Canada

University of Iowa; NOOR IMAGES; Jon Lowenstein Photography; Columbia College Chicago

Jon Lowenstein is a documentary photographer who specializes in long-term, in-depth explorations focusing on power, poverty, and social violence. His work includes projects such as documenting the impact of deportations on Central American and Mexican migrants, examining social violence in the South Side community of Chicago, and shedding light on issues like modern-day slavery and the experiences of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Lowenstein's commitment to social justice is evident in his extensive body of work, challenging perceptions and giving voice to marginalized communities. He has received numerous awards and fellowships for his impactful storytelling through photography, moving images, and personal narratives. // Jon Lowenstein is an American documentary photographer, filmmaker, and visual artist whose work focuses on addressing issues such as wealth inequality, structural racism, and violence. He is a member and owner of the NOOR photo agency and has been recognized internationally for his extensive body of work, which has been featured in exhibitions, museums, and media outlets like The New Yorker, The New York Times, and NewsWeek. Lowenstein has covered various events globally, including elections in Afghanistan, the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and social violence in Mexico and Central America. He has engaged in large-scale documentary projects, one focusing on Chicago's South Side community and the other documenting the experiences of undocumented Latin Americans in the United States. His work aims to challenge perceptions of community, poverty, segregation, power, and hope. Additionally, Lowenstein has given a TEDSummit speech outlining his career and projects, including "Shadow Lives USA," which delves into the stories of migrants from Central America to the United States. // Jon Lowenstein is an American documentary photographer. He is a member and owner of NOOR photo agency, a cooperative photojournalist agency located in the Netherlands and owner of NOOR IMAGES photojournalist agency based in the United States. Lowenstein has spent the past decade engaging his adopted community on Chicago’s South Side through photography. During this time Lowenstein has also traveled, studied and documented the experiences of undocumented Latin Americans living throughout the United States. Shadow Lives USA follows the migrant trail from Central America, through Mexico and throughout the United States in an effort to tell the real stories of the men and women who make up the largest transnational migration in world history. This project, unique in its breadth and intimate scope, forces the viewer to engage with the impact of America’s punitive immigration and economic policies on some of the United States’ most vulnerable populations. His international assignments have included covering elections in Afghanistan to the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti to social violence in Guatemala. He completed a project about the impact of inhaled nitric oxide on cerebral Malaria in Ugandan Children. He has also worked in countries like Brazil, El Salvador, South Africa, Mexico and Germany. // Jon Lowenstein specializes in long-term, in-depth documentary explorations that confront the realms of power, poverty, and violence. Through the combination of filmmaking, photography, experiential writing and personal testimonials, he strives for unsparing clarity by revealing the subjects of history that lack voice. Lowenstein’s commitment to social justice through community engagement runs both deep and long. // Noor is a collective uniting a select group of highly accomplished photojournalists and documentary storytellers focusing on contemporary global issues. // Driving down Martin Luther King Boulevard on Chicago's South Side change is evidence everywhere. Signs advertising new condominiums dot the landscape and city blocks that once stood vacant are being completely replaced with new prefabricated housing and recently open chain stores. To the outside eye this infusion of housing appears wholly positive, but the truth behind neighborhood transformation is far more grim. Poor communities across the country are going through similarly wrenching change as their once isolated neighborhoods are being rapidly gentrified, and few longtime resides will remain when the change is complete. // University of Iowa; NOOR IMAGES; Jon Lowenstein Photography; Columbia College Chicago // Jon Lowenstein is an American documentary photographer known for his extensive work in capturing the realities of marginalized communities and social issues. With a focus on power dynamics, poverty, and violence, Lowenstein's projects delve deep into the lives of those often unheard. He is a member and owner of NOOR photo agency, a cooperative agency based in the Netherlands, and NOOR IMAGES, located in the United States. Lowenstein's portfolio includes projects such as "Shadow Lives USA," which sheds light on the experiences of undocumented Latin Americans in the U.S., and international assignments covering events from elections in Afghanistan to social violence in Guatemala. His commitment to social justice and community engagement is evident in his long-term explorations that aim to give a voice to those affected by global issues. // My goal with my work is to build significant bridges of understanding between our fellow humans, in particular in communities that are often overlooked by the dominant society. // Jon Lowenstein is an American documentary photographer and visual artist known for his impactful work focusing on power dynamics, poverty, and social violence. Through long-term projects, he sheds light on marginalized communities and addresses issues such as wealth inequality and structural racism. Lowenstein's commitment to social justice is evident in his extensive body of work, which challenges perceptions and gives voice to those often unheard. He is a member and owner of the NOOR photo agency and has received international recognition for his projects, including "Shadow Lives USA" and coverage of events like elections in Afghanistan and social violence in Central America. Lowenstein's work aims to bridge understanding and advocate for those affected by global issues. // JON LOWENSTEIN – DOCUMENTARIAN Jon Lowenstein has been a professional photographer for more than ten years. He specializes in long-term, in-depth projects that confront the realms of power, poverty, and violence. As a documentary photographer, he strives for unsparing clarity, and believes images make a critical contribution by revealing the subjects of history that lack voice. At the core of the work, and by his own admission, is a lighted love of people. An equally intractable believer in the art, he asks those who consider photography unessential to picture a world with no pictures. For more than a decade Jon Lowenstein has traveled, studied, and documented the experiences of undocumented Latin Americans living throughout the United States. Shadow Lives USA follows the migrant trail from Central America, through Mexico and throughout the United States in an effort to the real stories of the men and women who make up the largest transnational migration in world history. He has also spent the past decade documenting and working with folks in his community on the South Side of Chicago. This project asks important questions like what does South Side mean? Told by the community with fewer filters, more raw, real, honest and still with an aesthetic that’s a personal collaboration between himself and the community where he lives and works South Side becomes a true integrative expression of a uniquely American time and place. This participatory media project seeks to open a new dialogic space in a place that Jon has been documenting for more than a decade. Lowenstein was recently named a 2011 Guggenheim Fellow. He is also currently a 2011 TED Global Fellow and was just named a 2012 Hasselblad Master. In 2008 he was named the Joseph P. Albright Fellow by the Alicia Patterson Foundation and also won a 2007 Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography. He also won a 2007 World Press Award and was named as a USC Annenberg Institute for Justice and Journalism Racial Justice Fellowship. he 58th National Press Photographer’s Pictures of the Year Magazine Photographer of the Year Award and Fuji Community Awareness Award. His international assignments include covering elections in Afghanistan to the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti to social violence in Guatemala. Most recently, he began a project about the impact of cerebral Malaria in Children in Uganda. He is member and owner of the NOOR Images cooperative and photo agency. Lowenstein’s work can be seen at www.jonlowenstein.com. // Jon Lowenstein has been a professional photographer for more than ten years. He specializes in long-term, in-depth projects that confront the realms of power, poverty, and violence. As a documentary photographer, he strives for unsparing clarity, and believes images make a critical contribution by revealing the subjects of history that lack voice. At the core of the work, and by his own admission, is a lighted love of people. An equally intractable believer in the art, he asks those who consider photography unessential to picture a world with no pictures. For more than a decade Jon Lowenstein has traveled, studied, and documented the experiences of undocumented Latin Americans living throughout the United States. Shadow Lives USA follows the migrant trail from Central America, through Mexico and throughout the United States in an effort to portray the real stories of the men and women who make up the largest transnational migration in world history. He has also spent the past decade documenting and working with folks in his community on the South Side of Chicago. This project asks important questions like what does South Side mean? Told by the community with fewer filters, more raw, real, honest and still with an aesthetic that's a personal collaboration between himself and the community where he lives and works South Side becomes a true integrative expression of a uniquely American time and place. This participatory media project seeks to open a new dialogic space in a place that Jon has been documenting for more than a decade. Lowenstein was named a 2011 Guggenheim Fellow in Photography and recently was awarded the 2014 Center for Documentary Studies Dorothea Lange/Paul Taylor for his photography and writing. He is currently a 2014 TED SENIOR Fellow. Recently, he was named a 2012 Hasselblad Master. In 2008 he was named the Joseph P. Albright Fellow by the Alicia Patterson Foundation and also won a 2007 Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography. He also won a 2007 World Press Award and was named as a USC Annenberg Institute for Justice and Journalism Racial Justice Fellowship. He won the 2005 NPPA New America Award, a 2004 World Press photo prize, 2003 Nikon Sabbatical Grant, the 58th National Press Photographer Pictures of the Year Magazine Photographer of the Year Award and Fuji Community Awareness Award. His international assignments include covering elections in Afghanistan to the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti to social violence in Guatemala. Most recently, he completed a project about the impact of cerebral Malaria in Children in Uganda. He is the founder of the NOOR Documentary Foundation USA. // For the past 20 years, photographer and TED Fellow Jon Lowenstein has documented the migrant journey from Latin America to the United States, one of the largest transnational migrations in world history. Sharing photos from his decade-long project "Shadow Lives USA," Lowenstein takes us into the inner worlds of the families escaping poverty and violence in Central America -- and pieces together the complex reasons people leave their homes in search of a better life. // Jon Lowenstein is an American documentary photographer and visual artist known for his impactful work focusing on power dynamics, poverty, and social violence. Through long-term projects, he sheds light on marginalized communities and addresses issues such as wealth inequality and structural racism. Lowenstein's commitment to social justice is evident in his extensive body of work, which challenges perceptions and gives voice to those often unheard. He is a member and owner of the NOOR photo agency and has received international recognition for his projects, including "Shadow Lives USA" and coverage of events like elections in Afghanistan and social violence in Central America. Lowenstein's work aims to bridge understanding and advocate for those affected by global issues. // Documentary photographer, filmmaker, visual artist // film - directing, violence, empathic, economic inequality, immigration, writing, infectious disease, marginalized communities, urban, traveling, authentic storyteller, participatory, photography, race, justice, community engagement, traveling abroad, journalist, women, migration, racism, marginalized, humane, documentary, artist, social justice, malaria, children, cinematography., life, housing, urban poor, poverty, vulnerability, inequality, racial justice, photographer // USA|Alberta|Chicago|Calgary|Canada|Illinois

