TEDxDELFT 2015 | Edward Valstar | Joined at the hip

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“Every year, one and a half million people in the world are treated for osteoarthritis with hip prosthesis. Our aim is to make these hip replacements last for a lifetime” says Dr.Edward Valstar in his talk about a possible cure for this specific abnormality, which leads to the degradation of joints in human body.

With an MSc in Mechanical engineering and a PhD in the imaging of orthopaedic implants, Valstar’s interest lies in combining engineering and medicine. As a professor in Orthopaedics at the Leiden University Medical Center and an Antonie van Leeuwenhoek professor at the Department of Biomechanical Engineering in TU Delft, Valstar’s focus is on the implantation of artificial joints in the hips and the knees. As much a good Samaritan he is, Valstar quite enjoys stage presentations and reaching out to a wide audience.

According to the professor, the most important challenge in regard to hip replacement surgeries is that it fails in a few years, due to the formation of a scar tissue around the area where the prosthesis is done. But why does it fail?

“The artificial implants function in a harsh environment, where peak loads act regularly, leading to failure. No hip prosthesis lasts for more than 30 years” explains Valstar. He says that extensive and prospective research is being carried out on possible solutions to this issue, which include shredding the tissue into tiny pieces with a high pressure jet of water or turning the tissue into bone, which is along the lines of “turning waste into gold”.

“The number of patients are on the rise. We have to accept loading and eliminate the need for revision surgery. We have to improve hip prosthesis.” This is Valstar’s mission for the greater good.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Elisa Giaccardi | A day in the life of a kettle

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“What if your kettle could go online, spy on you, and demand to resign?” Elisa Giaccardi asks. Conventional design processes have always belonged to designers and later the people that use the objects. Giaccardi argues that now, it is time the objects got involved in the process.

In her daily life she is a Professor of Interactive Media Design at the TU Delft Department of Industrial Design. In addition to her affinity with design, she has been working with Thing Tank, a platform that aims to design products, which can themselves become part of the design process.

It was about a year ago, while participating at a workshop that the idea hit. “What if things become part of the design process?” Giaccardi asks. “Can things design things?” Companies add internet connectivity to more and more items, to transmit data and work more efficiently – a development known as the internet of things. Giaccardi took it one step further and combined three items commonly used together:  a kettle,a  fridge and a cup and nicknamed it the KFC approach. Cameras were stuck to these common household items to observe how they were used.

What became clear was that objects designed with one purpose in mind turn out to have several. A cup is not just confined to the kitchen, but moves around the house forming relationships with other household items. The time it takes for a kettle to boil water opens up time for people to read the newspaper or do push-ups. The question then is whether objects are actually designed with an optimal use in mind.

In the end, Giaccardi is convinced that this approach opens up new design possibilities. “I believe that things have a different opinion on how they would be designed,” she says. “Where designers see misuse of an item, it provides an untapped resource for design.”

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TEDxDELFT 2015 | Gerardo Soto y Koelemeijer | Let’s change math education

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“Welcome to math class,” were the words of the mathematician Gerardo Soto y Koelemeijer, as he made his poetic walk across the TEDxDelft stage. After all, the next 540 seconds on the stage were indeed his’.

Working as a Math teacher at a secondary school in Haarlem, Soto y Koelemeijer completed his PhD in Mathematical Systems Theory from TU Delft. Later, as he found a proclivity towards literature and culture, he graduated in Languages ​​and Cultures of Latin America at the University of Leiden. He has also has two novels to his name.

Given the multifaceted person that he is, Soto y Koelemeijer, with reference to some famous theories of the past, sheds light on the complexity that math projects projected to most individuals, including the great mathematicians. He says, “Imaginary numbers are mental tortures. Too many students do not follow math due to its complexity. I like to read math and imagine stories on it. After all, math has been an important element of human culture for thousands of years.” With his expertise in such diverse fields, Soto y Koelemeijer relates the various elements of math to culture and literature, and how they complement one another. He focusses on modifying the way math is taught, inclining it more towards creativity.

