Step inside the TED Fellows community

AI, biosecurity, environmental health, environmental science, healthy buildings, indoor air quality, microbiome research, public health

2011, 2010

United States

UC Merced; University of California, Los Angeles; Jessica L. Green; Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H); University of Oregon; University of California, Berkeley; Phylagen

I serve as a formal and informal advisor to biotech and data analytics companies, with a particular focus on business strategy, fundraising and storytelling. // Phylagen provides biotechnology services that measure the health and safety of air. Phylagen’s team of internationally recognized scientists combine microbial genomics and data analytics to solve complex problems like pandemic management and environmental health and safety. Phylagen has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer. // Phylagen, Inc. is a data analytics company leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to harness the vast, unseen world of microbiomes. The microbiome consists of trillions of interacting bacteria, fungi, and pollen collectively present in dust that inhabit every inch of the world. They not only influence our health and well-being, they also provide information about the origin of objects and raw materials. Phylagen is building a data platform by digitizing the DNA of microbiomes found in a place or on an object and creating a unique, identifiable fingerprint. This fingerprint is then applied to a variety of solutions in global supply chains for customers ranging from farmers to retail brands to governments. Phylagen’s mission is to turn dust into data thereby promoting a new level of global supply chain transparency using the environmental microbiome as a data platform. // The Biology and the Built Environment (BioBE) Center trained a new generation of innovators and practitioners at the architecture-biology interface. The vision of this national research center, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, was to develop a hypothesis-driven, evidence-based approach to understand the built environment microbiome. // The mission of the University of California, Merced, is embodied in its proud claim of being the first American research university of the 21st century. // Phylagen, Inc. is a data analytics company leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to harness the vast, unseen world of microbiomes. The microbiome consists of trillions of interacting bacteria, fungi, and pollen collectively present in dust that inhabit every inch of the world. They not only influence our health and well-being, they also provide information about the origin of objects and raw materials. Phylagen is building a data platform by digitizing the DNA of microbiomes found in a place or on an object and creating a unique, identifiable fingerprint. This fingerprint is then applied to a variety of solutions in global supply chains for customers ranging from farmers to retail brands to governments. Phylagen’s mission is to turn dust into data thereby promoting a new level of global supply chain transparency using the environmental microbiome as a data platform. // The Green lab applies theoretical, computational, and empirical approaches to study microbial systems in a wide range of environments. // UC Merced; University of California, Los Angeles; Jessica L. Green; Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H); University of Oregon; University of California, Berkeley; Phylagen // Jessica Green is a seasoned advisor in the biotech and data analytics sectors, specializing in business strategy, fundraising, and storytelling. With a background in leading-edge biotechnology services, she has a strong focus on utilizing microbial genomics and data analytics to address complex challenges in areas such as pandemic management and environmental health and safety. Jessica has been involved in groundbreaking projects recognized by prestigious organizations like the World Economic Forum. Her expertise extends to leveraging artificial intelligence to explore the world of microbiomes, offering innovative solutions for global supply chains and diverse clientele. Additionally, she has contributed to training programs and research initiatives aimed at understanding the built environment microbiome and advancing scientific knowledge in this field. // I'm working to accelerate better health outcomes for everyone by supporting the development of high-impact solutions to society's most challenging health problems. // Jessica Green is a seasoned advisor with expertise in biotech and data analytics, focusing on business strategy, fundraising, and storytelling. Her background in cutting-edge biotechnology services enables her to leverage microbial genomics and data analytics to tackle complex issues in pandemic management and environmental health and safety. Jessica has been involved in pioneering projects recognized by esteemed organizations like the World Economic Forum. She also excels in utilizing artificial intelligence to explore microbiomes, providing innovative solutions for global supply chains and diverse clients. Furthermore, she contributes to training programs and research initiatives aimed at understanding the built environment microbiome, advancing scientific knowledge in this domain. // Engineer + biodiversity scientist // Jessica has extensive interdisciplinary training as both an engineer (civil, environmental, and nuclear) and a biologist. After cycling across Alaska with her dog and working as a ski lift operator, she got her PhD in nuclear engineering studying the fractal geometry of engineered and natural systems. For the past decade she has researched microbial systems in a variety of habitats including the arctic, the tropics, the ocean, the atmosphere, and the urban sphere. She was founding faculty at UC Merced, the tenth and newest campus of the University of California system. She is currently CTO and co-founder of Phylagen Inc., a data harvesting company that uses microbiome sequencing technology to optimize the health performance of buildings. She is also professor at both the University of Oregon and the Santa Fe Institute. Jessica enjoys collaborating with artists and designers to explore and convey key concepts about microorganisms to their human hosts. // Dr. Jessica Green is CEO and co-founder of Phylagen, Inc., a data analytics company digitizing the global microbiome. Jessica previously co-founded the Biology and Built Environment Center at the University of Oregon and serves on the Science Advisory Board at the Santa Fe Institute. She is an internationally recognized scientist whose work has been featured in both mainstream media -- TIME, ABC, NBC, NPR, Forbes, and The Economist - and respected scientific journals including Nature, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She is the recipient of numerous awards including a Blaise Pascal International Research Chair, a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, and a TED Senior Fellowship. Jessica received a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. // Our bodies and homes are covered in microbes -- some good for us, some bad for us. As we learn more about the germs and microbes who share our living spaces, TED Fellow Jessica Green asks: Can we design buildings that encourage happy, healthy microbial environments? // Should we keep the outdoors out of hospitals? Ecologist and TED Fellow Jessica Green has found that mechanical ventilation does get rid of many types of microbes, but the wrong kinds: the ones left in the hospital are much more likely to be pathogens. // Jessica Green is a seasoned advisor with expertise in biotech and data analytics, focusing on business strategy, fundraising, and storytelling. Her background in cutting-edge biotechnology services enables her to leverage microbial genomics and data analytics to tackle complex issues in pandemic management and environmental health and safety. Jessica has been involved in pioneering projects recognized by esteemed organizations like the World Economic Forum. She also excels in utilizing artificial intelligence to explore microbiomes, providing innovative solutions for global supply chains and diverse clients. Furthermore, she contributes to training programs and research initiatives aimed at understanding the built environment microbiome, advancing scientific knowledge in this domain. // Engineer + biodiversity scientist // technology, radical supply chain transparency, entrepreneurship, buildings, public health, indoor air quality, data, job skills training, urban, research, biosecurity, mobility, microbiology, microbes, data and analytics, supply chain, arctic, design, farmers, nuclear, women, oceans, bicycle, environmental health, built environment, biotech, data-driven, climate-health nexus, healthy buildings, microbiome, women's health, transparency, air quality, nature, science, artificial intelligence, pandemic, ecology // Merced|San Francisco|USA|California|Berkeley|United States