USA|Alberta|Chicago|Calgary|Canada|Illinois

United States

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

Atlanta|USA|Suwanee|United States|Georgia

Cambodia

The organization is dedicated to preserving and innovating Khmer classical dance through various projects and initiatives. They have created Cambodia's first gay dance company, which has been revolutionary in the dance troupe scene in Cambodia. The organization's founder, Prumsodun Ok, is a cross-disciplinary thinker and creator who has received recognition and awards for his work in art and education. The organization's work includes retelling sacred dramas through interviews, essays, photographs, and illustrations to explore the evolution of Khmer classical dance tradition. Their efforts have been focused on nurturing talent, providing opportunities, and creating a platform for LGBTQ individuals to be seen and heard. Through performances and collaborations, they have inspired and empowered many individuals, especially youth, in Cambodia and the United States. The organization's work reflects a commitment to social change, equity, and the transformation of systems and cultures to create a more harmonious and prosperous world. // In 2015, I relocated to Cambodia and founded Prumsodun Ok & NATYARASA, the country's first gay dance company. Spearheading activism at the intersections of art, education, youth development, economic justice, community building, and social entrepreneurship, I transformed an invisible and vulnerable group of young men into "Radical Beauty" (The Bangkok Post, Thailand), into "one of the most revolutionary dance troupes in Cambodia . . . a dance troupe like no other" (Channel NewsAsia, Singapore). As Khmer gay men—one gesture, one dance, one student at a time—we fought two histories of erasure, loss, and genocide, creating narrative and culture change that redefined the possibilities of being youth, Khmer, and LGBTQ. We became a fresh beacon of hope in Cambodia, the diaspora, and throughout the world. In 2023, I decided to close the company. First, giving space for my students to rise in their own rights as artists, teachers, producers, and leaders, I wanted to teach one last lesson: the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities of independence and freedom. Secondly, as I got older and transitioned off the stage, I wanted to amplify the scale, scope, speed, and breadth of my changemaking. How to apply my strategy, program design, and leadership skills honed through years of serving the tradition and motherland beyond disciplines, cultures, communities, and sectors? I've learned many things during my time in Cambodia, but one of the most important is: If I want to nurture artists who perform with pride, dignity, and independence, I have to give them the resources to live that way. In short, our company was successful because my students were given resources that they otherwise would not have access to. How then, to move power and resources to those who need it most? To those with the potential to initiate powerful, deep and lasting change? As such, I am now focused on philanthropy, researching its strategies, initiatives, and trends while developing my topical knowledge on issues close to my heart such as refugee and migrant issues, the intersections of youth poverty, single-parent homes, and the cost of living crisis, as well as social and geopolitical conflicts caused by climate change. I have no idea where in the world I will end up. However, I am now in the process of founding my own public foundation—of which the holistic eradication of poverty is the primary goal, by empowering people with the support, opportunities, and relationships needed to thrive. And through this, I want to cultivate a culture of giving that fosters authentic human connections that build trust and collaboration, countering the global market economy which stresses extractivism and transactionalism which has led to our loneliness epidemic, deteriorated civil dialogue, and environmental destruction. // Prumsodun Ok is a cross-disciplinary thinker and creator known for his groundbreaking work in preserving and innovating Khmer classical dance. As the founder of Cambodia's first gay dance company, he has been a pioneer in the dance troupe scene, focusing on nurturing talent and providing opportunities for LGBTQ individuals. Through his organization, Prumsodun Ok has retold sacred dramas, exploring the evolution of Khmer classical dance tradition through various projects and initiatives. His work reflects a commitment to social change, equity, and the empowerment of marginalized communities, particularly youth. Prumsodun Ok's efforts have inspired and empowered many individuals in Cambodia and the United States, showcasing the transformative power of art and education in creating a more harmonious world. // Interdisciplinary artist // Prumsodun Ok is guided by love. He works to positively transform our world through his practice as an artist, teacher, writer, and maker of things. His interdisciplinary performances contemplate René Daumal’s expression of “the avant-garde in antiquity,” mining the tradition of Khmer classical dance to explore the intersection of contemporary social issues with new possibilities for performance. His original works have been performed at REDCAT, Highways, CounterPULSE, KUNST-STOFF arts/fest, Pieter, CSULB University Art Museum, Teatro Benito Juarez in Mexico City, and at a joint conference hosted by the Society of Dance History Scholars and the Congress on Research in Dance.<p> Beyond his creative practice, Prum has directed and produced the SFAI Asian Performance Series in San Francisco and curated programs for INTERCITY (Phnom Penh), Anatomy Riot (Los Angeles), and Children of Refugees (Long Beach). He has been a featured speaker at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference (APAP), UCLA, TED, as well as NYU as part of Season of Cambodia. Prum’s writings have been published by Salon.com, In Dance Magazine, and featured by the California Dance Network. In March 2013, he published his first book: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moni-Mekhala-Ream-Eyso-Prumsodun/dp/1479388475" target="blank">Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso</a>. Featuring contributions from visual artist Brian Mendez, cultural anthropologist Toni Shapiro-Phim, and choreographer Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, the book retells the sacred drama of the same name to explore cycles of love and violence, the contemporary struggles of today’s women, and the passage of knowledge and leadership within a tradition nearly destroyed by genocide.<p> Prum is the recipient of honors, grants, and fellowships from TED, APAP, CHIME, Durfee Foundation, Center for Cultural Innovation, and the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), and Network of Ensemble Theaters among others. He is currently Associate Artistic Director of Khmer Arts, a transnational organization at the forefront of Khmer dance practice. Since his tenure, Prum has invigorated the organization by directing and producing the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/88851422@N02/sets/72157631801156081/" target="blank">Khmer Arts 10-Year Anniversary Celebration at the Long Beach Museum of Art</a>, installing a large-scale painting by visual artist Sayon Syprasoeuth into its Cambodia Town studio, directing the organization’s statewide Salon Series, and initiating a residency program for Southern California artists of all performance disciplines. Prum is also the youngest member of ACTA’s Board of Directors.<p> Last, and certainly not least, Prum is forever thankful to the many teachers and mentors whom have graced his life: dancers Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, Penh Yom, and Oguri; vanguard composer Charles Boone; filmmakers Ernie Gehr, Brook Hinton, Jeanne Liotta, and George Kuchar; opera director Peter Sellars; and scholars David Gere and Anurima Banerji. // Prumsodun Ok pioneers strategy and program design for art, education, and philanthropy. Integrating the rigor of traditional master-apprentice training with ideas and approaches from youth development and community health, Ok founded Cambodia’s first gay dance company, which grew into “one of the most revolutionary dance troupes in Cambodia” (Channel NewsAsia, Singapore). Embodying justice in movement, his students and groundbreaking original works have been celebrated as "Radical Beauty" (The Bangkok Post, Thailand). Ok is a cross-disciplinary thinker, innovative creator, and master meaning-maker who has inspired narrative and culture change through talks at TED and Dance/USA, in academic publications throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States, and on major media outlets such as BBC (United Kingdom), PBS (United States), AFP (France), Asahi Shimbun (Japan), and South China Morning Post (Hong Kong). He is the recipient of grants and fellowships from TED, Hewlett Foundation, Dance/USA, Creative Capital, New England Foundation for the Arts, MAP Fund, and Surdna Foundation, and was honored with the Monette-Horwitz Trust Award and named an LGBT+ Creative Leader of Tomorrow by The Dots and WeTransfer. With a depth of experience and ingenuity in activism, social entrepreneurship, and community development, Ok is at the forefront of holistic changemaking. An expert networked into and working across multiple sectors, he has adjudicated applications for TED Fellows and Durfee Foundation, convened with culture bearers to shape the Center for Cultural Power’s $23 million Constellations Culture Change Fund, and served on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts and on the Advisory Committee of Los Angeles County's Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative. Currently, he serves on the Executive Committee of ខ្ញុំទទួលយក - I ACCEPT, Cambodia’s marriage equality campaign, and provides pro bono consultancy to Shogakuin Temple (Japan), agribusiness Thaung Enterprise (Cambodia), and music education organization Southern California Marimba (United States). Ok is committed to eradicating cycles of fear, poverty, violence, and voicelessness. He is invested in art and education for social change, the thriving of refugee, diasporic, and under-resourced youths and families, rightful access to and collective stewardship of nature, and the transformation of systems and cultures to create equity, harmony, peace, progress, and prosperity. As such, Ok seeks to bridge latent power and resources with high-impact vision and action, shaping a world where everyone may realize and offer the highest, fullest expressions of their joys, successes, and lives. // For more than 1,000 years, Khmer dancers in Cambodia have been seen as living bridges between heaven and earth. In this graceful dance-talk hybrid, artist Prumsodun Ok -- founder of Cambodia's first all-male and gay-identified dance company -- details the rich history of Khmer classical dance and its current revival, playing the ancient and ageless role of artist as messenger. // Prumsodun Ok is a cross-disciplinary thinker and creator known for his groundbreaking work in preserving and innovating Khmer classical dance. As the founder of Cambodia's first gay dance company, he has been a pioneer in the dance troupe scene, focusing on nurturing talent and providing opportunities for LGBTQ individuals. Through his organization, Prumsodun Ok has retold sacred dramas, exploring the evolution of Khmer classical dance tradition through various projects and initiatives. His work reflects a commitment to social change, equity, and the empowerment of marginalized communities, particularly youth. Prumsodun Ok's efforts have inspired and empowered many individuals in Cambodia and the United States, showcasing the transformative power of art and education in creating a more harmonious world. // Interdisciplinary artist // violence, youth development, education, entrepreneurship, led, job skills training, art, research, inclusion, activism, climate, design, refugees, women, stewardship and restoration, mining, migration, dance, youth, economic justice, community building, community development, philanthropy, teachers, campaigns, children, strategy, nature, poverty, vulnerability, equality, restoration, justice // Tokyo|San Francisco|USA|Japan|California|Cambodia|Phnom Penh