“In my lectures I tell stories, instead of explaining theorems and proofs as such. Without stories, I feel, some important parts are left out and become unaddressed.” All the more reason why he feels that math and culture are two ends of the same twine.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Kor van Velzen | Creativity and change

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“When I was a boy, I was sure I wanted to be an actor. And I wanted to be a writer, a painter, or a famous singer, ” says Kor van Velzen. But then the Sixties came and along and with it, Saints Paul, John, George, and Ringo. A priest cannot be rebellious and so van Velzen embraced the change that had become apparent in society.

Since his days as a priest, Van Velzen has worn many other hats: artist, advisor and songwriter. In fact, creativity is no stranger to the Van Velzen household, as he is the father of well known Dutch singer-songwriter Roel van Velzen.

Having left the seminary, Van Velzen enrolled at Art School and afterwards, became an illustrator for an advertising agency. But drawing up soup cans and happy families was not all he wanted. It was the creative process behind it that appealed to him. So he became a copy writer and later a Creative Director of the agency, until van Velzen realised that it was not what he had hoped it would be. “I was slowly betraying myself for the sake of king client,” van Velzen explains.

What had become clear to Van Velzen, however, was that change was part of him. It was his karma. Whether it was the attitude of people during the Sixties or the birth of his son, change happened and happens all the time. Many find change daunting, people will all too frequently use phrases to convey a sense of how things used to be better back in the day. Van Velzen argues, however, that people should look at it more positively. “Embrace the changes. They keep you fit so you can adjust to and overcome obstacles,” he says. “They feed your creativity and they keep you alive.” What people need is courage, to take the leap move forward instead of trying to hold on to how it used to be. “Don’t look back on what you leave behind, all you need is a change of mind.”

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TEDxDelft Women | May 29, 2015 | Coming soon

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If you’re already getting withdrawal symptoms at the thought of waiting another year for the next TEDxDelft event, don’t panic! There’s another one coming in just three months.

“Feminism has come and gone. Women are finally treated equally, earn the same salaries and get the same opportunities as their male colleagues, and basically, can have it all.” Right? Wrong! Somehow things are not quite there yet and that’s reason enough for the first TEDxDelft Women’s event to be held this May 29, 2015.

“The idea of running a separate TEDxDelft Women event came out of the first women’s circle that we started in Delft last July,” says Manuela Damant, co-founder of the event. “The aim of the circle was to bring together a bunch of awesome women to inspire and support each other, both at work and at home.” This type of mutual support system helps women to feel more confidant in trying to achieve their specific goals.

Right here and now at TEDxDelft 2015, in each of the three breaks, there are women’s workshops. Here people – of both sexes – can discuss such things such as why they think there are still too few women in top positions, what needs to be done to increase those numbers, and how each person can help.

“And yes, all of you men should answer these questions,” says Damant, “as we can only change the status quo when we all together. This is not She against He, this is She WITH He! We need you guys to work with us.”

The theme of this year’s event is authenticity and the team is currently working to organize 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. So join us for the first TEDxDelft Women on May 29, 2015.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Suzanne Ma | Striving to become a ‘newcomer’

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“Welcoming newcomers isn’t enough. We need to become newcomers ourselves.” This is what Suzanne Ma wants to impart. Born and raised in Canada, the Chinese-Canadian journalist recently published a book entitled, “Meet me in Venice”, in which she chronicles the life of Chinese  ‘newcomers’ in Europe.

Ma is well known nationally in Netherlands for her strong stand against Dutch society’s prevalent acceptance of racism. Her opinion in the Dutch newspaper ‘De Volkskrant’ sparked a heated national debate. Referring to the racial comment made by a Dutch celebrity in a popular television show, Ma loudly protested. “This [incident] spelt two big problems. One: lack of empathy. Two: widespread complacency.” She then came up with what might be a solution. “To feel like an outsider has taught me the importance of welcoming [newcomers]”.

Ma took a huge step by quitting her comfortable job in Manhattan to move to the countryside in eastern China. She believes that by becoming a newcomer herself, the grueling hardship would help her acquire new eyes and appreciate her life more.