Merced|San Francisco|USA|California|Berkeley|United States

Community media

2009

United States

Citizen journalist // Jessica Mayberry founded Video Volunteers in September, 2003, after spending a year training rural Indian women in filmmaking as a Fellow of the American India Foundation. A videojournalist impressed with the rapid spread of inexpensive cameras around the developing world, Jessica believes that video technology can empower the poor (women especially) to find voice. She has extensive experience on the ground in India training communities in video production, and has since evolved Video Volunteers to emphasize capacity building, sustainability and community ownership. Prior to that Jessica worked in television in New York at Court TV, the Fox News Channel, and CNN. Video Volunteers has won numerous awards: An Echoing Green Fellowship, TED Fellowship, the Stern Business School Business Plan competition, the Knight Foundation’s News Challenge, a Tech Award, and Development Gateway Award Shortlist. It is this year a finalist for the King Baudouin (of Belgium) International Development Prize. Jessica has spoken about Video Volunteers’ work in numerous settings, including Stanford Business School, the NYU and Berkeley Journalism Schools, and Oxford and Canterbury Universities in the UK. She serves on the board of Free the Children, the world’s largest organization of “Children Helping Children” and on the Advisory Council of Counterpart International. She received her BA in Modern History and Modern Languages from Oxford University in 1999. // Jessica Mayberry founded Video Volunteers in September, 2003, after spending a year training rural Indian women in filmmaking as a Fellow of the American India Foundation. A videojournalist impressed with the rapid spread of inexpensive cameras around the developing world, Jessica believes that video technology can empower the poor (women especially) to find voice. She has extensive experience on the ground in India training communities in video production, and has since evolved Video Volunteers to emphasize capacity building, sustainability and community ownership. Prior to that Jessica worked in television in New York at Court TV, the Fox News Channel, and CNN. Video Volunteers has won numerous awards: An Echoing Green Fellowship, TED Fellowship, the Stern Business School Business Plan competition, the Knight Foundation’s News Challenge, a Tech Award, and Development Gateway Award Shortlist. It is this year a finalist for the King Baudouin (of Belgium) International Development Prize. Jessica has spoken about Video Volunteers’ work in numerous settings, including Stanford Business School, the NYU and Berkeley Journalism Schools, and Oxford and Canterbury Universities in the UK. She serves on the board of Free the Children, the world’s largest organization of “Children Helping Children” and on the Advisory Council of Counterpart International. She received her BA in Modern History and Modern Languages from Oxford University in 1999. // Jessica Mayberry founded Video Volunteers in September, 2003, after spending a year training rural Indian women in filmmaking as a Fellow of the American India Foundation. A videojournalist impressed with the rapid spread of inexpensive cameras around the developing world, Jessica believes that video technology can empower the poor (women especially) to find voice. She has extensive experience on the ground in India training communities in video production, and has since evolved Video Volunteers to emphasize capacity building, sustainability and community ownership. Prior to that Jessica worked in television in New York at Court TV, the Fox News Channel, and CNN. Video Volunteers has won numerous awards: An Echoing Green Fellowship, TED Fellowship, the Stern Business School Business Plan competition, the Knight Foundation’s News Challenge, a Tech Award, and Development Gateway Award Shortlist. It is this year a finalist for the King Baudouin (of Belgium) International Development Prize. Jessica has spoken about Video Volunteers’ work in numerous settings, including Stanford Business School, the NYU and Berkeley Journalism Schools, and Oxford and Canterbury Universities in the UK. She serves on the board of Free the Children, the world’s largest organization of “Children Helping Children” and on the Advisory Council of Counterpart International. She received her BA in Modern History and Modern Languages from Oxford University in 1999. // Citizen journalist // technology, children, rural, volunteerism, job skills training, community media, women, capacity building // New York|United States|Warwick|USA

New York|United States|Warwick|USA

Astronomy, Citizen Science, Data archiving and discovery

2022

United States

Planet hunter // Dr Jessie Christiansen is an astrophysicist with the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at Caltech, where she searches for, characterises and catalogues planets orbiting other stars. She is the lead scientist on the NASA Exoplanet Archive, and has worked on the NASA Kepler, K2, and now TESS missions to characterize the demographics of exoplanets, and to find and study the nearest planetary systems to Earth – systems that will be perfect for further study with the next generation of ground- and space-based telescopes. She is hunting for Earth 2.0 - and you can too. // What are the planets outside our solar system like? Astrophysicist and TED Fellow Jessie Christiansen has helped find thousands of them (and counting), and the variety is more wonderful and wild than you might imagine. She shares details on the trends emerging from the data -- including the intriguing possibility of "super-Earths" -- and what the discovery of exoplanets means for existential questions like: Where do we come from, and how did we get here? // Dr Jessie Christiansen is an astrophysicist with the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at Caltech, where she searches for, characterises and catalogues planets orbiting other stars. She is the lead scientist on the NASA Exoplanet Archive, and has worked on the NASA Kepler, K2, and now TESS missions to characterize the demographics of exoplanets, and to find and study the nearest planetary systems to Earth – systems that will be perfect for further study with the next generation of ground- and space-based telescopes. She is hunting for Earth 2.0 - and you can too. // Planet hunter // citizen scientist, data archiving and discovery, science, citizen science, astronomy, data, solar // California|United States|Pasadena|USA

California|United States|Pasadena|USA

Future of work, Labor history, Labor movement, Social entrepreneurship, Trade union advocacy, Work, Worker voice, Workers' rights

2019

United States

Change.org; Public Citizen; Coworker.org; The Solidarity Fund by Coworker; New Organizing Institute; SEIU; Echoing Green; The Aspen Institute; TED Conferences; Bennington College

Coworker.org is a global peer-based platform that supports workers in sparking positive change in the workplace. The organization believes in empowering individuals to have a voice in shaping their working conditions and work processes. They offer training, support, and advocacy tools to help workers launch campaigns and organizations to address workplace issues. Coworker.org has been instrumental in helping employees join together to achieve changes such as raising wages and improving working conditions. The platform has been recognized for its role in facilitating worker organizing and creating a space for employees to gather, organize, and advocate for change. // Coworker.org, co-founded by Jess Kutch, is a platform that utilizes digital tools, data, and strategies to empower workers in the 21st-century economy. The organization focuses on promoting worker voice, digital labor organizing, and democracy in the workplace. By offering digital tools to non-union workers, Coworker.org has successfully facilitated wins such as wage increases, scheduling reform, and parental leave benefits. The platform aims to complement traditional trade unions and regulatory bodies, representing a new chapter in organized labor's history of experimentation. Coworker.org advocates for workers to have a say in their working conditions, industry standards, and wages, particularly in the gig economy, to eliminate precarity and create more stable work environments. // Leading a team of organizers, technologists, and designers at Coworker.org in helping people win improvements in the workplace. // With support from The Prudential Foundation and Ford Foundation, the Job Quality Fellowship at the Aspen Institute aims to support and strengthen the work of leaders dedicated to expanding access to and availability of better quality jobs in our economy. // • Developing strategy to win economic justice campaigns, including workers’ rights, foreclosure prevention and consumer advocacy campaigns• Hiring and supervising team of online organizers • Pitching campaign stories to local, state and national media outlets• Coordinating with organizational partners // Change.org; Public Citizen; Coworker.org; The Solidarity Fund by Coworker; New Organizing Institute; SEIU; Echoing Green; The Aspen Institute; TED Conferences; Bennington College // Jess Kutch is a seasoned professional with a strong background in leading teams focused on driving positive change in the workplace. At Coworker.org, Jess leads a diverse team of organizers, technologists, and designers to empower individuals in advocating for workplace improvements. Through initiatives like the Job Quality Fellowship at the Aspen Institute, supported by The Prudential Foundation and Ford Foundation, Jess is dedicated to enhancing access to better quality jobs in the economy. With a focus on economic justice campaigns, workers' rights, foreclosure prevention, and consumer advocacy, Jess excels in developing winning strategies, managing teams, and fostering partnerships with various stakeholders. // Jess Kutch is a co-founder of Coworker.org, a global platform dedicated to empowering workers by providing digital tools and resources for organizing and advocating for better working conditions. With a focus on promoting worker voice and democracy in the workplace, Jess leads a diverse team in supporting individuals in launching campaigns to address issues such as wage increases, scheduling reform, and parental leave benefits. Through initiatives like the Job Quality Fellowship at the Aspen Institute, Jess demonstrates a commitment to enhancing access to better quality jobs and advancing economic justice. With a background in driving positive change in the workplace, Jess excels in developing strategies, managing teams, and fostering partnerships to support workers' rights and advocate for improved job quality. // Labor entrepreneur // Co-founder of Coworker.org, a labor organization for the 21st century helping workers solve problems and advance change through an open online platform. // Jess Kutch is the Co-Executive Director of Coworker.org, where she is helping build a labor movement for the future that is open to all workers and powered by data and technology. Coworker.org has helped hundreds of thousands of people experience worker-powered change in their workplaces, from winning wage hikes and expanded paid parental leave, to creating better dress codes and scheduling practices. In 2015, Coworker.org hosted the first-ever White House Town Hall on the Future of Worker Voice with President Obama. Jess has 15 years’ experience working at the intersection of technology and social change. Prior to co-founding Coworker.org, Jess lead a team at Change.org in raising the company’s profile around the world and inspiring hundreds of thousands of people to launch and lead their own efforts on the platform. Jess also managed digital projects for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) where she pioneered online strategies for the labor movement. Jess is an Aspen Institute Job Quality Fellow, Echoing Green Global Fellow, and J.M. Kaplan Innovation Prize winner. She’s a graduate of Bennington College and lives in Asheville, North Carolina with her family. // Got an idea to make your workplace better? Labor organizer and TED Fellow Jess Kutch can show you how to put it into action. In this quick talk, she explains how "productive conflict" -- when people organize to challenge and change their work lives for the better -- can be beneficial for employees and employers alike. // Jess Kutch is a co-founder of Coworker.org, a global platform dedicated to empowering workers by providing digital tools and resources for organizing and advocating for better working conditions. With a focus on promoting worker voice and democracy in the workplace, Jess leads a diverse team in supporting individuals in launching campaigns to address issues such as wage increases, scheduling reform, and parental leave benefits. Through initiatives like the Job Quality Fellowship at the Aspen Institute, Jess demonstrates a commitment to enhancing access to better quality jobs and advancing economic justice. With a background in driving positive change in the workplace, Jess excels in developing strategies, managing teams, and fostering partnerships to support workers' rights and advocate for improved job quality. // Labor entrepreneur // technology, worker power, workers' rights, data, jobs, job skills training, labor organizing, social entrepreneur, labor movement, worker voice, work, economic justice, the labor movement, advocacy, trade union movement, labor history, campaigns, workers, standards, accounting standards, future of work, justice // Asheville|United States|North Carolina|USA