Tokyo|San Francisco|USA|Japan|California|Cambodia|Phnom Penh

United States

Performer + Curator // Marc Bamuthi Joseph is a 2017 TED Global Fellow, an inaugural recipient of the Guggenheim Social Practice initiative, and an honoree of the United States Artists Rockefeller Fellowship. He is also the winner of the 2011 Herb Alpert Award in Theatre, and an inaugural recipient of the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award. In pursuit of affirmations of black life in the public realm, he co-founded the Life is Living Festival for Youth Speaks, and created the installation “Black Joy in the Hour of Chaos” for Creative Time. Joseph’s opera libretto, We Shall Not Be Moved, was named one of 2017’s “Best Classical Music Performances” by The New York Times. His evening length work, /peh-LO-tah/, successfully toured across North America for three years, including at BAM’s Harvey Theater as a part of the 2017 Next Wave Festival. His latest piece, “The Just and the Blind” investigates the crisis of over-sentencing in the prison industrial complex, and will premiere at Carnegie Hall in March 2019. Formerly the Chief of Program and Pedagogy at YBCA in San Francisco, Bamuthi currently serves as the Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact at The Kennedy Center. // In a breathtaking, jazz-inflected spoken-word performance, TED Fellow Marc Bamuthi Joseph shares a Black father's tender and wrenching internal reflection on the pride and terror of seeing his son enter adulthood. // "Soccer is the only thing on this planet that we can all agree to do together," says theater maker and TED Fellow Marc Bamuthi Joseph. Through his performances and an engagement initiative called "Moving and Passing," Joseph combines music, dance and soccer to reveal accessible, joyful connections between the arts and sports. Learn more about how he's using the beautiful game to foster community and highlight issues facing immigrants. // Marc Bamuthi Joseph is a 2017 TED Global Fellow, an inaugural recipient of the Guggenheim Social Practice initiative, and an honoree of the United States Artists Rockefeller Fellowship. He is also the winner of the 2011 Herb Alpert Award in Theatre, and an inaugural recipient of the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award. In pursuit of affirmations of black life in the public realm, he co-founded the Life is Living Festival for Youth Speaks, and created the installation “Black Joy in the Hour of Chaos” for Creative Time. Joseph’s opera libretto, We Shall Not Be Moved, was named one of 2017’s “Best Classical Music Performances” by The New York Times. His evening length work, /peh-LO-tah/, successfully toured across North America for three years, including at BAM’s Harvey Theater as a part of the 2017 Next Wave Festival. His latest piece, “The Just and the Blind” investigates the crisis of over-sentencing in the prison industrial complex, and will premiere at Carnegie Hall in March 2019. Formerly the Chief of Program and Pedagogy at YBCA in San Francisco, Bamuthi currently serves as the Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact at The Kennedy Center. // Performer + Curator // youth, immigration, industrial // California|Oakland|United States|USA