Now, she has taken this idea to a whole new level. For the last five years, Ma’s research into Chinese newcomers in the midst of European migration has given way to her becoming a newcomer herself. In retrospect, when she compared her own experience to her Chinese counterparts, an unintelligible dialect and being constant “ripped-offed” by the locals were obstacles she faced, even though she herself was Chinese.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Hilda Ruijs | “Ghost”

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Being born in a musical family, it is no wonder that Hilda Ruijs started playing musical instruments at a young age. Her musical skills range from playing the violin, guitar and piano, to singing classical music and composing her own songs. Today, the BN DeStem Culture Award finalist was invited to showcase her composition during TEDxDelft 2015.

Here is an excerpt of Hilda’s personal favourite song Ghosts, which she played today:

“The ghosts are back in town
Singing ther own happy ever after song
Can you hear them singing?”

“The music I played just now was composed for a friend of mine to show that so-called ghost -feelings either negative or positive, but purest in its form- may come and go. It is up to you how you take them,” Ruijs says. Some would describe her beautiful piece as enigmatic and cryptic to listen to.

Although she is a music lover, Ruijs also uses her creativity in another spectrum: the sciences. ”Music is math isn’t it?” This a testament to her fondness towards both. Today, she uses her creativity in the field of Industrial Design Engineering, as a student at TU Delft. There, she is managing well to combine her technical workload with aspirations in her field of creativity. One day, she hopes that she will be able to express herself in both science and her music.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Jojanneke van den Bosch | Helping the Invisible

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“On Valentines Day, I received my first Valentines Day card.  I was 14 years old.” It read:

“Dear Harry,
I really like you.  Please do not tell our classmates.
P.S. Greetings to your mom.”

The following day, Jojanneke van den Bosch’s mother died of lung cancer.  Her father passed away five months before.  She and her sister were unable to find a foster family because her sister was 18 years old.  Fighting for their home because they were not on the lease, they had to sell nearly all of their belongings. It was as if they were walking a tightrope and hoping to make it to the other side without falling off.

In deciding to move to a new location and to start anew, she moved to Delft.  There, she went to a new school and made new friends.  Interestingly enough, one of her newly-made friends invited Jojanneke over to her house.  When her friend’s family dropped her off home, they saw her living conditions and decided to help.

This family that was right there, taught her three important things in philanthropy, especially for orphans living in the Western World. They noticed her and her struggles, and revealed what was being hidden so well. They helped her facilitate a short-term solution and empowered her and showed her how to do things for herself wisely. They were her cheerleaders.

“Are you the one watching the orphan walk the tightrope way up high, or are on the ground holding the safety net?” Van den Bosch asks. We all can make the lives of those easier by simply just doing these three things.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Puck Meerburg | Turning the conventional into state-of-the-art

 

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“Hello world! This year I celebrate my tenth anniversary as a programmer.” That is how Puck Meerburg greets the audience. Meerburg is clearly a digital native. He was developing iPhone apps at the age of ten, and already has fifteen apps to his name. Now, at fifteen, he has joined a team that is actually developing a whole new Operating System for Mac and PC. You can’t help but wonder what he will be doing in five or ten years time.

“When I was five, my parents bought me a computer, so I wouldn’t interfere with theirs that contained the work stuff.” This meant he could do whatever what he wanted with it. And at the of six, he was able to write code in javascript and programme small websites. He spent all his time learning code. The computer was his playground. “I even coded on paper, when I was away from my computer,” he confesses. And when the playground Twister dial had broken in school, he simple created a digital one.

Meerburg compares learning to programme with learning languages. “First you learn the letters, then the words, and then you can make sentences,” he explains. He wonders why coding is not a regular subject in school. “Once you know the basics of programming, you can develop your beta skills.” Computational thinking, for example.

To show the audience how easy it is, he programs a maze-solving robot on stage. “You just divide problems into bite-sized ones and solve those.” Despite the ease with which he does it, he undoubtedly keeps most of the audience baffled, or in awe at the least.