Asheville|United States|North Carolina|USA

Education, entrepreneurship, epidemiology, infectious diseases, information escrows, nonprofits, policy advocacy, public health, sexual health, sexual violence, social innovation, startups, technology, youth empowerment

2018, 2016

United States

Sexual Health Innovations; The AIDS Institute; Pomona College; Stanford University Graduate School of Business; Harvard Kennedy School; Female Sexuality (FemSex); University of Washington School of Public Health; Harvard Business School; The Social Innovation Lab; Center for Research & Education on Gender and Sexuality; Aim High; Lick-Wilmerding High School; The White House; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Foothill AIDS Project; Callisto; The Student Life Newspaper

Callisto is an organization dedicated to addressing the issue of sexual assault and harassment, particularly on college campuses. They aim to dismantle barriers to reporting these crimes through their online platform, providing survivors with various options to document and report their experiences. By offering different reporting methods and utilizing an information escrow matching system, Callisto strives to identify repeat perpetrators, prevent ongoing incidents, and ultimately stop sexual assault at its source. Founded by Jess Ladd, a sexual assault survivor herself, Callisto has expanded beyond college campuses to support victims in professional fields such as technology, entertainment, and academia. Their ambition is to create a comprehensive reporting process that prioritizes survivors' needs and empowers them to understand their options. With a focus on building a sustained cultural shift, Callisto has already made significant impact by increasing reports on partner campuses and piloting new platforms to broaden their impact on preventing sexual assault nationwide. // Since age 16, I've worked to make the world better, mostly by helping people facing stigmatized sexual health challenges. I've worn many hats along the way - CEO, researcher, teacher, policy advocate, UX designer, etc. The parts of those roles I enjoyed the most was gaining a nuanced understanding about difficult problems and creating solutions with caring and dedicated fellow nerds. At age 34 I decided to take a step back from Callisto - the sexual assault nonprofit I founded - to reflect, relax, and refocus. After a three year sabbatical, I'm beginning to look for new opportunities. YC Alum. Ashoka Fellow. Senior TED Fellow. Received the "Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship" and the "National Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Private Citizen." // Founded Callisto, a non-profit that creates technology to combat sexual assault, support survivors, and advance justice. Callisto Campus, our online sexual assault reporting system, has been adopted by 13 campus partners. Student survivors who visit Callisto Campus are 6x more likely to report and 3x more likely to seek emotional or medical resources. 15% of survivors using Callisto Campus's matching escrow have learned that there are other victims of the same assailant and reported simultaneously with other victims. // Founded and directed a non-profit organization dedicated to creating technology that advances sexual health and well-being in the United States, which rebranded to Callisto in November 2016. Created So They Can Know, a website to help people diagnosed with STDs to notify their partners that they need to get tested, either in person or through informative anonymous emails.Also created Project Callisto, an online sexual assault reporting and documentation system. // - Conducted legal and statistical research related to federal HIV/AIDS policy - Prepared reports and press releases to educate policy makers and the media about HIV/AIDS, existing policy, the impact of existing policy, and potential new legislation - Helped build consensus among HIV organizations on policy recommendations - Met with congressional staff, often alongside members of other HIV advocacy organizations, to provide them with information that would help them adopt policies to prevent HIV / AIDS and to support people living with HIV / AIDS // - Cofounded a new peer-based female sexual health and empowerment class at Pomona College with a mission to create a safe space for women to learn and share about sexuality. The program was based on a curriculum shared from a Harvard Femsex chapter, which was itself based on the first chapter at UC Berkeley (founded in 1993). - Planned lessons, facilitated discussion, and created weekly assignments for ten two-hour sessions on relevant topics including sexual health, identity, and boundary assertion // - Conducted literature searches and transcribed and coded interviews to be used in a report on youth sexuality education with the CRGS - Developed a sexuality policy-related database to facilitate networking in the sexuality policy community and to recruit authors for Sexuality Research and Social Policy: Journal of the National Sexuality Resource Center - Created a methodology for identifying books on sexuality policy to be used in book reviews by the Journal; identified 100 such books for the editor // Principal researcher in a collaborative effort to prepare a report to the President on reducing unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion. Assisted in developing recommendations and in writing the report. Provided talking points, research, and logistical support for the Office of National AIDS Policy; facilitated community input into the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. // - Created, distributed, and analyzed 10 weekly surveys asking asking Pomona College students (200+ per survey) about their sexual health, behaviors, and attitudes - Conducted in-depth interviews with students regarding their sexual practices and beliefs - Used these data to write weekly data-driven articles on college sexuality // - Updated and designed packets for HIV prevention and female empowerment workshops - Analyzed risk assessment data used to determine funding for FAP - Participated in weekly HIV prevention and education sessions in a drug rehabilitation center // - For multiple years, designed and taught a summer enrichment course in "Issues & Choices" for ninth graders. The course tackled teen issues such as decision-making, sexuality, drugs, identity formation, and violence. - Developed curricula and lesson plans, coordinated the duties of several other teachers, arranged for guest speakers, created classroom materials and evaluated student performance - Taught as a Master Teacher in summer 2005 and a Teacher's Assistant summers 2002-2004 // Founded an accelerator for student-initiated social innovation projects and organizations, now staffed full-time by Johns Hopkins staff, which provides startup funding to student social innovations for public health. Sponsored 17 exceptional projects for the Lab through partnerships forged with with the Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Student Assembly, the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and the Maryland Institute College of Art’s Masters in Social Design. // Sexual Health Innovations; The AIDS Institute; Pomona College; Stanford University Graduate School of Business; Harvard Kennedy School; Female Sexuality (FemSex); University of Washington School of Public Health; Harvard Business School; The Social Innovation Lab; Center for Research & Education on Gender and Sexuality; Aim High; Lick-Wilmerding High School; The White House; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Foothill AIDS Project; Callisto; The Student Life Newspaper // Jess Ladd is a dedicated professional with a strong background in creating technology solutions to address stigmatized sexual health challenges. As the founder of Callisto, a non-profit organization focused on combating sexual assault and supporting survivors, Jess has demonstrated a commitment to advancing justice and well-being. With experience in research, policy advocacy, UX design, and teaching, Jess has a multifaceted skill set that has been instrumental in developing innovative solutions. Jess's work has been recognized through prestigious awards and fellowships, highlighting her significant contributions to the field. With a passion for creating safe spaces for education and empowerment, Jess continues to make a positive impact in the realm of sexual health and social innovation. // I want to dramatically reduce sexual assault in the US in the next 25 years. I believe that with ambitious, resourced, and collaborative leaders from many sectors, we can see a 70% reduction in that time. Questions that drive my work include "how might we provide victims with the outcomes they most desire, using a process that does not traumatize them as much as their assault did?" // Jess Ladd is a dedicated professional and the founder of Callisto, an organization focused on combatting sexual assault and supporting survivors, particularly on college campuses. With a background in creating technology solutions to address stigmatized sexual health challenges, Jess has demonstrated a commitment to advancing justice and well-being. Through Callisto, Jess aims to dismantle barriers to reporting sexual crimes by providing survivors with innovative online platforms that prioritize their needs and empower them to understand their options. By utilizing information escrow matching systems and offering various reporting methods, Callisto seeks to identify repeat perpetrators, prevent ongoing incidents, and ultimately stop sexual assault at its source. Jess's multifaceted skill set in research, policy advocacy, UX design, and teaching has been instrumental in developing innovative solutions that have made a significant impact in the realm of sexual health and social innovation. // Sexual health technologist // I am a TED Senior Fellow and the Founder of Callisto, a nonprofit dedicated to creating technology that combats sexual assault and supports survivors. We’ve created a website that detects serial perpetrators of sexual assault and professional sexual coercion (who commit 90% of assaults). I have worked in the field of sexual health since age 17 as an educator, policy advisor, advocate, and researcher. Before starting Callisto, I worked in the White House Domestic Policy Council and co-founded the Baltimore-based Social Innovation Lab. I have a BA in Public Policy/Human Sexuality from Pomona College and an MPH (and 70% of a PhD) in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins. I am passionate about social innovation, technology to reduce and sidestep stigma, and helping people take horrible experiences and use them to make the world a better place. // We don't have to live in a world where 99 percent of rapists get away with it, says TED Fellow Jessica Ladd. With Callisto, a new platform for college students to confidentially report sexual assault, Ladd is helping survivors get the support and justice they deserve while respecting their privacy concerns. "We can create a world where there's a real deterrent to violating the rights of another human being," she says. // Jess Ladd is a dedicated professional and the founder of Callisto, an organization focused on combatting sexual assault and supporting survivors, particularly on college campuses. With a background in creating technology solutions to address stigmatized sexual health challenges, Jess has demonstrated a commitment to advancing justice and well-being. Through Callisto, Jess aims to dismantle barriers to reporting sexual crimes by providing survivors with innovative online platforms that prioritize their needs and empower them to understand their options. By utilizing information escrow matching systems and offering various reporting methods, Callisto seeks to identify repeat perpetrators, prevent ongoing incidents, and ultimately stop sexual assault at its source. Jess's multifaceted skill set in research, policy advocacy, UX design, and teaching has been instrumental in developing innovative solutions that have made a significant impact in the realm of sexual health and social innovation. // Sexual health technologist // technology, sexual assault, violence, education, entrepreneurship, public health, infectious diseases, data, teen, tech startups, infectious disease, research, sexual health, social innovation, design, volunteerism, policy, women, public policy, information escrows, youth, data-driven, advocacy, risk assessment, teachers, epidemiology, social impact, sexual violence, empowerment, startups, law, infectious disease epidemiology , justice, disease, nonprofits // San Francisco|USA|New York|California|United States|Brooklyn