California|Oakland|United States|USA

United States

Technologist // Nithya Ramanathan, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Nexleaf Analytics, a non-profit technology company that partners with countries to make sure they have the data they need to build lasting solutions that improve the health of people. Nexleaf has created a platform of real-time sensors and data analytic tools that protects the vaccine supply for 1 in 10 babies born annually on Earth. Nithya and her team have achieved this outsized impact by working shoulder-to-shoulder with Ministries of Health — rather than bypassing governments — to scale cutting-edge technologies refined through close collaboration with personnel at every level of the health system, from top-tier government officials to last-mile health care workers. Nithya's unique approach brings together sensor design, data analysis, software engineering, and field engagement to identify and address the root cause challenges within complex global health systems. A computer scientist specializing in sensor technologies and data analytics, Nithya is a tech-for-good pioneer and a leading thinker on global vaccine distribution. Nithya’s career started in Silicon Valley, and continued as Research Faculty in sensor technologies at UCLA. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley. Her work has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals. Nithya is a PopTech Social Innovation Fellow, Switzer Environmental Fellow, and a Rainer Arnhold Fellow. She is the winner of the 2017 Hedy Lamarr Award for Female Tech Pioneer, was named a Gavi Got Life! Champion in 2018 alongside world leaders, and received the Tällberg Foundation/Eliasson Global Leadership Award in 2020. // Refrigerators do much more than store your groceries -- they're also vital to preserving and distributing vaccines. Illustrating the realities of (and threats to) global vaccine supply chains, technologist and TED Fellow Nithya Ramanathan describes how smart sensors placed in fridges that store medical supplies can provide crucial, real-time data and ensure people get the life-saving care they need. // Nithya Ramanathan, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Nexleaf Analytics, a non-profit technology company that partners with countries to make sure they have the data they need to build lasting solutions that improve the health of people. Nexleaf has created a platform of real-time sensors and data analytic tools that protects the vaccine supply for 1 in 10 babies born annually on Earth. Nithya and her team have achieved this outsized impact by working shoulder-to-shoulder with Ministries of Health — rather than bypassing governments — to scale cutting-edge technologies refined through close collaboration with personnel at every level of the health system, from top-tier government officials to last-mile health care workers. Nithya's unique approach brings together sensor design, data analysis, software engineering, and field engagement to identify and address the root cause challenges within complex global health systems. A computer scientist specializing in sensor technologies and data analytics, Nithya is a tech-for-good pioneer and a leading thinker on global vaccine distribution. Nithya’s career started in Silicon Valley, and continued as Research Faculty in sensor technologies at UCLA. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley. Her work has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals. Nithya is a PopTech Social Innovation Fellow, Switzer Environmental Fellow, and a Rainer Arnhold Fellow. She is the winner of the 2017 Hedy Lamarr Award for Female Tech Pioneer, was named a Gavi Got Life! Champion in 2018 alongside world leaders, and received the Tällberg Foundation/Eliasson Global Leadership Award in 2020. // Technologist // technology, tech for good, appropriate technology, global health innovation, electrical engineering, data, research, design, data and analytics, supply chain, design of large-scale sensor systems, women, data analytics, data analysis, systems change, sensor, working with ministries of health (government), workers, science, software, government // California|Los Angeles|United States|USA

California|Los Angeles|United States|USA

Canada

Scientist + biohacker // Andrew is a lifelong Scientist, full professor at the University of Ottawa and founder of multiple start up companies. His highly experimental ‘Pelling Lab for Augmented Biology’ has trailblazed by developing speculative living technologies of the future with the potential to redefine the limits of biology and medicine. The Lab is well known for its discovery that plants can be harnessed to create medical-grade biomaterials for engineering and regenerating human tissues. Andrew’s work in this area gained considerable international recognition after delivering his first TED talk on growing human ears out of apples. To date, the Pelling Lab has spun out four companies in the technology, biotechnology and medical fields, translating their discoveries into real world products and solutions. Andrew also serves as co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Spiderwort, a company translating the fundamental discoveries from his Lab in the area of plant-based biomaterials. As CSO, Andrew leads Spiderwort’s research program which addresses a variety of tissue engineering applications and unmet medical needs. Andrew also plays a key role in guiding the translation of Spiderwort’s products through the clinical and regulatory landscapes. As an award-winning scientist, Andrew has published his research in some of the world’s most prestigious journals and has been well recognized by his peers. He is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, a Canada Research Chair and a TED Senior Fellow. Andrew's leadership and experience are highly sought-after and he has delivered hundreds of keynotes and served in a variety of advisory roles for community, industry and government organizations. // Take a mind-blowing trip to the lab as TED Senior Fellow Andrew Pelling shares his research on how we could use fruits, vegetables and plants to regenerate damaged human tissues -- and develop a potentially groundbreaking way to repair complex spinal cord injuries with asparagus. // TED Fellow Andrew Pelling is a biohacker, and nature is his hardware. His favorite materials are the simplest ones (and oftentimes he finds them in the garbage). Building on the cellulose structure that gives an apple its shape, he "grows" lifelike human ears, pioneering a process that might someday be used to repair body parts safely and cheaply. And he has some even wilder ideas to share ... "What I'm really curious about is if one day it will be possible to repair, rebuild and augment our own bodies with stuff we make in the kitchen," he says. // Andrew is a lifelong Scientist, full professor at the University of Ottawa and founder of multiple start up companies. His highly experimental ‘Pelling Lab for Augmented Biology’ has trailblazed by developing speculative living technologies of the future with the potential to redefine the limits of biology and medicine. The Lab is well known for its discovery that plants can be harnessed to create medical-grade biomaterials for engineering and regenerating human tissues. Andrew’s work in this area gained considerable international recognition after delivering his first TED talk on growing human ears out of apples. To date, the Pelling Lab has spun out four companies in the technology, biotechnology and medical fields, translating their discoveries into real world products and solutions. Andrew also serves as co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Spiderwort, a company translating the fundamental discoveries from his Lab in the area of plant-based biomaterials. As CSO, Andrew leads Spiderwort’s research program which addresses a variety of tissue engineering applications and unmet medical needs. Andrew also plays a key role in guiding the translation of Spiderwort’s products through the clinical and regulatory landscapes. As an award-winning scientist, Andrew has published his research in some of the world’s most prestigious journals and has been well recognized by his peers. He is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, a Canada Research Chair and a TED Senior Fellow. Andrew's leadership and experience are highly sought-after and he has delivered hundreds of keynotes and served in a variety of advisory roles for community, industry and government organizations. // Scientist + biohacker // technology, fruits, medical devices, running, research, citizen scientist, biohacking, plant-based, regenerative, biotech, plants, cellulose, hardware, biomaterials, regenerative medicine, nature, science, biophysics, citizen science, tissue engineering, biotechnology, government, bioart // Ontario|Ottawa|Canada

Ontario|Ottawa|Canada

United States

Candy Chang is an American artist known for her work in uncovering psychological layers within communities. Her practice involves creating installations that gather handwritten reflections from the public, resulting in paintings and videos that reflect desires, sorrows, hopes, and courage shared by individuals. Through her projects, she challenges norms of visibility and offers new modes of communal expression. Some of her notable works include participatory installations like "Before I Die" and "After the End," which provide spaces for contemplation and mourning. Chang's art merges public engagement, urban design, and community interaction, emphasizing common human experiences and emotions. // In an age of increasing loneliness, polarization, and judgment, how can our shared spaces support a sense of belonging and interconnectedness, which are vital for civic life? My work uncovers the psychological layers within communities. This includes public rituals through installations that collect thousands of handwritten reflections from people, and paintings and videos generated from this material. Testimonies of desire, dread, sorrow, hope, and courage are surfaced in shared spaces that challenge norms of visibility and offer new modes of communion. // Candy Chang is an American artist whose work delves into the psychological depths of communities, uncovering shared desires, sorrows, hopes, and courage through public installations. By creating spaces for communal reflection and expression, Chang challenges societal norms of visibility and fosters new forms of community interaction. Her projects, such as "Before I Die" and "After the End," invite public participation and contemplation, merging art with urban design and emphasizing common human experiences and emotions. Through her art, Chang addresses themes of belonging, interconnectedness, and civic engagement in a world marked by loneliness and polarization. // Artist + designer + urban planner // Candy Chang is an artist who is passionate about the ways our public spaces can help us make sense of our communities and ourselves. Recent projects include Before I Die, a global art project that invites people to reflect and share their personal aspirations in public space. She is a TED Senior Fellow, an Urban Innovation Fellow, and was named a “Live Your Best Life” Local Hero by Oprah Magazine. See more at candychang.com. // Through the activation of public spaces around the world, Taiwanese-American artist Candy Chang creates installations and multi-disciplinary artworks that envision the future of ritual in an increasingly alienating world. Her practice includes participatory installations of anonymous, handwritten reflections, as well as reproductions of these reflections through video and mixed media. She is most known for her participatory public artwork Before I Die, which reimagines how the walls of our cities can help us grapple with mortality and meaning as a community today. Over 5,000 Before I Die walls have been created by communities in over 75 counties, and The Atlantic called it “one of the most creative community projects ever.” She is interested in the future of ritual in public life and merging traditional Asian arts with the modern psyche. She is caretaker of over one million handwritten anxieties, hopes, pains, and moments of grace in the early 21st century. // In her New Orleans neighborhood, artist and TED Fellow Candy Chang turned an abandoned house into a giant chalkboard asking a fill-in-the-blank question: "Before I die I want to ___." Her neighbors' answers -- surprising, poignant, funny -- became an unexpected mirror for the community. (What's your answer?) // Candy Chang is an American artist whose work delves into the psychological depths of communities, uncovering shared desires, sorrows, hopes, and courage through public installations. By creating spaces for communal reflection and expression, Chang challenges societal norms of visibility and fosters new forms of community interaction. Her projects, such as "Before I Die" and "After the End," invite public participation and contemplation, merging art with urban design and emphasizing common human experiences and emotions. Through her art, Chang addresses themes of belonging, interconnectedness, and civic engagement in a world marked by loneliness and polarization. // Artist + designer + urban planner // community projects, urban design, civic spirituality, participatory, design, civic health, community development, urban planning, cities, communication, public art, urban, art, emotional health, public spaces // USA|New Orleans|New York|Ohio|United States|Columbus|Louisiana