“Kids in school get only thirty-five hours of computer science each year, learning to surf the internet and use powerpoint,” he argues. “But they spend a thousand hours learning languages.“ Meerburg feels all children should learn programming in school, even if they are not planning on becoming programmers. Why? “It will give them more understanding of the digitized world we live in, and they will also become better thinkers.”

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Mileha Soneji | Empathy is the Key to Great Innovation

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Mileha had an uncle who used to always have games for the children.  She remembers that “used to be there, jumping around with us kids, making us have the time of our lives…but then I saw healthy and hardy person deteriorate. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.” Parkinson’s is a disease that causes degeneration of the nervous system that makes a once-independent person start to find every-day tasks (like drinking coffee and walking) more difficult.  Her uncle, who used to be the center of attention, was soon hiding behind people.

Mileha, a product designer, Masters Student at TU Delft and winner of this year’s TEDxDelft award, decided she wanted to help her uncle. Her goal was not to cure Parkinson’s, but instead to make the everyday tasks of those living with Parkinson’s much easier.

She first looked at helping her uncle with his tremors and drinking.  She designed a no-spill cup to aid in this process. One day, she questioned how her uncle walked up and down the stairs.  Surprisingly, he was able to do this without any problem, but as soon as he stopped, he had trouble walking again.  She decided to apply a “staircase illusion” to the floor by having the illusion of a staircase flowing throughout her uncle’s house.  To her surprise, this simple solution was able to help her uncle move around the house faster and easier.

Still working on her goal of helping those with Parkinson’s live easier lives, she advocates the idea of “a humand-centered solution.”  Technology might not always be the immediate answer, but perhaps a small, simple solutions can have a large impact.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Sodexo | Catering with health in mind

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TEDxDelft is sponsored and catered by the huge French company Sodexo. The theme this year is food without waste.

One of the great challenges of working in an international setting is getting the food right. People have many different tastes and cultural backgrounds, so doing the catering is already quite demanding, even without additional preferences like vegetarianism and veganism.

Still, Sodexo is well used to what they call ‘Worldwide Food’. Sales assistant Cinderella Wielrink says, “We cater for the whole of Technical University here in Delft. And using questionnaires, we ask our students, including the internationals, what they want and how they would change the menus.”At TEDxDelft 2015, Sodexo is bringing locally sourced, sustainable dishes to the audience.

On the menu today is a lot of waste-free vegetarian food: bowls of red vegetables; bread rolls with mixed vegetables; maize and pumpkin soup; spinach and white cheese tarts; and for the Dutch clientele, Boerenkool met smoked sausage. That’s curly kale and mashed potato to you and me.

“We closely work with schools, hospitals and universities to make our food healthy and unique,” Wielrink explains” In fact, Sodexo is known for offer catering services to the most remote locations in the world, proving that they’re always up to the task.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Microsoft | Using technology creatively

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As one of the sponsors of TEDxDelft 2015, the Microsoft software company wanted to do more during the event. “Inspired by the world of technology,”says Marcel Timmer, Director for Developer Experience at Microsoft, “we invited various artists to come up with something more than a cardboard stand emblazoned with the name of the company.”

So today as you enter the TEDxDelft event, you’re struck straightaway by an eerie noise emanating from behind a set of black velvet curtains. Welcome to Nick Verstand’s art installation. Go behind the curtain and you see a large globe, apparently floating in space with beautiful colours, flowing across the surface in waves. As people move around the room, the patterns and colours change, interpreting people’s behaviour into fluid images.  In the words of its creator, this is “Imagination made real using technology”.

Another Microsoft stand is a display of tablets lit up with words like Music or Biotechnology. As a visitor, you can take down the tablet showing the word that speaks most to your heart or head, attach it to a big red heart or a head and then hold it in front of you, while you take a selfie using selfie stick. And throughout the day, all these will be uploaded on to the TEDxDelft Facebook site. Creator Micah Kessels explains that this reveals an extra dimension of who you are.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Andy Zaidman | Making testing fun

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“My two-year old son is the best tester in the world. He drops stuff on the floor, throws it against the wall and he watches what happens,” Andy Zaidman says. Though it might seem like a playful attitude, it is the thought behind it that counts and what he feels has been largely lost nowadays.