San Francisco|USA|New York|California|United States|Brooklyn

Computational Physics, Data science, Education Technology, Entrepreneurship, Nanophotnics, Open Data, Science Education, Volunteering

2009

India

Physicist // Physicist specializing in nanophotonic systems, quantum optics, theoretical and computational physics. Also work as an internal mentor, career advisor, and coordinator of the college master computing facility. Trained in parallel computing. Serve as resource person for teacher training on presentations and technology enabled teaching and learning. // Short Term Visitor Fellow, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, TIFR, Mumbai. Education Technology Consultant providing assistance to innovative online and offline teaching methods. Columnist and blogger on Science, Technology and Education. Writer and Speaker on Science, Technology and Future Careers. Researcher with experience in Nanophotonics, Computational Physics and Science Education. Presently involved in interdisciplinary research in Science Education and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture. Delivered more than 100 talks in these fields. Founder member and curator of the Collective for Open Data Distribution - Keralam (CODD-K), a citizen science movement. // Short Term Visitor Fellow, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, TIFR, Mumbai. Education Technology Consultant providing assistance to innovative online and offline teaching methods. Columnist and blogger on Science, Technology and Education. Writer and Speaker on Science, Technology and Future Careers. Researcher with experience in Nanophotonics, Computational Physics and Science Education. Presently involved in interdisciplinary research in Science Education and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture. Delivered more than 100 talks in these fields. Founder member and curator of the Collective for Open Data Distribution - Keralam (CODD-K), a citizen science movement. // Physicist // technology, computational physicist, education, entrepreneurship, computational physics, nanophotonic material, teaching and learning, data, job skills training, research, agriculture, citizen scientist, volunteerism, writer and speaker with focus on data science, nanophotnics, education technology, data science, open data, teachers, science education, science, citizen science, volunteering // Kasaragod|Kerala|India

Kasaragod|Kerala|India

2021

Kenya

Filmmaker + cultural innovator // Jim Chuchu is an artist and musician living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. He forms 1/4 of alt-pop outfit Just a Band. // African artifacts shown in museums worldwide are often not borrowed, but stolen -- and TED Fellow Jim Chuchu is on a mission to get them back. Learn the sordid history behind how many of the collections in the West came to be, Chuchu's extensive work tracking and restoring Kenya's cultural heritage and what these efforts can mean for the wider African continent. An urgent call for institutions to reconsider the morality of the objects they "own" and their significance to the communities from which they were taken. // Jim Chuchu is an artist and musician living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. He forms 1/4 of alt-pop outfit Just a Band. // Filmmaker + cultural innovator // Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi

Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi

AI and machine learning, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Cancer genomics, Computation biology, Early cancer detection, Impact investing, Rare diseases, Research

2012

United States

St. George's School; Natera; Yale University; Washington University in St. Louis; National Institutes of Health; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; The Mission Center; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health; National Cancer Institute (NCI) / National Institutes of Health (NIH); Freenome; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Reformed Theological Seminary; TED Conferences; Rare Genomics Institute

