The people behind TEDxDelft | Ailie Conor | Keeping it cool

TEDx Delft Profile-48Communicating with the audience is a key activity for TEDxDelft.. Meet Ailie Conor, the TEDxDelft Communications Manager for social media, who oversees all of the content that goes on the social media accounts for TEDxDelft.

“I have always enjoyed TED talks, and TEDxDelft is one of the more accessible TEDx events around, which piqued my interest – and it seemed like a great way to hear some cool ideas, and meet even cooler people!” Conor explained, when asked why she initially joined the team. And it’s a great thing that she did, because of her extensive background in journalism and creative writing, Conor made an excellent addition to the team. She moved up quickly from assisting as a social media volunteer at the main event, to taking over all of the TEDxDelft social media, which entails planning the content throughout the year, and live-posting during the events.

A lot of patience and coordination is required to fulfil this role. If you go to any TEDxDelft event, you will be sure to see Conor glued to her computer keeping the TEDxDelft audience tuned in to everything they need to know about the event that day. It is a lot of work and certainly a challenge, but count on Conor to keep her cool and deliver every single time.

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

Not that long, only around 8 months.

You worked as a volunteer for the social media during TEDxDelft 2015 and TEDxDelft Women. Who is your favorite speaker from a previous TEDxDelft conference and why?

From TEDxDelft Women, I really enjoyed the talk by Dr. Sheetal Shah, about ‘Education in the Real World’. It’s so important to contextualise learning, and to teach students that there is no singular human experience.

Theoretically if you could choose any one person, historical or fictional, to give a talk at TEDxDelft who would it be and why?

I was reading the other day about Ching Shih, a woman in Qing China who was also a formidable pirate – she was a badass and I am pretty sure she would have some ideas worth spreading.

Are there any hobbies you secretly enjoy outside of work?

I love gaming, board games and video games. Me and a group of friends play D&D on the regs.

If you could give a TEDx talk, what would you talk about?

If I had to give one, it would probably be ‘It’s okay to be angry’. Being angry about certain things doesn’t make you irrational, or delegitimise what you have to say – although I think this is a message we give out as a society.

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The People Behind TEDxDelft | Pierre Mathieu | Setting the stage one post at a time

TEDx Delft Profile-62TEDxDelft is more than just a one-day event, with various events taking place throughout the year. The blog is a great place to come and read about what is going on with TEDxDelft. Because this is such an important aspect of the TEDxDelft brand, Pierre Mathieu, Communications Manager for the blog, takes his job very seriously and ensures our audience is always informed.

About this time last year, he started as a blogger with the TEDxDelft team, and now he oversees the entire blog. “The blog’s main aims are to create awareness for our events, present the speakers and the TEDxDelft organisation,” Mathieu explains. As the blog coordinator, he manages a tight schedule of planning, assigning and even writing the blog posts for the TEDxDelft website. But the work alone isn’t what keeps Mathieu so excited about his new role. “The team I worked with was great and the talks were very interesting, so I was eager to continue working with the organisation as a blogger.”

Having signed on initially to improve his writing skills, it’s safe to say he has definitely done that and more. This blog seamlessly delivers all TEDxDelft news because of the hard work Mathieu puts into it. The 2015-2016 TEDxDelft season will be a busy one, but you can be sure that he will keep the posts coming and the audience continuously informed.

How long have you been a part of the TEDxDelft team?
I started January 2015.

Who is your favourite speaker from a previous TEDxDelft conference and why?
I would have to go with Mileha Soneji, and her talk on how empathy can be the key to innovation. The thing that struck me most about her talk was how a seemingly simple idea could greatly help people with Parkinson’s disease in their everyday lives.

Theoretically, if you could choose any one person, historical or fictional, to give a talk at TEDxDelft who would it be and why?
Ayrton Senna, the former Formula 1 driver. Not for his achievements, but for his outlook on life. He had strong convictions, did a lot for impoverished children in Brazil, and would talk about racing as a means to learn more about himself. I think he would have some very interesting insights.

Are there any hobbies you secretly enjoy outside of work?
I like to write fiction, to create new worlds filled with interesting characters and stories.

If you could give a TEDx talk, what would you talk about?
I have no idea.

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TEDxDelft 2015-2016 | TEDxDelft Cinema | Public speaking

Cinema event

On Thursday 19 November people gathered at the Rietveld Theater to participate in the first TEDxDelft Cinema event. Visitors were warmly greeted by Rachel Richardson, Engagement Coordinator for TEDxDelft, who introduced the evening’s topic of Public Speaking.

