TEDxDelft Awards Winner

Earlier this evening, eight students from TU Delft presented their inspirational ideas at the TEDxDelft Award, an event organized in association with YES! Delft Students. A jury panel, which included Rector Karel Luyben, voted for the best speaker of the night.

Indian student Mileha Soneji’s won the jury award and the audience poll for her simple yet powerful staircase solution to make things easier for those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. Empathy, said Soneji, can often lead to ideas that make lives better. She will now be one of the speakers at the main TEDxDelft 2015 event on February 27.

Improving lives is the goal of the other speakers as well. Dorine Dulves is working on a way to make buildings safer and Sander Hulsman wants to use unmanned flight vehicles for better search and rescue ops. Gautham Ram showed us why sand can be the solution for everything, while Giuseppe Coreale thinks plasma is the way forward. Marco Galli’s DIY-home is a novel idea for temporary shelters in crisis hit areas while Devin Malone’s one night tent is a step forward for sustainability.

Hosted at the YES Delft facility, the presentation area was designed to be reminiscent of a flight and airport lounge. There were in-flight references and jokes in keeping with the theme of the night. A choir, a poet and a band also performed.

Iris Kramer Headshot

“I only want to see happy faces on the day of the event,” says Iris Kramer, Event Production Manager at TEDxDelft. Having studied at TU Delft for the last five years, Kramer has mastered the intricacies of event management as an active member of several student boards and committees. “I love to organize these events. That is why I wanted to get involved with TEDxDelft.”

Born and raised in the Northern countryside of Friesland, Kramer moved to Delft to study Architecture and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Real Estate and Housing. She hopes that her organizational skills and experience will be put to good use during the run-up to the big day.

“Since this is my first year working on the TEDxDelft event, everything is new to me and I need to discover what needs to be done,” Kramer shares. “However, everybody at TEDxDelft is motivated and driven, which makes it really rewarding to put a lot of effort into the event!” Indeed, Kramer’s ultimate goal is to make this year’s theme stand out, not only through the various talks, but also during the TEDxDelft event as a whole.

1. What is your role at TEDxDelft? 

As Event Production Manager, I am responsible for everything that happens outside of the theatre. I fulfill the job together with my co-manager Dominique Riley.

2. Why did you get involved with the organization?

Currently, I am a Master student at the TU Delft. I love studying and everything that comes with it. This leads to an enormous amount of curiosity. TED talks give me a lot of inspiration and drive to work. This is why I wanted to get involved with the organization of the TEDx event in Delft.

3. How long have you been a part of the TEDxDelft team?

Since September, we officially started as Event Production Managers for the 2015 TEDxDelft event.

4. If you could choose one person to give a talk at TEDxDelft, who would it be and why?

This would be someone I do not already know and I have never heard of. I love to watch new talks by persons that are unknown to me but do have an amazing story. By hearing about new things, I get inspired to keep thinking and innovating.

5. What’s your nerdy little secret?

I love everything that includes the combination of creativity and technology.

Annelies Gras Headshot

“I’m very excited!” says Annelies Gras, Marketing and Communications Manager for TEDxDelft. As the newest member of the team, Gras is thrilled to be a part of the organization and is eager to get to work. “The people at TEDxDelft are very energetic and enthusiastic, and I felt welcome right away. I started a few weeks ago and I was immediately thrown in the deep-end. That’s probably the best way to get involved. Just do it!”

When she’s not spreading the word on the upcoming TEDxDelft event or pushing herself to the limit during her weekly boot camp sessions, Gras serves as an independent marketing and communications professional. In 2012, she established her own firm Vers Gras Communicatie and has been working with several businesses and institutions across the Netherlands. Naturally, Gras brings her expertise to the TEDxDelft team, encouraging various organizations and the media to get involved with the event.

“It will be very different to attend TEDxDelft as one of the organizers,” Gras shares. “During the past three years, I attended the event as visitor. Now, I expect to see fewer talks. On the other hand, I look forward to enjoying TEDxDelft from behind-the-scenes. This year’s line-up of speakers is very interesting, so I think the event will be amazing!”

What is your role at TEDxDelft?

I am responsible for all marketing en communications activities. My focus is mainly on the offline marketing and communications activities, Molly focuses on online communication. I try to generate free publicity and i want to make sure that TEDxDelft is visible in the city of Delft. Molly and i work together to make sure we communicate adequate on all platforms.