Dr. Jimmy Lin, MD, PhD, MHS, is a Cancer Genomics Pioneer who has dedicated his career to advancing cancer research and treatment. He has been involved in groundbreaking projects such as the first genome-wide sequencing of various human cancers and the development of liquid biopsy cancer monitoring diagnostics. Dr. Lin's work spans across prestigious institutions like Johns Hopkins, Washington University in St. Louis, the National Cancer Institute, and companies like Natera and Freenome. His research focuses on applying computational and genomics methods to understand cancer, translating scientific discoveries into clinical diagnostics and therapies. Dr. Lin has published extensively in renowned academic journals, spoken at prestigious universities and conferences worldwide, and been featured in numerous media outlets. He is also the Founder and President of the Rare Genomics Institute, where he leverages technological advances in cancer to combat rare diseases. Dr. Lin's work encompasses a wide range of studies, from identifying genetic alterations in various cancers to developing new approaches for cancer therapy. His contributions have significantly advanced the field of cancer genomics and have the potential to impact the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients globally. // Freenome is dedicated to early cancer detection and improving screening accessibility. Their scientific approach combines computational biology, machine learning, and various data types to detect cancer at its earliest stages. They focus on colorectal cancer, aiming to provide accessible screening options. Freenome conducts large prospective studies to validate their blood-based screening tests for different types of cancer. Their clinical research program includes studies for colorectal and lung cancer, as well as expanding into other cancer types. Freenome values trust, accountability, diversity, and doing what is right. The company's leadership team includes individuals with expertise in various fields related to healthcare and biotechnology. // Freenome is an AI genomics company on a mission to empower everyone with the tools they need to detect, treat, and ultimately prevent their diseases. By applying advanced machine learning techniques to recent breakthroughs in genomic science, Freenome is developing noninvasive blood tests to detect early-stage cancer and improve precision oncology treatments for patients everywhere. The company has raised more than $500 million from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures, Polaris Partners, and Founders Fund.‚Äã // Natera (NASDAQ: NTRA) is a genetic testing company that develops and commercializes non-invasive methods for analyzing DNA. The mission of the company is to transform the diagnosis and management of genetic disease. In pursuit of that mission, Natera operates a CAP-accredited laboratory certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in San Carlos, CA. Natera is also applying its unique technologies to develop non-invasive screening and diagnostic tools for earlier detection and improved treatment of cancer - finding circulating DNA (ctDNA) based on liquid biopsy methods. // TED Fellows program handpicks world-changing innovators from around the globe and brings them to the TED stage -- literally and figuratively -- to raise international awareness of their remarkable work.http://www.ted.com/pages/ted2012_fellows // We created a new clinical sequencing capability at the NIH/NCI to help more cancer patients access more accurate therapies and cures. // The Mission Center L3C is a think tank for social entrepreneurs, academics, foundations and impact investors who are passionate about finding innovative, business-minded, and sustainable solutions to social problems. // I led the clinical exome sequencing initiative in the Genomic & Pathology Services. // Melanoma Cancer Genomics // We help patients with orphan diseases initiate and fund personalized research projects through a dedicated microfunding platform and highly-selective network of leading academic scientists and commercial institutions. // Advisors: Bert Vogelstein, MD & Victor Velculescu, MD, PhDThesis: Genome-wide Sequencing of Breast, Colorectal, Pancreatic, and Brain Cancers // Advisor: Giovanni Parmigiani, PhDThesis: Computational & Statistical Methods for Cancer Genomics // St. George's School; Natera; Yale University; Washington University in St. Louis; National Institutes of Health; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; The Mission Center; The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health; National Cancer Institute (NCI) / National Institutes of Health (NIH); Freenome; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Reformed Theological Seminary; TED Conferences; Rare Genomics Institute // Jimmy Lin is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in genomics, AI, and healthcare. With experience at companies like Freenome and Natera, he has been instrumental in developing non-invasive blood tests for early cancer detection and advancing precision oncology treatments. Jimmy has also been involved in creating clinical sequencing capabilities at prestigious institutions like the NIH/NCI, showcasing his expertise in the field. His work extends to initiatives in melanoma cancer genomics, orphan disease research, and collaborations with renowned experts in the field. Through his involvement with the TED Fellows program and The Mission Center L3C, Jimmy demonstrates a commitment to driving innovation and social impact in the genomics and healthcare sectors. // Detect cancer before it appears and when it can be treated. Democratize research to enable rare disease innovation. // Dr. Jimmy Lin, MD, PhD, MHS, is a distinguished figure in the field of cancer genomics, renowned for his pioneering work in advancing cancer research and treatment. With a career spanning prestigious institutions like Johns Hopkins and the National Cancer Institute, as well as companies like Natera and Freenome, Dr. Lin has been instrumental in groundbreaking projects such as genome-wide sequencing of human cancers and the development of liquid biopsy cancer monitoring diagnostics. His research focuses on applying computational and genomics methods to understand cancer, translating scientific discoveries into clinical diagnostics and therapies. Dr. Lin's contributions have significantly advanced the field of cancer genomics, with a focus on identifying genetic alterations in various cancers and developing new approaches for cancer therapy. Additionally, as the Founder and President of the Rare Genomics Institute, he leverages technological advances in cancer research to combat rare diseases, showcasing his commitment to driving innovation and social impact in the genomics and healthcare sectors. // Geneticist // Geneticist and founder of the Rare Genomics Institute, an organization that allows patients to crowdsource funds and genomes to accelerate research of their rare genetic diseases. Jimmy is the lead computational biologist for the ground-breaking cancer genome sequencing efforts from the Vogelstein Lab at Johns Hopkins. Their sequencing of the first 100+ cancer exomes in 5 different tissue types has helped lay the foundation for a revolution in cancer genomics. After completing his MD/PhD at Johns Hopkins, along with colleagues at Harvard and Yale, Jimmy started Rare Genomics Institute: a non-profit biotech venture that microfunds and enables genome sequencing for children with rare and orphan diseases. // Jimmy Lin, MD, PhD, MHS, has devoted his life to defeating cancer. As the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), Oncology at Natera (NASDAQ: NTRA), he is leading development of new diagnostic technologies to detect cancer DNA in the blood years before current methods. Dr. Lin is also a 2016 TED Senior Fellow and Founder/President of Rare Genomics Institute, the world's first platform to enable any community to leverage cutting- edge biotechnology to advance understanding of any rare disease. Partnering with many of the top medical institutions, such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins, RG helps custom design personalized research projects for diseases so rare that no organization exists to help. Previously, Dr. Lin was the Director of Clinical Genomics at the National Cancer Institute at the NIH as well as a medical school faculty member at the Washington University in St. Louis. He led the computational analysis of the first ever exome sequenching studies for cancers with Bert Vogelstein at Johns Hopkins, including breast, colorectal, glioblastoma, melanoma, and pancreatic cancers. He has spoken at 8 TED and TEDx events, Aspen Ideas Festival, the Brookings Institute, Milken Institute FasterCures, among others. He has numerous publications in Science, Nature, Cell, Nature Genetics, and Nature Biotechnology, and has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and the Huffington Post. He has spoken at these TED events: TED 2012, TEDActive 2014, TEDxMidWest, TEDxMidAtlantic, TEDxBaltimore, TEDxRenfrewCollingwood, TEDxGatewayArch, TEDxTaipei. // Jimmy Lin is developing technologies to catch cancer months to years before current methods. He shares a breakthrough technique that looks for small signals of cancer's presence via a simple blood test, detecting the recurrence of some forms of the disease 100 days earlier than traditional methods. It could be a ray of hope in a fight where early detection makes all the difference. // Dr. Jimmy Lin, MD, PhD, MHS, is a distinguished figure in the field of cancer genomics, renowned for his pioneering work in advancing cancer research and treatment. With a career spanning prestigious institutions like Johns Hopkins and the National Cancer Institute, as well as companies like Natera and Freenome, Dr. Lin has been instrumental in groundbreaking projects such as genome-wide sequencing of human cancers and the development of liquid biopsy cancer monitoring diagnostics. His research focuses on applying computational and genomics methods to understand cancer, translating scientific discoveries into clinical diagnostics and therapies. Dr. Lin's contributions have significantly advanced the field of cancer genomics, with a focus on identifying genetic alterations in various cancers and developing new approaches for cancer therapy. Additionally, as the Founder and President of the Rare Genomics Institute, he leverages technological advances in cancer research to combat rare diseases, showcasing his commitment to driving innovation and social impact in the genomics and healthcare sectors. // Geneticist // technology, early cancer detection, entrepreneurship, led, cancer genomics, data, machine learning, research, design, bioinformatics, monitoring, rare diseases, impact investing, multiomics, accessibility, biotech, ml, children, ai, nature, science, computational biology, accountability, artificial intelligence, rare disease, disease // Maryland|Taiwan|San Carlos|San Francisco|USA|California|United States

