A RENOWNED conference concept brought influential researchers, speakers and entrepreneurs to Glasgow today,
Taking place at Glasgow Caledonian University, the event was independently organised by 31 students and is the first TEDx conference hosted by the university.
The event TEDxGlasgowCaledonianUniversity was named Unfolding Good Together embracing the university’s commitment to the common good.
Co-organiser of the conference Martyna Kowalek said: “We wanted to create something we could leave for the university and have the people engaged in the common good which is the theme of our university.
“We wanted to do something more than just studying.”
“The common good stands for responsible leadership, entrepreneurial mindsets, local and global citizenship, and confidence and every speech is connected to each of those attributes.”
There were ten speakers at the event which included surgically-trained doctor Mohammed Enayat, technology CEO Vicky Brock, scientist Timi Hesselhoj, PHD researcher Benjamin Butterworth and others.
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Timi Hesselhoj is a scientist receiving her Masters of Research at King’s College London spoke about the underrepresentation of women in science and her project Rosalind Franklin The Meeting of Minds.
She said: “TED has a voice and it reaches 22m subscribers on their platform and TED as a conference has come a long way, it has gravitas.
Speaking of her project: “What we want to do is bring visibility to science, bring visibility to the Randall centre for cell molecular biophysics at King's College.”
She chose her “heroine Rosalind Franklin” as the basis of the project as “during her time she wasn’t acknowledged and this is very important for us now.”
Another speaker Saba Youssef is the director of Nanotera Group which invests in start-up technologies and launch the products with “blue chip companies and government around the world to help them remediate environmental companies at tiny costs”.
She spoke about being a woman in STEM: “I want to highlight that being a woman in business isn’t easy but I want to motivate other women to go for it and to know that they can also do it.”
“TED is a respected source and medium of communication and we are so happy that we get our message across to so many people because there are some people that my message won’t reach but TED can reach.”
The conference also featured three performers including Scottish musician Josephine Sillars, Glasgow-based band Dogtooth, and singer Marysia Trembecka.
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Inspirational consultant Ross Reekie also spoke at the conference about creating meaning at work through taking “little leaps” every day.
He said: “TED is synonymous with good ideas and spreading messages and I think it is a force for positive good in the world.”
Other speakers at the conference were Chocolate Tree founder Alistair Gower, inspirational speaker Ciara Jean Roberts, fashion designer Jeff Garner, and CEO of Hydrogen Mike Scott.
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