Why did you get involved with the organization?

I visited all TEDxDelft events so far and I really enjoy the event and the vibe around it. A few weeks ago Antoinette send me an email to let me know that the TEDxDelft team was looking for a marketing and communications coordinator and i replied immediately.

How long have you been a part of the TEDxDelft team?

A few weeks.

If you could choose one person to give a talk at TEDxDelft, who would it be and why?

I would like to invite Noella de Jager. She’s believes in the power of self employed women. Ze has created a work environment where women can outshine and help each other to grow as entrepreneur. She is an expert in creating a meaningfull community.

What’s your nerdy little secret?

Recently a bought a record player and i love to be at home and create a nostalgic atmosphere while i listen to old records.

Dr. Paula Johnson. TEDWomen 2013, SF Jazz Center, San Francisco, CA, December 5, 2013. Photo: Kristoffer Heacox (image from TED.com)

Dr. Paula Johnson. TEDWomen 2013, SF Jazz Center, San Francisco, CA, December 5, 2013. Photo: Kristoffer Heacox (image from TED.com)

In May 2015, Delft will host its very first TEDxDelftWomen event. Inspired by TEDWomen, this event will also explore the ‘power of women and girls to be creators and change-makers’ in their respective fields.

The idea for TEDxDelft Women struck Manuela Damant (an NLP master coach & trainer who runs her own Coaching & Training company) and Sarah Brown (a cyber security expert with Fox-IT who formerly worked with NATO) during the course of a Lean-In circle they organise in Delft. They approached TEDxDelft’s online media coordinator Molly Quell, who in turn applied for and was awarded the official license for TEDxDelftWomen.

“The event is open to anyone who is interested in the empowerment of women, the issues faced by them and supporting them within whatever framework they occupy. Our aim is to have women from across a broad spectrum share they stories of success and strife,” said Quell.

The event will be held on May 29. “There is a TEDWomen event from May 27-29 and all related events world-over have to be held 24-hours within that timeline.”

Currently the team is working out a theme for the event, the venue and the list of speakers. They are also looking for volunteers, so anyone interested can write to molly@tedxdelft.nl.

The event will be ticketed, but it will be held in English and is open to everyone.

The TEDxDelft team is getting busier and busier. As we inch towards the big event (February 27 – save the date!), there are TEDxDelft salons, innovation awards and lots of other exciting stuff coming up. To ensure that you get the news about them all subscribe to our newsletter today!

The newsletter will highlight upcoming events and current news, linking you to our website or Facebook page for further information. It will also showcase presentations from previous TedxDelft events and have information related to registering and buying tickets for various events.

Going out monthly (or twice a month) at the moment, it’s a nice little hub to on what’s going on at TEDxDelft. Sign up for it on our website and, as they said at TED, ‘get inspiration delivered straight to you’.

Rob Speekenbrink Headshot

“My job is to curate, motivate and mediate,” says Rob Speekenbrink, co-founder and Chairman of TEDxDelft. Since 2010, the long-standing Delft resident and father of two has devoted much of his time and energy to the organization and in making each TEDxDelft event a success. “[Four years ago,] a few colleagues and I decided to strive to get TEDx to Delft,” Speekenbrink shares. “I feel it is my job to make sure TEDxDelft is going to be what it can be.”

As a user interface designer and online media consultant for TU Delft, Speekenbrink understands how technology, design and creativity actively shape the world we live in. His favorite TEDx talks discuss the way we view education, the future of user interface design and how to follow your passion. That the Internet will replace local politics in 50 years time is a unique idea he believes is worth spreading.

Apart from overseeing the official TEDxDelft brand, Speekenbrink is also involved in the selection of speakers and performers, making sure that each talk is in-line with the event’s annual theme. “This year, people can expect a very surprising line-up, with speakers and acts that you normally won’t see on a stage,” Speekenbrink says.  “They can expect to be amazed and be made to think.”

What is your role at TEDxDelft?

I am the licensee of TEDxDelft and therefore responsible for the TEDxDelft brand. This also means I am the contact person for TED in Delft. I’m one of three people responsible for selecting speakers and performers. There are three curators to make sure we pick the right ones.

Why did you get involved with the organization?