USA|New Orleans|New York|Ohio|United States|Columbus|Louisiana

United States

Columbia University in the City of New York; Harvard University

Dr. Erika Hamden is an astrophysicist known for her work in designing and testing silicon devices for use in the UV, particularly focusing on anti-reflection coatings for delta-doped CCDs. She has been involved in projects like FIREBall-2, a UV balloon-borne telescope, and is interested in developing Skipper CCDs for astronomical use. Additionally, Dr. Hamden is active on social media, collaborating with various brands to make science accessible and engaging. She is also a keynote speaker, presenting on topics such as rebounding from failure, confidence, and scientific subjects. As a professor at the University of Arizona, she is involved in various telescope projects and is the PI of upcoming UV telescope missions like Hyperion and Eos. // Dr. Erika Hamden is a distinguished astrophysicist and a tenured professor at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory. She serves as the Director of ASI and is renowned for her expertise in constructing space and stratospheric telescopes, as well as advancing telescope technology. Dr. Hamden is a prominent figure in space astrophysics, known for her leadership and initiatives such as NASA's PI Launchpad to mentor early career scientists in developing space missions. She leads various mission concepts like Hyperion and Eos, and is involved in projects like Aspera and FIREBall-2. With a background in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Harvard and a PhD from Columbia University, she has received prestigious awards including a PECASE award and a Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship. Dr. Hamden's contributions extend to academia, research, and outreach, making her a TED Fellow, AAAS If/then Ambassador, and a notable figure in the field. // Columbia University in the City of New York; Harvard University // I'm trying to help us understand more about the universe around us and hopefully appreciate the world we live on a little bit more. I want to understand how everything is made- how galaxies form, how stars form, how OUR galaxy formed, and how OUR little star formed. // Dr. Erika Hamden is a distinguished astrophysicist and a tenured professor at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory. With expertise in constructing space and stratospheric telescopes, she is known for her leadership in advancing telescope technology. Dr. Hamden has been involved in projects like FIREBall-2 and is leading mission concepts such as Hyperion and Eos. Her work extends to mentoring early career scientists through initiatives like NASA's PI Launchpad and engaging in outreach efforts as a TED Fellow and AAAS If/then Ambassador. With a background in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Harvard and a PhD from Columbia University, she has received prestigious awards like a PECASE award and a Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship. Dr. Hamden's research focuses on understanding the formation of galaxies, stars, and our own solar system, aiming to deepen our knowledge of the universe and foster appreciation for our world. // Astrophysicist // Astrophysicist developing telescopes and new ultraviolet detection technologies to improve our ability to observe distant galaxies. // TED Fellow and astronomer Erika Hamden leads the team building FIREBall, a telescope that hangs from a giant balloon at the very edge of space and looks for clues about how stars are created. She takes us inside the roller-coaster, decade-long journey to get the telescope from an idea into orbit -- and shows how failure is inevitable when you're pushing the limits of knowledge. // Dr. Erika Hamden is a distinguished astrophysicist and a tenured professor at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory. With expertise in constructing space and stratospheric telescopes, she is known for her leadership in advancing telescope technology. Dr. Hamden has been involved in projects like FIREBall-2 and is leading mission concepts such as Hyperion and Eos. Her work extends to mentoring early career scientists through initiatives like NASA's PI Launchpad and engaging in outreach efforts as a TED Fellow and AAAS If/then Ambassador. With a background in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Harvard and a PhD from Columbia University, she has received prestigious awards like a PECASE award and a Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship. Dr. Hamden's research focuses on understanding the formation of galaxies, stars, and our own solar system, aiming to deepen our knowledge of the universe and foster appreciation for our world. // Astrophysicist // technology, research, science, coatings, astrophysics and space telescope development // Tucson|United States|Arizona|USA

Tucson|United States|Arizona|USA

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Humanitarian aid entrepreneur // Dr Rola Hallam bio Name: Rola Hallam Title(s) & affiliation(s): Dr, CEO & Founder, CanDo Short bio: Rola is a consultant anaesthetist, humanitarian, human rights advocate and social entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of CanDo, a not-for-profit social enterprise delivering resources directly to local humanitarians who provide essential healthcare to their war-devastated communities. She played an integral part in building 7 hospitals in the north of the Syria, including the world's first crowdfunded hospital. She is an international speaker and advocate for the cessation of targeting of civilians and children in war zones, and the protection of medical neutrality. Rola is also the first Syrian TED Fellow. // Local humanitarians are beacons of light in the darkness of war, says humanitarian aid entrepreneur and TED Fellow Rola Hallam. She's working to help responders on the ground in devastated communities like Syria, where the destruction of health care is being used as a weapon of war. One of her campaigns achieved a global first: a crowdfunded hospital. Since it opened in 2017, the aptly named Hope Hospital has treated thousands of children. "Local humanitarians have the courage to persist, to dust themselves off from the wreckage and to start again, risking their lives to save others," Hallam says. "We can match their courage by not looking away or turning our backs." // Dr Rola Hallam bio Name: Rola Hallam Title(s) & affiliation(s): Dr, CEO & Founder, CanDo Short bio: Rola is a consultant anaesthetist, humanitarian, human rights advocate and social entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of CanDo, a not-for-profit social enterprise delivering resources directly to local humanitarians who provide essential healthcare to their war-devastated communities. She played an integral part in building 7 hospitals in the north of the Syria, including the world's first crowdfunded hospital. She is an international speaker and advocate for the cessation of targeting of civilians and children in war zones, and the protection of medical neutrality. Rola is also the first Syrian TED Fellow. // Humanitarian aid entrepreneur // children, frontline medicine, child health, human rights, anesthesia, rights, protection of healthcare, medicine, led, healthcare, storytelling, advocacy, locally led aid, war, campaigns, humanitarian // United Kingdom|England|London

United Kingdom|England|London

Peru

YLAI / Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative; Royal Academy of Engineering; Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú; KPMG en Perú; DIRECTV Latin America; Czech Technical University in Prague; Dando una Mano; CONGRESO DE LA REPUBLICA DEL PERU; LAT Bionics; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