This topic was chosen by Caryn ’t Hart de Wijckerslooth, Head Curator, who joined her on stage. She chose this theme because as a communications lecturer she deals with this topic regularly. “[It] is something we all have to do, but fear the most.” But speaking one’s mind is something that everyone should be able to do. Especially since it’s a great way to convey ideas. Something which was illustrated by her first pick for a TEDx talk: Nancy Duarte’s “The secret structure of great talks.”

According to ’t Hart there are a few important elements to keep in mind. A lot of emphasis is put on body language, with studies claiming that 55{95388bbb2e9df0f2b3d26445fc24fe82185b1b567dbb094bc3a45074083d0a2b} or more of a message is conveyed by it. ’t Hart is not quite as certain, however. “You can use your body language wisely, but do not overanalyse it.” She does not think its value can really be quantified, rather it depends on the person. “Do what works well for you,” is her advice.

Public speaking can be a scary thing, and ’t Hart admits even she can still get a bit nervous before starting a presentation. But what is important is to keep going nevertheless. “Do not fight the anxiety, do not worry about errors, just get on with the talk,” she says. You can convey an important message, a powerful message, and everyone deserves to share theirs. “If all people had a chance to tell their story, the world would be a better place.”

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The people behind TEDxDelft | Lidwien Post | Calling all hands on deck

Lidwien profile 2Coordinating various activities for an event involves a lot of organizational skills and Lidwien Post is no stranger to the nitty gritty of organizing a TEDx event. The position of Volunteer Coordinator should therefore suit Post, who works both as a Presentation Coordinator and civil servant, very well.

As coordinator, Post manages the volunteer team and ensures that all the activities for a TEDx event run smoothly and without any glitches. An event such as TEDxDelft requires a team of dedicated volunteers for its various enterprises and activities. And coordinating them requires management and organizational skills, which Post should have in abundance, given her experience working as a Presentation Coordinator at the Rietveld Theater.

Post heard about TEDxDelft when she met Molly Quell, project manager, while preparations were ongoing at the theater for last year’s TEDxDelft Women. During the summer she was asked to join the organisation, a question she did not need long to think about. “It was great to contribute to the TEDxDellft Women event and when Molly Quell asked if I wanted to join TEDxDelft, I immediately said yes,” she said. Given her previous experience coordinating events, there is no doubt Post is ready to take on the challenges of helping coordinate a TEDx event and make it a huge success.

How long have you been a part of the TEDxDelft team?
It is now just a few months.

Who is your favourite speaker from a previous TEDxDelft conference and why?
I must admit, I have not watched any of them.

Theoretically if you could choose any one person, historical or fictional, to give a talk at TEDxDelft who would it be and why?
In preparation to this interview I watched Tedx Talk Amsterdam. I really was under the impression of the talk of Michaele DePrince but also of George Vaillant. Very impressive life changing stories and a way to think about how to become or help somebody to become a loving personality.

Are there any hobbies you secretly enjoy outside of work?
Yoga, making pastries and working in the garden. But that is not a secret. Spending time with friends and family. Being loved and giving love.

If you could give a TEDx talk, what would you talk about?
Gee, that is a difficult one. I think I will pass this one. Oh no. “Take care of yourself!” If you can embrace who you are with all your quirks, people will love you and you will love them back for it!

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The people behind TEDxDelft | Sylvia Walsarie Wolff | Providing peace of mind

Sylvia profileFor any TEDxDelft event the speakers are the main component, so ensuring their needs are taken care of is a key priority. This year it falls to our Speaker Liaison, Sylvia Walsarie Wolff, Project Manager Educational and Student Affairs, to ensure the speakers are looked after.

“I take care of all practical and organisational issues the speakers might have,” Walsarie explains. Whereas the Speaker Coaches help prepare the talks, they might also have other requests or queries. In these cases Walsarie is there to assist, making sure that the speakers have nothing to worry about and can focus on delivering their talks as best as they can. It is a role she is already very familiar with, having served the same function during the previous event, which she clearly relishes. “[It] is the best job of the team,” she says.

Working for TEDxDelft is something that already motivates Walsarie in and of itself. “The people, the atmosphere, doing something completely different, stepping out of my comfort zone,” she replies when asked why she joined the organisation. Given the demands of the role, there can be no doubt that the position of Speaker Liaison will be every bit as inspiring to her. With Walsarie looking after the speakers, all they will have to do is focus on giving the talks of their lives.