Zaidman has been interested in computer science and software in particular since he was a teenager, and that led him to earn a PhD at the University of Antwerp before becoming Associate Professor Software Engineering at TU Delft. His curiosity helped him appreciate the complexity of software, but also made him question why relatively little is being done to facilitate the testing of such complex systems.

Software updates have become more common in recent years to the point that people have become accustomed to simply accepting them. These are, for the most part, to fix bugs that exist within the current software version,which seems quite strange to Zaidman. “If car manufacturers would have to recall all their cars to fix a mistake, the costs of the recall would be huge,” he argues. In contrast, the process of releasing software that works properly straight out of the box has decreased to the point that it has become a nuisance when a bug has been found and needs to be fixed.

Testing software before its release is important, but undervalued by many. This could lead to costly errors such as the Ariane space vehicle blowing up within seconds after its launch or medication being applied in wrong doses. “It has become an intrinsic part in our lives, whether it is to pay at the cash register or to keep up with our social lives online,” Zaidman says. So why not test software? Zaidman believes gamification -essentially turning the testing process into a game that rewards good results based on identifying errors- could help make testing become fun again. It is a crucial part of the process and identifying mistakes will only help to improve the programmer and the software in the end – essentially using software to make software better.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Drum Cafe | Creating synergy through sound

 

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There were reportedly some issues with the heating system at the start of the event, but if anyone was still feeling cold after the performance of Drum Cafe, it was not for lack of trying by the band. Drum Cafe had the audience clapping, drumming, shouting and shaking to their hearts’ content. Stretching exercises were also included, and you were even encouraged to drum an ‘African massage’ on your neighbour’s shoulders. ‘To give every participant a new form of energy’ was their promise, and it certainly worked.

Drum Cafe has been whipping up audiences all over the world since 1996, during conferences, but also at corporate events. According to Drum Cafe, drumming is the most effective team building activity. That may just be true. Drumming seems to be hardwired in our systems. Melodies and songs can evoke all kinds of emotions, but drums go straight to the heart and make you want to move along.

And move the audience did, as much as their seats allowed. The front rows even had their own drum sticks to add to the mix of rhythms. The guys from Drum Cafe directed, encouraged and finally thanked the audience. “Today you were the orchestra, so applaud yourself.”

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Zarayda Groenhart | The why girl

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“My story starts on the emergency strip of the A16 on the way to Rotterdam. I am panicking, I am afraid. I try to tell myself to take control but I cannot,” Zarayda Groenhart says. But she argues, surrendering to the panic helps tell the story.

Groenhart is no stranger to Dutch audiences, having presented for several well-known television shows such as Try Before You Die and Who is the Mole, as well as being a journalist and columnist. Dissatisfied with the slow embracing of new concepts in the Dutch television industry, she created an online platform called The Why Girl, which later was picked up by the Dutch cable channel TLC.

While working on her first novel Het Waarom Meisje (The Why Girl), fear and panic slowly got a grip of Groenhart as she was writing it. She realised the novel was actually her own story and the events it described were very personal, not just to her but to her immediate family as well. While struggling with coming to terms with being a victim of sexual assault, it was her dad that encouraged her and offered her advice to cope with it, which she has since taken to heart. “Surrender to the chaos instead of trying to control it,” Groenhart says, “because there might be a story in there that chose you to tell it.”

What is important according to her, is that people realize that it is important for people embrace the stories that they have within them.  “If you have the courage to share that story, instead of destroying you, it is going to save you,” she explains. The story might be from a personal perspective or it may not be clear what the purpose of the story is, but what is important, she argues, is to acknowledge it. To give in to the chaos and let the story that you carry with you come out, so that you can be truly you.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Peter Mooij | Survival of the fattest

“Every breath you take, half the oxygen you exhale was produced by micro algae,” say Peter Mooij. He calls them global players, who have been here before all of us and even before the dinosaurs. “And all this time they have been engaging in photosynthesis. In fact, without them, we would not be here. Because […]

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Patrick Rensen | Losing weight the ‘cool way’

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“I want you to understand that it is good to feel chilly,” Patrick Rensen says. Though there are different ways to burn calories, Rensen argues there is a fairly straightforward way to achieve this: lower the room temperature.