LAT Bionics, founded by Enzo Romero, is a company focused on developing affordable and accessible prosthetic limbs. Romero, inspired by Luke Skywalker's prosthetic hand, has created low-cost hands using recycled plastic bottles. These prosthetics, priced between $800 to $2,500, are significantly cheaper than traditional mechanical prosthetics. The limbs, made with innovative technology, have helped numerous individuals in Peru regain functionality in their daily lives. While the prosthetics currently have limitations, Romero continues to work on solutions to enhance their capabilities, aiming to make them more versatile for various tasks. // Research Assistant at Biomechanics and Applied Robotics Research Group,at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. B.S in Mechatronics Engineering,Special focus in Biomechanics and Robotics.Upper third of the class.Currently working on: "Implementation of a transradial upper limb myoelectric prosthesis with strength control and haptic feedback system", and social entrepreneurship "Giving a hand: Custom low cost prostheses with digital manufacturing technology" .Former President of the Robotics & Automation Society IEEE RAS- Student Branch. Being born without a right hand has allowed me to orient my life decisions in order to develop a robotic prosthetic hand for myself. This led me to study Mechatronics and thus develop my Line of Research in this topic.Through the projects in which I have been involved,I have been able to learn more about the national problem that represents the lack of inexpensive hand prostheses.It is my desire to generate concrete solutions to this problem in my country. // We intend to develop highly functional custom prosthesis for hand and fingers manufactured in 3D printing that allow the labor re- insertion of the amputated person. Due to our nature of social entrepreneurship, we seek to work with both public and private institutions to reduce costs of production, distribution and sale.It is our mission to develop custom low cost prosthetics with digital manufacturing technology.Our visión is to meet the need and improved access to upper limb prostheses in Latin America. // I designed and implemented a haptic feedback system for upper limb myoelectric prosthesis with force sensors capable of providing the amputated user with the redirection of forces developed by the fingers of the prosthesis on the stump. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Dante Elías Giordano."Physiological modeling of the muscles of the forearm and development of a force estimation algorithm for the fingers". I am in charge of developing a mechatronic data acquisition system for the estimation of the strength of the fingers. Coordinator of the research: Mg.Sc Rocío Callupe Perez.Teaching assistant in:MTR240 Mechatronics Design MethodologyMTR250 Mechatronics Design ProjectMEC284 Automatic Control - LaboratoryMEC286 Thermodynamics - Fluids Mechanics, Laboratory of Energy // PMI Methodology• Designed the prototypes of automatic self positioned antennas to be set-up on ships of thePeruvian Army.• Development of a cellphone app oriented to help technicians in order to pass the signal quality bar at costumer houses.• Collaborated in the latin-american beta tests to upgrade software in decoders. // We intend to develop highly functional custom prosthesis for hand and fingers manufactured in 3D printing that allow the labor re- insertion of the amputated person. Due to our nature of social entrepreneurship, we seek to work with both public and private institutions to reduce costs of production, distribution and sale.It is our mission to develop custom low cost prosthetics with digital manufacturing technology.Our visión is to meet the need and improved access to upper limb prostheses in Latin America. // I conducted the setup of cRIO – National Instruments Data collectors and YOKOGAWA sensors at Thermal Plant and Refrigeration System in the Laboratory facilities . Operation control with LabView Software. Future project: SCADA System implementation. // I evaluated process improvement in BBVA Bank. Also, In charge of development of control mechanisms for the middle-office bank sector. // YLAI / Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative; Royal Academy of Engineering; Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú; KPMG en Perú; DIRECTV Latin America; Czech Technical University in Prague; Dando una Mano; CONGRESO DE LA REPUBLICA DEL PERU; LAT Bionics; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab // Enzo Romero is a Mechatronics Engineer with a special focus on Biomechanics and Robotics. Currently a Research Assistant at the Biomechanics and Applied Robotics Research Group at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Enzo is working on innovative projects such as the implementation of a transradial upper limb myoelectric prosthesis with strength control and haptic feedback system. Enzo's passion for developing solutions for individuals in need of prosthetics stems from personal experience, driving his commitment to creating custom low-cost prostheses using digital manufacturing technology. With a background in designing haptic feedback systems and physiological modeling of muscles, Enzo is dedicated to improving access to upper limb prostheses in Latin America. Additionally, Enzo has experience in project management, process improvement, and control mechanisms development in the banking sector. // I seek to transform the lives of people with disabilities by providing, along with my team, cutting-edge assistive technology that is accessible. This technology is designed and developed by applying the talents of people in my region, with the aim of creating devices that consider the needs of our population with disabilities. In this way, I strive for a much more equitable society for everyone! // Enzo Romero is a Mechatronics Engineer specializing in Biomechanics and Robotics, known for his innovative work in developing affordable and accessible prosthetic limbs. As the founder of LAT Bionics, he has pioneered the creation of low-cost prosthetics made from recycled materials, inspired by a vision of enhancing functionality for individuals in need. Currently a Research Assistant at the Biomechanics and Applied Robotics Research Group, Enzo is dedicated to advancing prosthetic technology, including projects like myoelectric prostheses with haptic feedback systems. His commitment to improving access to prosthetics in Latin America is evident through his focus on digital manufacturing and custom solutions. Enzo's drive to create transformative assistive technology reflects his goal of fostering a more inclusive and equitable society for individuals with disabilities. // Bionic innovator // Creating functional prosthetics at a fraction of the cost of imported tech, bionic innovator and TED Fellow Enzo Romero shares a groundbreaking model for designing 3D-printed assistive technology sourced from recycled materials -- built in and for his native Peru. Hear how Luke Skywalker's bionic hand in Star Wars inspired Romero to pursue mechatronics engineering and help people with disabilities and limited resources fully live again. // Enzo Romero is a Mechatronics Engineer specializing in Biomechanics and Robotics, known for his innovative work in developing affordable and accessible prosthetic limbs. As the founder of LAT Bionics, he has pioneered the creation of low-cost prosthetics made from recycled materials, inspired by a vision of enhancing functionality for individuals in need. Currently a Research Assistant at the Biomechanics and Applied Robotics Research Group, Enzo is dedicated to advancing prosthetic technology, including projects like myoelectric prostheses with haptic feedback systems. His commitment to improving access to prosthetics in Latin America is evident through his focus on digital manufacturing and custom solutions. Enzo's drive to create transformative assistive technology reflects his goal of fostering a more inclusive and equitable society for individuals with disabilities. // Bionic innovator // technology, entrepreneurship, automation, led, plastic recycling, data, equity, research, design, recycled materials, 3d printing, refrigeration, people with dissabilities, digital manufacturing, assistive technologies, accessibility, affordable, robotics, prosthesis, mechatronics engineering, sensor, bionics, plastic, assistive technology, nature, data acquisition, low-cost, software, manufacturing, recycling // Lima|Peru|Callao Region

Lima|Peru|Callao Region

Kenya

Soil Food Web School; Green Dreams TECH Ltd; Soil Food Web Certified Lab Tech; Green Dreams Ltd