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

I coordinated the entrance & wardrobe volunteers team in 2013, and was asked as Speaker Liaison for the February 2015 event.

Who is your favourite speaker from a previous TEDxDelft conference and why?

I was most surprised by Shou-En Zhu. He fell asleep backstage and I had to wake him up half an hour before his talk. He managed to entertain the audience with ‘Getting to grips with graphene.’

Theoretically if you could choose any one person, historical or fictional, to give a talk at TEDxDelft who would it be and why?

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, because I think she is a beautiful and strong woman who managed to pick up a life after losing her unfaithful husband in the most horrible way.

Are there any hobbies you secretly enjoy outside of work? 

I dream of having a vintage fashion hangout where I serve jasmine tea and homemade Indonesian snacks.

If you could give a TEDx talk, what would you talk about?

I could never give a TEDx talk.

 

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The people behind TEDxDelft | Jonathan Talbott | Ensuring gold standard talks

Jonathan Talbot profileBehind every successful TED talk, there is a coach who makes sure that the speaker is at his or her absolute best on D-day. For TEDxDelft, that person is the Head Coach for speakers Jonathan Talbott. In this role, Talbott, founder of Talbott International Presentations, will be the architect behind many of its mind blowing talks.

Talbott joined the organisation in November 2014 and has since helped prepare many talks for a variety of TEDxDelft events organised during the past year. Given his background, Talbott seems like a good fit for his current role, helping people bring out their message as best as possible. “I want to be sure that, if someone has an idea worth spreading, it gets spread.” Talbott explains, when asked how he identifies himself with TED. As the head coach, he organizes his team of ten speaker coaches and together, they support the speakers as they develop, rehearse and intensify their TEDx talks.

It is no surprise then that the reason Talbott got involved with TEDxDelft was the quality of the talks. “TEDx talks are the gold standard for presentations.” he explains. It will be up to Talbott and his team to ensure that the speakers for this season’s events will make as big an impact as possible on stage. Which is no mean feat, given the limited amount of time the speakers have to present their idea. But with someone who is as engaged with the platform as Talbott is, count on him to uphold those gold standards for yet another season.

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

I joined TEDxDelft in November 2014 and have worked with speakers at the 2015 main event, as well as for TEDxDelft Women, and all of last year’s Salons.

Who is your favourite speaker from a previous TEDxDelft conference and why?

That’s like making me choose between my children! I watched these talks get born, take their first steps and then go out into the world. But I can think of 4 speakers from TEDxDelft stages in the last year, who blew me away with great ideas and gave extraordinary presentations:

Dorothy Grandia (TEDxDelft Women) who went from the personal to the global while convincing us that “we have confident leaders, we need competent ones.”

Mileha Soneji (TEDxDelft 2015) who showed us what a “smarter world with simple solutions” could look like.

Sofia Teixeira de Freitas. (TEDxDelft Salon, October 2015) used examples about building better airplanes, but really told us about why changing to sustainable materials is difficult. It was an emotional scientific talk.

Simone Filipini (TEDxDelft Women) started off with “The world’s on fire and I’m pissed off!” and went on to encourage us to demand accountability from world leaders. Watch it and you’ll be on your feet, rushing to the barricades.

Theoretically if you could choose any one person, historical or fictional, to give a talk at TEDxDelft who would it be and why?

I think that Albus Dumbledore would give a pretty interesting talk about inter-community relations. Cordelia, the youngest daughter of King Lear, would be able to tell us a thing or two about the complexity of human relations, as well.

Are there any hobbies you secretly enjoy outside of work?

Well, there is the great big dome-shaped clay bread oven that I spent the last two summers building in Canada. And the renaissance and baroque violin career.

If you could give a TEDx talk, what would you talk about?

That’s a secret!

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TEDxDelft 2015-2016 | TEDxDelft Cinema | Public speaking

 

TEDxDelft Events

On Thursday November 19 at 19:00 TEDxDelft will host its first ever cinema event at the Rietveld Theater. The theme for the event will be public speaking. Come join us for an evening of inspiring TED videos, a good movie, and an audience with interesting thoughts to share on the evening’s topic.

The event will be held in English, and admission is free. Spread the word, invite your friends and family, and we will see you on November 19!

Special thanks to:

Rietveld Theater logo

Rietveld Theater

 

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