After having studied biopharmaceutical science Rensen became a Professor of Endocrinology at Leiden University Medical Center. Here he does research into the effects sugar and fat metabolism have on heart disease and diabetes. A recent discovery that brown fat is present in adults as well made Rensen, chairman of the Netherlands Lipoprotein Club, decide to find out more.

“Fifty percent of the adults in the Netherlands are overweight, in the United States seventy-five percent are overweight” Rensen explains, which in turn can lead to obesity. Body weight is determined by the amount of calorie intake versus burning it. If someone eats more than he or she burns, that person is gaining weight. People take all sorts of measures to shed more calories, like sports or even geriatric surgery. However burning brown fat, Rensen argues, might be just as effective and all it requires is to lower the thermostat.

Until five years ago, it was only thought to be found in babies and infants who have a large surface area but underdeveloped muscles meaning they cannot shiver when they are cold. Brown fat is a way for the body to regulate its temperature. When the body temperature becomes too low, the brain sends out a signal to burn brown fat so that the body maintains the correct temperature. It is a process which is automatically regulated by the body and all it requires is lowering the temperature in the room. “You are losing ten milligrams of weight per minute, simply by sitting on the couch with a lowered room temperature,” Rensen says. “Think of brown fat and what it can do for you, let it be your calorie killer.”

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TEDxDelft 2015 | DelftMozaiek | Here comes the sun

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Kicking off the entertainment for TEDxDelft 2015, we have Delft mozaiek running a series of mosaic-making workshops. And the theme today is The Sun, People attending TEDxDelft are invited to grab a handful of brightly coloured pieces of ceramic or glass or stone and make a piece of sun.

Following up on her successful talk at last month’s TEDxDelft Salon, Nan Deardorff-McClain is now bringing the magic of mosaic-making to TEDxDelft 2015. “The beauty with mosaics is that anyone can contribute,” says Deardorff-McClain. “So whether you’re a four-year old child or a TU Delft student of Industrial Design, you can just do your thing.”

In the spirit of building bridges between the university and the town, Delft mozaiek is embarking on a huge mosaic mural, underlining the many projects going on at TU Delft, including their famous Solar Powered Race Car, which won the World Solar Challenge no fewer than five times.

Founded in 2010, Delft mozaiek is an award-winning community art project dedicated to covering ugly walls. So if you’re at the TEDxDelft 2015 event and you’re feeling creative, make your way during the breaks to one of the mosaic workshops and you’ll be welcomed with open arms.

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Welcome to TEDxDelft 2015 | Let’s Make Things Beta!

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The TU Delft Aula Congress Centre is brimming with excitement as we are at the cusp of yet another spectacular event. From the Core Team to the volunteers, the speakers to their coaches, we would like to welcome you all to TEDxDelft 2015.

Revolving around technology, humanity and ideas worth spreading, this year’s event brings together a myriad of perspectives and ground-breaking research. With an impressive line-up of speakers and live performances from world class performers, TEDxDelft 2015 is not just about great ideas but about taking those ideas and making them real.

While we’re proud to announce that TEDxDelft 2015 is completely sold-out, those who are unable to make it can watch the livestream of the event from 14:00 onwards.

Make sure to check-out our event program for our line-up of line-up of speakers and performers and practical information for the day. During the breaks, remember to get involved in our fun activities and side events at the Aula foyer.

And don’t forget to spread the love by using the hashtag: #TEDxDelft

Now, sit back, relax, take part and soak in the experience.

Welcome to TEDxDelft 2015!!! Let’s make things beta!

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Dress Rehearsals | Let’s Make Things Beta!

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With less than 24 hours to go, it’s all hands on deck getting everything absolutely ready for TEDxDelft 2015. And this year’s event is not just about spreading great ideas, it’s also about taking those ideas and making them real.