Maryland|Taiwan|San Carlos|San Francisco|USA|California|United States

Design, Human Computer Interaction, Interaction Design, Korea

2013

United States

Interface designer + engineer // Jinha Lee is an interface designer, engineer, and researcher working at the boundary of the physical and digital world. He is exploring ways to employ our innate kinesthetic and sensory skills to interact with the world of data by seamlessly weaving digital information into physical space and material. Jinha is currently on leave from his Ph.D. studies at MIT Media Lab and is leading a team to design TV interfaces at Samsung Electronics in lieu of his national military duty. His recent inventions include <a href = "http://www.leejinha.com/spacetop">Spacetop - gesture controlled 3D desktop OS</a>, <a href = "http://www.leejinha.com/zeron">levitating tangible interface</a>, and <a href = "http://www.leejinha.com/beyond">a pen that penetrates into the screen</a>. Previously, Jinha has co-founded Eone, a tactile watch brand for "everyone" including the visually impaired, conducted research at <a href = "http://www.sonycsl.co.jp/">SONY</a> and Microsoft, and received his B.E. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Tokyo. His works have been presented and exhibited at most respected academic conferences and museums, and have received recognition through serious <a href = "http://exhibition.ifdesign.de/entrydetails_en.html?beitrag_id=122504">design</a> and innovation awards. Recently, Jinha has awarded TED 2013 fellowship. // Jinha Lee is a Korean designer, inventor and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and chief product officer of Spatial, a metaverse for creators and artists. Prior to founding Spatial, At MIT and Microsoft, Jinha developed SpaceTop, a pioneering 3D AR computer that allows people to reach inside the screen. His project ZeroN - a physical pixel that levitates and moves freely about, allowed people to physically manipulate 3D data. These projects became viral and brought him to the TED stage in 2013. An advocate for inclusive design, he co-designed Bradley Timepiece, an innovative tactile wristwatch for the blind. Bradley Timepieces was one of the most successful projects on Kickstarter’s design category in 2013 and was awarded with Red Dot Design award. At Samsung, he led the redesign of Samsung Smart TVs, turning them into a platform for collaboration and artistic data visualization. In 2015, he was promoted to be the Principal designer and appointed as head of Interaction Group at age 27, making him the youngest Group Leader in corporate history. Jinha was named one of the "35 innovators under 35" by the MIT Technology Review, and one of the "32 greatest living designers" by Fast Company, and was named a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum. Born in Seoul, Korea, Jinha has a Master’s degree in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT (Media Lab) and completed his undergrad with a bachelor’s in Electronic Engineering from the University of Tokyo. // The border between our physical world and the digital information surrounding us has been getting thinner and thinner. Designer and engineer Jinha Lee wants to dissolve it altogether. As he demonstrates in this short, gasp-inducing talk, his ideas include a pen that penetrates into a screen to draw 3D models and SpaceTop, a computer desktop prototype that lets you reach through the screen to manipulate digital objects. // Jinha Lee is a Korean designer, inventor and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and chief product officer of Spatial, a metaverse for creators and artists. Prior to founding Spatial, At MIT and Microsoft, Jinha developed SpaceTop, a pioneering 3D AR computer that allows people to reach inside the screen. His project ZeroN - a physical pixel that levitates and moves freely about, allowed people to physically manipulate 3D data. These projects became viral and brought him to the TED stage in 2013. An advocate for inclusive design, he co-designed Bradley Timepiece, an innovative tactile wristwatch for the blind. Bradley Timepieces was one of the most successful projects on Kickstarter’s design category in 2013 and was awarded with Red Dot Design award. At Samsung, he led the redesign of Samsung Smart TVs, turning them into a platform for collaboration and artistic data visualization. In 2015, he was promoted to be the Principal designer and appointed as head of Interaction Group at age 27, making him the youngest Group Leader in corporate history. Jinha was named one of the "35 innovators under 35" by the MIT Technology Review, and one of the "32 greatest living designers" by Fast Company, and was named a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum. Born in Seoul, Korea, Jinha has a Master’s degree in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT (Media Lab) and completed his undergrad with a bachelor’s in Electronic Engineering from the University of Tokyo. // Interface designer + engineer // research, technology, data visualization, inclusion, interaction design, design, led, advocacy, data, human computer interaction, korea // New York|United States|USA

New York|United States|USA

Bicycles, Mechanical Engineering, Micro-enterprise, Rural Economic Development, appropriate technology

2011

Tanzania

Appropriate technologist // Founder of Global Cycle Solutions, an organization developing and selling appropriate tech in the form of bicycle add-ons. Jodie Wu is founder and CEO of Global Cycle Solutions and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. Before GCS, Jodie worked with Parsons and GE and spent eight years working in a family business. In 2008, she made her first trip to Tanzania where she soon realized that she could play a larger role in development through the creation of simple, appropriate technologies. She led the product design team that designed GCS’ first prototype of the Bicycle Maize Sheller in 2008, and in 2009, she led GCS to win the Development Track of the MIT 100K Business Plan Competition. Jodie moved to work full-time in Tanzania in 2009, and today she continues to lead the GCS team, both in US and Tanzania. She was named Bloomberg BusinessWeek's America's Most Promising Entrepreneurs in 2010 and Forbes' 30 under 30 in Science and Technology in 2011. She is also a 2011 TEDGlobal Fellow. Jodie enjoys playing soccer, camping out in the villages, and seeing her customers' faces light up when they realize that technology is just within their reach. // Jodie Wu is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Cycle Solutions (GCS), a company focused on providing access to transformative technologies through a last-mile distribution network of over 500 village entrepreneurs. GCS was recently acquired by Greenlight Planet, where Jodie now works as the New Markets lead to grow the business from its current reach of 7M families and 60 countries across the globe. Fluent in Swahili, an engineer by background, and an entrepreneur who dove straight into social enterprise at 22 years old, Wu brings unique expertise to the field having lived and worked in Tanzania since 2009. Her 80-person Tanzanian team has delivered life-improving solar lanterns, clean cookstoves, and agricultural tools to over 100,000 families. GCS is setting a new “global community standard” in Tanzania, providing products and a level of service that rivals Western markets, as well as creating tremendous opportunities for cost savings and income generation for its customers. As a champion of collaboration, Wu has facilitated small-scale manufacturing of 15,000 sheet metal agricultural tools in developing markets, advised dozens of fellow entrepreneurs entering the Tanzanian market, and consulted for various international energy companies to bring new services to rural villages. Wu was named one of Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s America’s Most Promising Entrepreneurs in 2010 and Forbes’ 30 under 30 in 2011. She is also a 2010 Echoing Green Fellow, 2011 TEDGlobal Fellow, 2012 Ashoka Emerging Innovator, 2013 D-Lab Scale-Ups Fellow, and 2016 C3E Award Winner for International Leadership. Jodie holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. // Jodie Wu is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Cycle Solutions (GCS), a company focused on providing access to transformative technologies through a last-mile distribution network of over 500 village entrepreneurs. GCS was recently acquired by Greenlight Planet, where Jodie now works as the New Markets lead to grow the business from its current reach of 7M families and 60 countries across the globe. Fluent in Swahili, an engineer by background, and an entrepreneur who dove straight into social enterprise at 22 years old, Wu brings unique expertise to the field having lived and worked in Tanzania since 2009. Her 80-person Tanzanian team has delivered life-improving solar lanterns, clean cookstoves, and agricultural tools to over 100,000 families. GCS is setting a new “global community standard” in Tanzania, providing products and a level of service that rivals Western markets, as well as creating tremendous opportunities for cost savings and income generation for its customers. As a champion of collaboration, Wu has facilitated small-scale manufacturing of 15,000 sheet metal agricultural tools in developing markets, advised dozens of fellow entrepreneurs entering the Tanzanian market, and consulted for various international energy companies to bring new services to rural villages. Wu was named one of Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s America’s Most Promising Entrepreneurs in 2010 and Forbes’ 30 under 30 in 2011. She is also a 2010 Echoing Green Fellow, 2011 TEDGlobal Fellow, 2012 Ashoka Emerging Innovator, 2013 D-Lab Scale-Ups Fellow, and 2016 C3E Award Winner for International Leadership. Jodie holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. // Appropriate technologist // technology, maize, clean cookstove, entrepreneurship, appropriate technology, led, micro-enterprise, agriculture, mobility, design, mechanical engineering, bicycle, rural economic development, rural villages, community development, solar, cookstove, rural, economic growth, science, bicycles, rural community development, metals, manufacturing, income // Tanzania|Arusha|Arusha Region

Tanzania|Arusha|Arusha Region

2014

United States

Medical product inventor // A 21-year old inventor of VETI-GEL, a gel that can instantly stop traumatic bleeding without the need to apply pressure. He recently built a state of the art manufacturing facility in Brooklyn, New York to bring the product to market. // Forget stitches -- there's a better way to close wounds. In this talk, TED Fellow Joe Landolina talks about his invention -- a medical gel that can instantly stop traumatic bleeding without the need to apply pressure. (Contains medical images.) // A 21-year old inventor of VETI-GEL, a gel that can instantly stop traumatic bleeding without the need to apply pressure. He recently built a state of the art manufacturing facility in Brooklyn, New York to bring the product to market. // Medical product inventor // manufacturing // New York|United States|Brooklyn|USA

New York|United States|Brooklyn|USA

Combating misinformation, Education, Health equity, Policy, Public health, Racial disparities, Social determinants of health, Social media

2024

United States

Hugs for Ghana; Howard University Hospital; Yale University; Boston University; Seattle Children's; National Student Response Network; Washington State University; The White House; Nth Dimensions; TikTok; The Urban Institute; Kamiak High School; Providence Health & Services; Kumon; Nordstrom; Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program; The Johns Hopkins University; The Institute for Responsible Citizenship