iCow is an organization that leverages Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) and partnerships to improve smallholder farmer prosperity by optimizing production systems using regenerative practices. They offer broadcasting services that send SMS messages to farmers on a daily, weekly, or alert basis, providing information consistently. iCow also offers a Notification Calendar service that sends schedule-based reminders and tips by SMS to registered users. Additionally, they have a Content library that allows farmers access to topical content via USSD or keyword-based searches. The organization works with partners and global meta data systems to ensure smallholder farmers in rural locations have access to the best production advice, genetics, and genomics. iCow also provides a marketplace for farmers to trade and interact, an Experts search service to find a wide range of experts within their area, and various calendar products for livestock and crop management. The organization also offers educational programs like the iCow Soil Advocacy program, aimed at training individuals to become Soil Advocates knowledgeable in soil biology and regenerative agriculture. Through their initiatives, iCow aims to empower farmers with knowledge and tools to improve soil health, increase productivity, and promote sustainable agricultural practices. // Archaea Kenya Ltd. is an organization that focuses on agricultural innovation and education, particularly in the field of soil health and regenerative farming practices. They offer services such as the iCow platform, which provides agricultural extension services to farmers through SMS messages. The organization runs programs like the Soil Advocacy Program, where individuals are trained in soil biology and regenerative agriculture over a period of 2-3 months. The program includes sessions on topics like climate change, the soil food web, composting, and soil structure. Participants are encouraged to share their knowledge with their communities and are awarded certificates upon completion. Additionally, Archaea Kenya Ltd. offers Soil Lab Services, providing training in soil analysis, composting, and business skills to empower advocates to support farming communities. The organization also highlights success stories of individuals who have benefited from their programs, showcasing the positive impact on soil health and agricultural practices. // Soil Food Web School; Green Dreams TECH Ltd; Soil Food Web Certified Lab Tech; Green Dreams Ltd // I'm creating systems that highlight the gaps and provide solutions from soils>nutrients>crops>livestock>humans. My aim is to catalyse healthy food production by focusing on nutrients and health, from the soil up using a science based approach that includes smallholder farmers, extension providers, scientists, research institutions, governments and consumers. // Su Kahumbu is a dedicated agricultural innovator and educator, focusing on regenerative farming practices and soil health. Through her work with iCow and Archaea Kenya Ltd., she leverages Information and Communications Technologies to provide smallholder farmers with crucial agricultural extension services via SMS messages. Su's initiatives include the Soil Advocacy Program, which trains individuals in soil biology and regenerative agriculture, empowering them to share knowledge within their communities. She aims to improve soil health, increase productivity, and promote sustainable agricultural practices by bridging the gap between soils, nutrients, crops, livestock, and human health. Su collaborates with various stakeholders, including farmers, experts, research institutions, and governments, to catalyze healthy food production and create a positive impact on agricultural practices. // Organic industry entrepreneur // Kenyan entrepreneur promoting the development of an organic food industry in Kenya // I've worked in the organic sector for 17 years as a producer, trainer, and marketer of organic produce. I had a small chain of organic outlets in Nairobi, availing premium prices and opportunities for the rural organic farmers. I'm passionate about enabling the rural agricultural communities particularly the small scale farmers , and contribute to a monthly magazine that is distributed into the small scale organic farming community free of charge. My latest endeavours are in developing mobile applications to serve the same farmers. I developed an application called iCow for the dairy farmers and won the first Apps4Africa Award for this innovation. I'm now working on a larger agri platform also delivered over mobile phone.I'm a very proud mother of 3 beautiful kids, Stefi, Elleni and Moniko whom I adore. I'm an amateur guitar player but a seasoned rock singer, :) an athelete (competitive swimmer a long time ago) who loves all sports, Kenya's first woman skydiver. I love scuba diving too. I live on an organic farm and am surrounded by the magical characters of my farm animals all day long. My 'farm' is my office, my lab :). I'm 4th in a wonderful family of 9 and I'm a TEDGlobal Fellow 2010 Fast forward to 2019- I'm now a grandma! And iCow is operational in 3 countries in Africa! // Su Kahumbu raises badass cows -- healthy, well-fed animals whose protein is key to solving a growing crisis in Africa: childhood nutritional stunting. With iCow, a simple SMS service she developed to support small-scale livestock farmers, the TED Fellow is helping farmers across the continent by texting them tips on caring for and raising animals. Learn more about how this cheap innovation is helping feed hungry kids, one text at a time. // Su Kahumbu is a dedicated agricultural innovator and educator, focusing on regenerative farming practices and soil health. Through her work with iCow and Archaea Kenya Ltd., she leverages Information and Communications Technologies to provide smallholder farmers with crucial agricultural extension services via SMS messages. Su's initiatives include the Soil Advocacy Program, which trains individuals in soil biology and regenerative agriculture, empowering them to share knowledge within their communities. She aims to improve soil health, increase productivity, and promote sustainable agricultural practices by bridging the gap between soils, nutrients, crops, livestock, and human health. Su collaborates with various stakeholders, including farmers, experts, research institutions, and governments, to catalyze healthy food production and create a positive impact on agricultural practices. // Organic industry entrepreneur // technology, composting, education, entrepreneurship, dairy farm, dairy, data, health, job skills training, research, soil health, agriculture, food webs, farmer education/training, climate, design, farming, microbes, sustainable agriculture, management, regenerative practices, farmers, agricultural practices, soil microbiome, soil crop human and animal, food industry, nutrients density, regenerative, organic, organic food, regenerative ag, smallholder, small-scale farmers, soil microbes, microbiome, advocacy, food production, mobile applications, regenerative agriculture, agricultural and agribusiness, livestock, children, rural, community agriculture, developer of mixed use developments, science, food, crops, farmer education, organic farming, communication, soil, crop management // Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi

Nairobi County|Kenya|Nairobi

Pakistan

Filmmaker + historian // Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is an Academy Award and Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker. Her films include SAVING FACE, TRANSGENDERS: PAKISTAN’S OPEN SECRET AND PAKISTAN’S TALIBAN GENERATION, which aired on PBS, Channel 4, CBC, SBS and Arte and was the recipient of the Alfred I Dupont Award as well as The Association for International Broadcasting award. Sharmeen has made over a dozen-multi award winning films in over 10 countries around the world and is the first non-American to be awarded the Livingston Award for best international reporting. In 2007, Sharmeen helped found The Citizens Archive of Pakistan; a non-profit, volunteer organization formed to foster and promote community-wide interest in the culture and history of Pakistan. At a time when Pakistan’s youth finds itself caught between religious and state ideology, the organization works with thousands of underprivileged children inculcating critical thinking skills and instilling a sense of pride in them about their history and identity. // Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is the only female director to have been awarded two Academy Awards by the age of 37. Since 2001, she has made over two dozen multi award films in over 16 countries around the world. Her films includeStudent Athlete, Girl in the river, Song of Lahore, Saving Face, Peace Keepers and Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret. In 2012, Time Magazine included Sharmeen in their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. That same year the Pakistan Government awarded her with highest civil honor “Hilal -e–Imtiaz ”. In 2013, the Canadian government awarded her a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field of documentary films and the World Economic Forum honored her with a Crystal Award at their annual summit in Davos. In 2017 the International Center for Journalists awarded her the Knight International Journalism Award for her work that led to legislative change. In 2017, Sharmeen was the first artist to co-chair the “World Economic Forum”at Davos. Sharmeen holds a Bachelors degree from Smith college and two masters degrees from Stanford University. // Film has the power to change the way we think about ourselves and our culture. Documentarian and TED Fellow Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy uses it to fight violence against women, turning her camera on the tradition of honor killings in Pakistan. In a stirring talk, she shares how she took her Oscar-winning film on the road in a mobile cinema, visiting small towns and villages across Pakistan -- and shifting the dynamics between women, men and society, one screening at a time. // Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy takes on a terrifying question: How does the Taliban convince children to become suicide bombers? Propaganda footage from a training camp is intercut with her interviews of young camp graduates. A shocking vision. // Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is the only female director to have been awarded two Academy Awards by the age of 37. Since 2001, she has made over two dozen multi award films in over 16 countries around the world. Her films includeStudent Athlete, Girl in the river, Song of Lahore, Saving Face, Peace Keepers and Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret. In 2012, Time Magazine included Sharmeen in their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. That same year the Pakistan Government awarded her with highest civil honor “Hilal -e–Imtiaz ”. In 2013, the Canadian government awarded her a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in the field of documentary films and the World Economic Forum honored her with a Crystal Award at their annual summit in Davos. In 2017 the International Center for Journalists awarded her the Knight International Journalism Award for her work that led to legislative change. In 2017, Sharmeen was the first artist to co-chair the “World Economic Forum”at Davos. Sharmeen holds a Bachelors degree from Smith college and two masters degrees from Stanford University. // Filmmaker + historian // children, rivers and lakes, diamond, violence, rural, rural villages, youth, volunteerism, led, documentary, government, job skills training, women // Karachi|Sindh|Pakistan