After months of preparation, it’s the day of the dress rehearsal, so there’s an excited buzz around the TU Delft Aula Congress Centre as technicians, coaches, performers and volunteers make their last minute checks and tweaks, taking the spirit of the theme and turning TEDxDelft into a reality.

There’s a calm excitement as our teams work together to make this year’s event truly unforgettable. In fact, the TEDxDelft 2015 line-up features an impressive variety of speakers, all with wonderful ideas worth spreading. For instance, want to lose weight? Then turn down the heating! And this: the best way to design new kettle is to get input…from a kettle! Education is also a key theme as one of our speakers calls for a more creative approach to teaching math, while another argues for better software testing, eliminating bugs before they hit the market.

Watching the final rehearsals, TEDxDelft Licensee, Rob Speekenbrink can’t help but be excited. “Basically my main task now is to manage people’s emotions,” he says. “And my ultimate goal is to be able to sit back in auditorium tomorrow. If that happens, then it’s been a success.”

While we’re proud to announce that TEDxDelft 2015 is completely sold-out, those who are unable to make it can watch the livestream of the event from 14:00 onwards.

Make sure to checkout our program for our line-up of speakers and practical information for the day itself.

See you tomorrow for an unforgettable TEDxDelft 2015! Let’s make things beta!

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Livestream | Let’s Make Things Beta!

With only one day left before TEDxDelft 2015, we’re proud to announce that the event is completely sold-out. Fortunately, for those who wish to be there but are unable to make it, the event will be live-streamed from 14:00 onwards. Simply click on the link below.

Click here to watch the livestream of TEDxDelft 2015

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Made Possible By | Improve | Creating unforgetable experiences

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TEDxDelft would not take place if it were not for the support of our outstanding sponsors. They share the spirit of TED’s mission of “ideas worth spreading”.

Improve is one of the sponsors for TEDxDelft 2015. We’d like to introduce this organization to you, and thank them for their support and contribution. We asked TEDxDelft Stage Production Manager and Improve Director Antoinette Wijffels to share some insights:

1. What is the name of your company, and what do you do?

Improve is a team of dedicated designers and technicians that can execute your dream event with precision. Our designers use their vast array of knowledge ranging from business processes to science and culture to AV technologies in order to bring your message across through a 3D virtual experience.

For the last 30 years, we have crystallized our clients’ messages through specially-designed content, 3D video mapping, provocative décor with unusual furniture, theatrical light and sound design to inspire your audience with the essence of your message.  

2. What is the company’s mission/vision?

With our artistry, technical expertise and a focus on your goals, we create a visual experience that will take you to the next level. Together with you, we create events that exceed your expectations and create lasting memories.

3. Why did you choose to sponsor TEDxDelft?   

When TEDxDelft first started, they were looking for partners to get the event going. We likde the TED concept, especially because it’s ideas worth spreading and we like to support these ideas with images, lighting and sounds in a showy way. The idea is not just the idea of the talk, but it also includes all the other assets we have for non-verbal communication. And that is what we do at our company. We support presenters with a little bit of performance coaching and coaching them with their visual images. So we like to create an atmosphere where presenters go beyond themselves.

4. What do you see in common between your company and TEDxDelft?

We are a company that is always looking for new ideas and we try to work with these ideas ourselves. When this event came by and it was about ideas worth spreading, we, of course, liked that very much because, in Improve, we also do the same thing.  We like to make bridges between people and we do that by making shows and events with sound, light and images.

***

Interested in being a sponsor of TEDxDelft 2015?

We engage the local community by inviting people and companies to contribute whatever skills, goods or funds they are able to share. It is our belief that the TEDx concept is such an inspiration to so many people because its partners contribute whichever they are good at.  If you feel you or your company can relate to TEDxDelft don’t hesitate to contact us.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Practical Information | Let’s Make Things Beta!

TEDxdelft transportation final 2 TEDxDelft Info | Event Proper
 

Since TEDxDelft is just around the corner, here’s some practical information to ensure that everyone has great time:

Prior to the event

Location

TU Delft Aula Congress Center
Mekelweg 5, 2628 CC, Delft

Registration starts as early as 13:00 and seating will take place at 13:45 onwards.