Joel Bervell is a Ghanaian-American medical student, science communicator, and host of The Dose Podcast with The Commonwealth Fund. He graduated from Yale University with a BA in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology and completed a Masters in Medical Science at Boston University. Currently a medical student at Washington State University, Joel is known as the 'Medical Mythbuster' online, where he addresses health disparities through education on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. He has spoken at various prestigious institutions and has a significant social media following. Joel is also involved in non-profit work, co-founding Hugs for, which empowers high school global leaders and has organized trips and fundraised extensively. Additionally, he has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work in healthcare and social media activism. // Joel is a medical student, host of The Dose podcast with The Commonwealth Fund, and a social media medical educator currently studying at Washington State University, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and a graduate of Yale University ('17) where he studied Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology. Known online as the "Medical Mythbuster," Joel is committed to fighting health disparities in medicine through education and regularly shares topics about racial disparities/ biases in healthcare and other industries on his TikTok and Instagram (@joelbervell) where his platforms have over 850,000+ combined followers and 150 million + impressions. Joel has spoken on national media outlets including Good Morning America, National Public Radio, Yahoo News, Business Insider, and Mashable and has published work in prestigious academic journals such as the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. He has been invited to speak on panels at SXSW, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Google, Congressional Black Caucus, Barclays Bank, Clinton Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and more. Joel is a participant in the White House Office of Public Engagement’s Healthcare Leaders in Social Media Roundtable, has worked with the Surgeon General’s Office, collaborated with the World Health Organization’s Digital Communications Team to combat the spread of health misinformation on social media and sits on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel was named by TikTok as the top 2021 “Voice for Change,” featured by TikTok as one of 10 “Changemakers” on their inaugural Discover List, named as one of ten recipients of the 50K MACRO x TikTok Black Creatives Grant, is a part of Meta’s 2022 We The Culture Class, and was a nominee for the AdColor Awards. The Smithsonian Channel/ Harpo Productions chose him as a 2022 “Cyclebreaker” and he has been recognized as a Scientific American ‘Revolutionary,’ 2023 Anthem Award Gold Winner, and 2022 National Minority Quality Forum “40 under 40 Leader in Minority Health. He is the recipient of the National Medical Association’s Emerging Scholar Award, the highest academic honor presented to a student by the National Medical Association. Learn more about him at www.joelbervell.com and follow his work on Tiktok (@joelbervell) and Instagram (@joelbervell). // Hugs for Ghana is an entirely student-led 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to empowering global student leaders to giving material and financial donations to underprivileged children world wide. - Spearheaded grassroots fundraising efforts. To date over $250,000 worth of material and monetary donations collected and delivered. - Impacted over 175,000 youth across Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, and the United States- Established multiple branches of Hugs for Ghana in 10 states and over 150 volunteers.- Regularly a speaker at conferences for social entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and managing a start-up.Visit www.hugsforghana.org to learn more about our projects. // The Institute for Responsible Citizenship (www.theinstitute.net) is an intensive leadership program for America’s best and brightest African American male college students. Its mission is to prepare men to be exemplary citizens and leaders. The Institute inspires men to pursue extraordinary career success not simply for their personal benefit, but as platforms from which they can serve others.In my role I coordinated the day to day operations of an 8-week summer internship program that recruited college students from around the United States. I organized private meetings with members of Congress, State Department officials, business leaders, lawyers, physicians and more. // Manage Phase 3 clinical trials including a PCORI study evaluating surgical vs. antibiotic treatments for appendicitis. - Screened and recruited subjects for various studies to determine their eligibility for inclusion in clinical trials- Consented patients interested in participating in research and conducted patient scheduling and follow-up - Coordinated with research sponsors, physicians, and other sites for multi-center studies- Maintained IRB protocol, patient eligibility and quality control to ensure preparation for audits // - Shadowed surgeries of various musculoskeletal conditions on the inpatient floor, emergency room and urgent care center. - Observed residency rotations with current Howard University medical students and residents- Attended panels led by doctors about up and coming procedures in orthopedics // • Urban Institute Associate in the Health Policy Center // • Developing strong people and problem solving skills while resolving customer issues• Creating my own “business” by connecting with customers and consistently working with them• Utilizing time management to effectively accomplish tasks in a fast paced work environment• Consistently meeting and surpassing sales goals, sales per hour ratings, and department goals• Maintaining an awareness of the merchandise available for customers to purchase• Working with a team of people to meet overall department goals // Seattle Children's Hospital is a premier child health care and pediatric center and is recognized as one of the leading US hospitals for children.• Work directly with Seattle Children’s patients and their families, fostering a peaceful environment• Facilitate communication with patients, while engaging in fun activities with families and children • Show creativity and flexibility in responding to children’s needs, being dependable and willing • Assisting Seattle Children’s staff with medical programs and providing feedback on patients and programs • Provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate socialization to minimize the impact of hospitalization // Kumon is the world’s largest after-school math and reading program. • Assign work based on progress and develop a creative environment to foster fun learning• Coordinate schedules of several students, and multitask to meet expectations• Answer queries regarding assignments and grading, and resolve concerns to maintain client satisfaction • Predict the appropriate homework load and level of assignments based on student work patterns and trends• Constantly communicate with children’s parents regarding needs of the child based on home development // Invited participant to a White House roundtable with the Office of Public Engagement. // - Selected as one of 100 TikTok content creators from over 5000 creators for the inaugural TikTok for Black Creatives program - Member of the World Health Organization's "Operation Fides", a collection of medical social media influencers combatting COVID-19 misinformation - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion SimLEARN member with the VA Hospital systems. // The National Student Response Network (NSRN) is a grassroots effort - led by health professions students, for health professions students. NSRN aims to field the volunteer needs of hospitals and public health departments and match them with nearby health professions students who are eager to help their communities. // Oversaw and distributed an annual budget of $75,000 for paychecks, field trips, and enrichment activities - Prepared workshops and implemented academic and social curriculum at two New Haven middle school sites.- Managed and led a core team of 25 mentors while actively addressing and solving any student, parent, or teacher concerns.- Maintained a strong relationship with Yale University to ensure the continued existence of the foundation grant. // The National Student Response Network (NSRN) is a grassroots effort - led by health professions students, for health professions students. NSRN aims to field the volunteer needs of hospitals and public health departments and match them with nearby health professions students who are eager to help their communities. // Selected as one of 100 TikTok content creators from over 5000 creators for the inaugural TikTok for Black Creatives program. // Due to COVID-19, my Nth Dimensions experience was completely virtual. I completed my internship with Dr. Eileen Crawford at the University of Michigan. My research project was a case study titled 'Acute versus Chronic Lesser Tuberosity Fractures in Two Adolescent Hockey Players', and considered differences in treatment, diagnosis, and surgical outcomes for patients with a rare lesser tuberosity fractures. // Due to COVID-19, my Nth Dimensions experience was completely virtual. I completed my internship with Dr. Eileen Crawford at the University of Michigan. My research project was a case study titled 'Acute versus Chronic Lesser Tuberosity Fractures in Two Adolescent Hockey Players', and considered differences in treatment, diagnosis, and surgical outcomes for patients with a rare lesser tuberosity fractures. // Hugs for Ghana; Howard University Hospital; Yale University; Boston University; Seattle Children's; National Student Response Network; Washington State University; The White House; Nth Dimensions; TikTok; The Urban Institute; Kamiak High School; Providence Health & Services; Kumon; Nordstrom; Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program; The Johns Hopkins University; The Institute for Responsible Citizenship // Joel Bervell is a medical student and social media medical educator known as the "Medical Mythbuster." With a background in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology from Yale University, Joel is committed to addressing health disparities in medicine through education. He shares insights on racial disparities and biases in healthcare to his large following on TikTok and Instagram. Joel has been featured on national media outlets and has published work in prestigious academic journals. He actively participates in various initiatives such as combating health misinformation on social media and sits on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel's dedication to healthcare equity and education is evident through his impactful work and numerous accolades in the field. // Using social media to equip communities of color with information about health equity. My question is: Can social media reduce health disparities? // Joel Bervell is a Ghanaian-American medical student, science communicator, and host of The Dose Podcast with The Commonwealth Fund. With a background in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology from Yale University and a Masters in Medical Science from Boston University, Joel is recognized as the 'Medical Mythbuster' for his efforts in addressing health disparities through education on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. He is actively involved in combating health misinformation on social media and serves on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel's work focuses on sharing insights on racial disparities and biases in healthcare, contributing to the empowerment of communities of color with essential health information. Through his impactful advocacy and dedication to healthcare equity, Joel has garnered significant recognition and accolades in the field. // Medical MythBuster // Joel Bervell is a Ghanaian-American medical student, science communicator, and host of The Dose Podcast with The Commonwealth Fund. With a background in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology from Yale University and a Masters in Medical Science from Boston University, Joel is recognized as the 'Medical Mythbuster' for his efforts in addressing health disparities through education on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. He is actively involved in combating health misinformation on social media and serves on The Atlantic's Health Equity Council. Joel's work focuses on sharing insights on racial disparities and biases in healthcare, contributing to the empowerment of communities of color with essential health information. Through his impactful advocacy and dedication to healthcare equity, Joel has garnered significant recognition and accolades in the field. // Medical MythBuster // social determinants of health, grassroots, education, entrepreneurship, led, public health, medicine, urban, health equity, finance, research, inclusion, activism, race, social media, volunteerism, policy, instagram, covid, misinformation, youth, teachers, children, racial disparities, science, food, communication // Oregon|USA|Washington D.C.|Washington|United States|Portland