Karachi|Sindh|Pakistan

Singapore

Inventor + environmentalist // Cesar Minoru Harada 原田 実 (29) is an French-Japanese inventor and entrepreneur. 
Cesar invented Protei, a ground-breaking sailing technology. Cesar is also the general coordinator of the future International Ocean Station and oil spill remediation robotics. Cesar moved back from New Orleans - where he was studying the oil spill - back to London where he set up the HQ of Protei as a revolutionary sailing technology. Cesar is now teaching Masters in Design & Environment at Goldsmiths University London. Cesar recently went to Japan to study radioactivity along the eastern coast and hope to come back soon with Protei to measure radioactivity in the Pacific. Similarly Cesar wants to use Protei to study Plastic debris in the oceans and red tides along the coasts of Mexico. Former project leader at MIT in Boston USA, Cesar graduated form the Royal College of Arts Design Interactions in London. He worked at the Southampton University Hydrodynamics laboratory on wave energy. Cesar also studied Industrial design at the ENSCI (les Ateliers Paris) and Animation film at ENSAD (Arts Decoratifs de Paris). His films, performances and installations have been participating many festivals and events in the USA, Japan, France, Greece, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Russia, Mexico, Germany … He lectured at V2_ Rotterdam, Barbican London, CCCB Barcelona, Goldsmiths University London, Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh, MIT Media Lab Cambridge, National Institute of Architecture of the Netherlands... // MA Design Interactions, Royal College of Art; MA Animation Film, École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. Cesar Jung-Harada is an Associate Professor at the Business, Communication and Design Cluster at SIT. He teaches innovation, design thinking, and social entrepreneurship, and mentors ocean engineering projects. Cesar was educated at the Ecole Boulle in Paris, obtained his first Master's from the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Animation Film, and his second Master's degree in Design Interactions from the Royal College of Arts in London. Cesar was a Researcher and Project Leader at MIT Senseable City Lab in the USA. Cesar was trained in Design Thinking by George Kembel (co-founder of Stanford d-School), Rapid Prototyping by Tom Chi (co-founder of Google X), and entrepreneurship by Daniel Epstein (Forbes: Top 30 Impact Entrepreneurs). Cesar is the Founder and former Director of "MakerBay", a Hong Kong network of innovation centres. Cesar is the Founder and CEO of the ocean robotic startup "Scoutbots" developing ocean sensors and transport technology to explore and protect the oceans, mostly known for the Open Source shape-shifting sailing robot "Protei" which won the StartmeupHK Grand Award. Cesar's work has been exhibited at the V&A in London, at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris, and the team Open _Sailing he led won the Ars Electronica Golden Nica with the concept of the "International Ocean Station" in Austria. Cesar is a TED Senior Fellow and his most popular TED talk has more than 1.8 million views, translated into more than thirty languages. Cesar was the opening plenary speaker of the COP21 (2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference) about ocean innovation before French President Hollande, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Jack Ma. Cesar is a Trustee of the Board of Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar and the Wyng Foundation in Hong Kong. Cesar's current research includes inclusive ocean innovation, impact invention, social innovation, critical and speculative design, ocean exploration and conservation technologies, and creative community building. // At the Harbour School in Hong Kong, TED Senior Fellow Cesar Harada teaches citizen science and invention to the next generation of environmentalists. He's moved his classroom into an industrial mega-space where imaginative kids work with wood, metal, chemistry, biology, optics and, occasionally, power tools to create solutions to the threats facing the world's oceans. There, he instills a universal lesson that his own parents taught him at a young age: "You can make a mess, but you have to clean up after yourself." // When TED Senior Fellow Cesar Harada heard about the devastating effects of the BP Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, he quit his dream job and moved to New Orleans to develop a more efficient way to soak up the oil. He designed a highly maneuverable, flexible boat capable of cleaning large tracts quickly. But rather than turn a profit, he has opted to open-source the design. // MA Design Interactions, Royal College of Art; MA Animation Film, École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. Cesar Jung-Harada is an Associate Professor at the Business, Communication and Design Cluster at SIT. He teaches innovation, design thinking, and social entrepreneurship, and mentors ocean engineering projects. Cesar was educated at the Ecole Boulle in Paris, obtained his first Master's from the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Animation Film, and his second Master's degree in Design Interactions from the Royal College of Arts in London. Cesar was a Researcher and Project Leader at MIT Senseable City Lab in the USA. Cesar was trained in Design Thinking by George Kembel (co-founder of Stanford d-School), Rapid Prototyping by Tom Chi (co-founder of Google X), and entrepreneurship by Daniel Epstein (Forbes: Top 30 Impact Entrepreneurs). Cesar is the Founder and former Director of "MakerBay", a Hong Kong network of innovation centres. Cesar is the Founder and CEO of the ocean robotic startup "Scoutbots" developing ocean sensors and transport technology to explore and protect the oceans, mostly known for the Open Source shape-shifting sailing robot "Protei" which won the StartmeupHK Grand Award. Cesar's work has been exhibited at the V&A in London, at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris, and the team Open _Sailing he led won the Ars Electronica Golden Nica with the concept of the "International Ocean Station" in Austria. Cesar is a TED Senior Fellow and his most popular TED talk has more than 1.8 million views, translated into more than thirty languages. Cesar was the opening plenary speaker of the COP21 (2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference) about ocean innovation before French President Hollande, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Jack Ma. Cesar is a Trustee of the Board of Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar and the Wyng Foundation in Hong Kong. Cesar's current research includes inclusive ocean innovation, impact invention, social innovation, critical and speculative design, ocean exploration and conservation technologies, and creative community building. // Inventor + environmentalist // technology, martial arts, entrepreneurship, architecture, metals, led, construction/design, ocean, coastal, art, research, sailing, inclusion, mobility, climate, design, citizen scientist, design strategy, oceans, offshore oil spill, open source, robotics, plastic debris, sensor, industrial design, plastic, wood, science, transportation, cleaning agents, industrial, communication, energy, wave energy // Singapore

Singapore

Uganda

Urban refugee expert // Robert HAKIZA is a Congolese living in Uganda as a refugee since 2008. He holds a degree in Agriculture from the Catholic University of Bukavu (DRC). In 2015 he attended the International Summer School of forced migration of Oxford University. He is a Co-founder and Executive Director of the Young African Refugees for Integral Development (YARID) a refugee-led organization which empowers refugees and builds community. He is also a founding member of the Refugee-Led Organization Network. He is a steering committee member of the Global Refugee-Led Network. He worked as an Assistant Researcher respectively with the Humanitarian Innovation Project (HIP) of Oxford University, the International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED) and Toronto University. He is a refugee Advocate. He has a big experience working with urban refugees and also works to educate others about obstacles refugees face. He is a TED Fellow and Aspen New Voices Fellow 2017. // The prevailing image of where refugees live is of temporary camps in isolated areas -- but in reality, nearly 60 percent of them worldwide end up in urban areas. TED Fellow Robert Hakiza takes us inside the lives of urban refugees -- and shows us how organizations like the one that he started can provide them with the skills they need to ultimately become self-sufficient. // Robert HAKIZA is a Congolese living in Uganda as a refugee since 2008. He holds a degree in Agriculture from the Catholic University of Bukavu (DRC). In 2015 he attended the International Summer School of forced migration of Oxford University. He is a Co-founder and Executive Director of the Young African Refugees for Integral Development (YARID) a refugee-led organization which empowers refugees and builds community. He is also a founding member of the Refugee-Led Organization Network. He is a steering committee member of the Global Refugee-Led Network. He worked as an Assistant Researcher respectively with the Humanitarian Innovation Project (HIP) of Oxford University, the International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED) and Toronto University. He is a refugee Advocate. He has a big experience working with urban refugees and also works to educate others about obstacles refugees face. He is a TED Fellow and Aspen New Voices Fellow 2017. // Urban refugee expert // agriculture, forced displacement, urban areas, community development, forced migration, refugees, advocacy, humanitarian, urban, migration, displacement // Uganda|Kampala|Central Region

Uganda|Kampala|Central Region