobra Bionomics for varied audiences to create awareness and garner support for king cobra conservation. PUBLICATIONS: I have authored and co-authored 15 peer-reviewed scientific papers on king cobras where six were part of a special issue for the 'Hamadryad', a herpetological journal. WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARIES My work has been documented most recently in a wildlife documentary titled, 'Cobra King' on NatGeoWild and Smithsonian Channels respectively. I also feature in wildlife documentaries like the King Cobra and I, Secrets of the King Cobra, One million snake bites, Asia's deadliest snakes, Wildest India, Wild India and Mysteries of Wild India by channels like the BBC, Discovery, NatGeo Wild, Animal Planet, Smithsonian and the National Geographic Channel. ORGANIZATIONS I run two organizations-Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology and Kalinga Foundation (named 'Kaalinga' i.e. king cobra in Kannada) which are an environmental education company and a non-profit organization respectively. Both organizations are based out of Agumbe, Karnataka, India. // A king cobra has enough venom to kill 10 people in a single bite. Recounting his near-death experience after being bitten by one of these majestic yet deadly snakes, conservationist and TED Fellow Gowri Shankar shares the epiphany he had when the antivenom failed: there's more than one unique species of king cobra. // I am a king cobra conservationist studying king cobras for two decades. MY WORK: My Ph.D. study reconstructs the biogeographic history of king cobras in Southeast Asia demarcating them into more than one species. I regularly rescue king cobras from distress situations which helps both humans and the king cobra. I conduct specialized workshops called Scientific Training On Reptile Management(STORM) and the King Cobra Bionomics for varied audiences to create awareness and garner support for king cobra conservation. PUBLICATIONS: I have authored and co-authored 15 peer-reviewed scientific papers on king cobras where six were part of a special issue for the 'Hamadryad', a herpetological journal. WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARIES My work has been documented most recently in a wildlife documentary titled, 'Cobra King' on NatGeoWild and Smithsonian Channels respectively. I also feature in wildlife documentaries like the King Cobra and I, Secrets of the King Cobra, One million snake bites, Asia's deadliest snakes, Wildest India, Wild India and Mysteries of Wild India by channels like the BBC, Discovery, NatGeo Wild, Animal Planet, Smithsonian and the National Geographic Channel. ORGANIZATIONS I run two organizations-Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology and Kalinga Foundation (named 'Kaalinga' i.e. king cobra in Kannada) which are an environmental education company and a non-profit organization respectively. Both organizations are based out of Agumbe, Karnataka, India. // King cobra conservationist // herpetology, environmental education, education, rainforest, evolutionary biology, species, documentary, job skills training, ecology, wildlife // Bengaluru|India|Karnataka

Bengaluru|India|Karnataka