Oregon|USA|Washington D.C.|Washington|United States|Portland

2012

Kenya

Auto innovator // British mobility entrepreneur and founder of Mobius Motors, a Kenya-based company designing and manufacturing a first-of-its-kind affordable vehicle made expressly for the unique customer requirements and often-poor road conditions found in the developing world. // Joel Jackson is the founder and CEO of Mobius Motors, a venture building low-cost high-function vehicles for Africa’s mass-market. Before Mobius, Joel worked on business strategy with an internationally acclaimed social enterprise in rural Kenya. It was here that he first experienced the challenges facing millions of people throughout the continent without access to appropriate forms of transport. Joel also worked as a management consultant, advising top Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies across Europe and North America. In addition to the TED Global fellowship, he is also the recipient of the Echoing Green fellowship, a global social enterprise fund and has presented Mobius’ vision at several worldwide forums, including the UN. Joel is a graduate of Imperial College with a first class honours degree in Computer Science. // Joel Jackson wants to reimagine transportation around the needs of the African consumer. He's designed an SUV that's rugged enough for long stretches of uneven terrain and affordable enough to be within reach of those who need it most. Learn more about the challenges of mobility and manufacturing in Africa -- and what a localized motor industry could mean for the future of the continent. // Joel Jackson is the founder and CEO of Mobius Motors, a venture building low-cost high-function vehicles for Africa’s mass-market. Before Mobius, Joel worked on business strategy with an internationally acclaimed social enterprise in rural Kenya. It was here that he first experienced the challenges facing millions of people throughout the continent without access to appropriate forms of transport. Joel also worked as a management consultant, advising top Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies across Europe and North America. In addition to the TED Global fellowship, he is also the recipient of the Echoing Green fellowship, a global social enterprise fund and has presented Mobius’ vision at several worldwide forums, including the UN. Joel is a graduate of Imperial College with a first class honours degree in Computer Science. // Auto innovator // rural, mobility, affordable, vehicles, science, transportation, low-cost, manufacturing // Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi

Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi

Animation, Art Conservation, Ceramics, China and Greater Asia, Education, India, Nepal, Objects, Qatar, Stop-Motion

2010

United States

Sculptor // I prefer the name Joey, and when people ask me my name I always say you need to remember it the Chinese way. Since many words in Chinese are written and sound the same you have to give context to the word itself. So I'm Joey like a baby kangaroo, Foster like the beer and Ellis like the island. I was born August 27, 1984 and a native of Auburn, New York (the home of William H. Seward and Harriet Tubman plus on a dark note the birthplace of the electric chair invention). I received my BFA in Beijing from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in 2009, becoming its first American graduate. My work has been exhibited extensively throughout Asia and North America and is in numerous private collections. I have received several site-specific commissions, including Greenpeace, Bank of America, Chevron and Manulife and my work has been featured in such publications as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time and Newsweek. I was also recently selected by The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum as one of 40 Under 40, a major exhibition highlighting the work of forty artists born since 1972. In my opinion "I create works illustrating that within the boundaries of culture, politics and self-expression there are possibilities for individuality - not dwelling on the limitations, but what can be utilized within them." For me living in China, lacking Chinese blood, my status will always be a foreigner. A “laowai.” Yet, I am no different from any artist, wherever they might be, whose aim is to set out a moral and adorn a tale; mine, a story of how a young man raised in Upstate New York can be influenced by, and influence, a culture other than his own, forming a language that bears repeating. I live and work extensively throughout Asia but currently reside in Doha however frequent Beijing, Hong Kong, Jingdezhen, Indonesia, India and some random seedy airport lounge in-between. // To make things short, let me say this. I was born in America, made in China, was then alive in Doha for many years but ended up in Juarez soon after, died from heartbreak and now was just reincarnated in Nepal. I make stop-motion animated music videos but to get where I am I have done a lot of crazy stuff along the way. Including but not limited to, life size ice sculptures in the Beijing summer heat, colossal trees made out of porcelain, underwater bike structures that turn into coral reefs and last but not least, pottery. I'm also a trained object conservator that specializes in plastic deterioration. My thesis was on artificial Xmas trees. Most recent work: https://vimeo.com/151272047 "I create works illustrating that within the boundaries of culture, politics and self-expression there are possibilities for individuality - not dwelling on the limitations, but what can be utilized within them. For me living abroad, lacking local blood, my status will always be a foreigner. Yet, I am no different from any artist, wherever they might be, whose aim is to set out a moral and adorn a tale; mine, a story of how a young man raised in Upstate New York can be influenced by, and influence, a culture other than his own, forming a language that bears repeating." I live and work extensively throughout Asia but currently reside in Kathmandu, frequenting Doha, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jingdezhen, Indonesia, India and Juarez, Mexico as well as some random seedy airport lounge in-between. // To make things short, let me say this. I was born in America, made in China, was then alive in Doha for many years but ended up in Juarez soon after, died from heartbreak and now was just reincarnated in Nepal. I make stop-motion animated music videos but to get where I am I have done a lot of crazy stuff along the way. Including but not limited to, life size ice sculptures in the Beijing summer heat, colossal trees made out of porcelain, underwater bike structures that turn into coral reefs and last but not least, pottery. I'm also a trained object conservator that specializes in plastic deterioration. My thesis was on artificial Xmas trees. Most recent work: https://vimeo.com/151272047 "I create works illustrating that within the boundaries of culture, politics and self-expression there are possibilities for individuality - not dwelling on the limitations, but what can be utilized within them. For me living abroad, lacking local blood, my status will always be a foreigner. Yet, I am no different from any artist, wherever they might be, whose aim is to set out a moral and adorn a tale; mine, a story of how a young man raised in Upstate New York can be influenced by, and influence, a culture other than his own, forming a language that bears repeating." I live and work extensively throughout Asia but currently reside in Kathmandu, frequenting Doha, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jingdezhen, Indonesia, India and Juarez, Mexico as well as some random seedy airport lounge in-between. // Sculptor // printmaking, education, animation, ceramic sculpture and installations, qatar, electric, mobility, ceramics, design, coral reefs, stop-motion, coral, mining, bicycle, a levels, china and greater asia, politics, island, plastic, trees, the middle east, india, nepal // Nepal|Kathmandu|Bagmati Province

Nepal|Kathmandu|Bagmati Province

2007

Nigeria

Dean + professor // Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology, Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Nigeria; Founding President, African Cultural Astronomy Project, which aims to unearth traditional African astronomical knowledge and to consider scientific interpretations for cosmogonies and ancient astronomical practices // Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology, Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Nigeria; Founding President, African Cultural Astronomy Project, which aims to unearth traditional African astronomical knowledge and to consider scientific interpretations for cosmogonies and ancient astronomical practices // Dean + professor // technology, science // Enugu|Nigeria|Nsukka

Enugu|Nigeria|Nsukka