I founded TEDxDelft in 2010, together with Simone de Jong, and formed the team that organised the first TEDxDelft in 2011. We decided to start TEDxDelft when we asked each other the question why there was no TEDx  in Delft and could not come up with an answer. By the time we found out what the answer was (it takes a lot of time and energy) we were already halfway to the first TEDxDelft event. We also found out that being involved in a TEDx event gives you lots of energy and positivism and is addictive.

How long have you been a part of the TEDxDelft team?

Since the very beginning.

If you could choose one person to give a talk at TEDxDelft, who would it be and why?

Thom Yorke. I think we all have music that we can link to intense periods in our lives. The voice that comforts me (and still does) is Thom Yorke’s. I know it sounds strange to a lot of people but I’m cheered up by the sound of Thom, Radiohead and Atoms for peace.

What’s your nerdy little secret?

I like to go geocaching with my family on the weekend, play with raspberry pi computers and will be launching my very own Hyves-like social network soon. I want to experience or use technology before I believe they do what they say it does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm9s50yCO3Q&feature=youtu.be

Inspiration doesn’t only come from experts. Students and PhD candidates at TU Delft have great ideas to share as well. On November 28, we will host the TEDxDelft Award event in association with YES Delft. A platform that gives students and PhDs a chance to talk about ideas that may well shape the future.

Speakers chosen for the event have attended several workshops to develop their ideas and pitching skills. At the event, they will compete for the final award and a chance to present their idea at TEDxDelft 2015. Speakers include Devin Malone (One night’s tent), Sander Hulsman (A novel aircraft design), Mileha Soneji (Small steps, big results), Giuseppe Coreale (All you need is plasma), Marco Galli (The e-box idea), Gautham Ram (The future’s energy carrier) and Dorine Duives (Be safe in buildings).

Jury members at the event include Rector Karel Luyben. Tickets cost on 7.50 euros and can be booked in advance.

When: November 28, 16:00

Where: Molengraffsingel 12-14, 2629 JD Delft

Tickets: 7.50 euros

Book them online here. 

As you wait for the big event on February 27, 2015, TEDxDelft has a series of smaller, more gezelig talks for you. Called Salons, the events will be held at the Theatre de Veste and are being organized in association with Stadium Generale, TU Delft.

With a smaller crowd of about hundred guests, informal discussions on the topic of the day are encouraged afterwards. Topics from previous years include Lust For Speed, Democracy in the Digital Age and 50 Shades of Concrete.

From 15:00 to 17:00, the Salons will be held on January 25, March 8, and April 12.

While speakers are yet to be decided, the event will be FREE.

 

 

Molly Quell Headshot“Motivating a large group of people is always a challenge,” says Molly Quell, Online Media Coordinator for TEDxDelft. As a Social Media Consultant and the International Editor of TU Delft’s official campus magazine TU Delta, Quell is no stranger to the complexities of people management. “I think both the most challenging and rewarding part of my job are the same, which is managing the great team of international volunteers we have who oversee the online content,” Quell claims. “However, seeing the great work that they do at the end of the day is a great reward.”

Over the last three years, Quell has brought her wealth of experience and expertise in Marketing and Communications to the TEDxDelft Team. Besides maintaining the organization’s online presence, she also manages the web care team, which provides regular updates on the event as well as unique insights into the mind of each speaker. “The most exciting part for me is the live blogging and social media updates on the day of the conference,” Quell says. “This year, there will be a very interesting and inspiring group of speakers with ideas worth sharing.”

What is your role at TEDxDelft?

I’m the Online Media Coordinator so I’m responsible for our online presence as well as manage the web care team on the day of the event. I’m also the designated “native English speaker” so I answer a lot of strange questions about grammar.

Why did you get involved with the organization?

Like a lot of people, I got involved because of Rob Speekenbrink. We’re colleagues at TU Delft and I had enjoyed working with him on a number of projects. He asked me to be a part of the team, giving me the opportunity to do the work that I most enjoy.

How long have you been a part of the TEDxDelft Team?

I’ve been working with TEDxDelft for three years.

If you could choose one person to give a talk at TEDxDelft, who would it be and why?

I realize that this will sound corny, but my dad. He’s lived this very interesting life and always has great stories to tell. I find myself referring back to a lot of life lessons he passed on via a humorous anecdote.

What’s your nerdy little secret?

I try so hard to keep these under wraps! I think what often surprises people the most is that I run Linux at home. I also have an obsession with the statistical analysis of [American] football.