The event will officially starts at 14:00, but it always best to come early. Should you arrive late, you can watch the event in one of the designated live streaming room until the break ensues.

Tickets

TEDxDelft is striving to reduce its environment impact. The TEDxDelft crew will be more than happy to scan your ticket from your mobile device.

Dresscode

Do come in whatever your most comfortable with, but be mindful and dress casual.

Getting there

There are many different ways to reach the TU Delft Aula Congress Center:

Public Transport

9292ov.nl is an extremely handy application that helps you to manage your public transport travel itinerary. It will provide the most reliable alternative, which includes the NS supplementary buses to Delft. Use “TU Delft Aula” as destination.

By Train

Due to the disruption trains services along the Den Haag-Delft-Scheidam stations, guest traveling from outside of Delft will have to take a NS bus from the Den Haag Centraal, Den Haag HS or Rotterdam Central Stations.

Buses to the TU Delft Aula Congress Center from the Delft Station

BUS STOP: TU AULA

Bus 40 Direction Rotterdam Centraal, Stop at Aula
Bus 55 Direction Zoetermeer, Stop at Aula
Bus 69 Direction Technopolis via TU Delft, Stop at Aula
Bus 174 Direction Noord via Berkel, Stop at Aula

Tuktuks

Proir to the event, you can take a Tuktuk from the Delft South Station to the Aula. The cost is €1,50 per person. You can pay the driver with your card/pin.

In the evening, TEDxDelft provides free Tuktuks for visitors to the Delft Central Station. From 20:30 until 22:15 a TukTuk will depart every 7 minutes.

By Car

From Amsterdam

  • Get on A10 toward DenHaag/Utretch.
  • Take A4/E19 to Oostpoort Weg in Delft.
  • Take exit 9-Delft from A13/E19.
  • Continue to ostpoortweg.
  • Take Julianalaan, Mijnbouwstraat and Michiel de Ruyterweg to Mekelweg.

From Rotterdam

  • Get on A13 towards Delft.
  • Take exit toward Delftechpark/Delft/Wijk from N470.
  • Continue on Schoenmakerstraat.
  • Drive to Christiaan Huygensweg

Parking

Follow “Parkeerplaats Aula” and navigate to: Van der Waalsweg, Delft:

 

Is it full? Try the parking at Van Der Broekweg:

 

During the event

At the Aula Congress Center, certain amenities are available during the day. These include a free coat-check and wi-fi.

For guests requiring special assistance such as physical disabilities or hearing difficulties, kindly send an email to info@tedxdelft.nl before the event and we will pick you up at the entrance.

IMPORTANT: No flash photography

If there is a burning urge to capture an image of the speaker on the stage, please refrain from using the camera flash as it may disrupt the performance.

Internet Access

Wi-fi network: TEDXDELFT

Password: tedxdelft2015

Social Media

Share your TEDxDelft experiences via Social Media. Don’t forget to use the hashtag: #TEDxDelft

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Rolf Hut | Your host for the evening

Rolf Hut
 

He’s been called a Mcgyver scientist for his ability to think out of the box in a tight spot and come up with innovative, often fun solutions for any kind of situation. It stands to reason then that Rolf Hut won’t be a by-the-script kind of host. Hut, a researcher at the CiTG Faculty at TU Delft, is looking forward to interacting with the speakers and being inspired by the moment.

“The way I work is that there is a script, but it’s not a law. I’m not a news reader but a host, and I’d like to interact with the audience and the speakers,” he says. This is not Hut’s first time on the TEDxDelft stage. In fact, he was a speaker at the very first edition of the event. His talk I am a Tinkerer has received thousands of views across various platforms. “I had never realised how many people you can reach out to and inspire through a short, 7 minute video. Even now, I get students who chose this line of research because they realised that tinkering can be fun and meaningful.”

In 2012 and 2013, Hut worked on side events with TEDxDelft that were in keeping with his own ideas, from making boats out of a scrap heap to challenging students to build their own trams. “They were both terrific days and a we got a good response from students,” Hut admits.

Was he surprised when TEDxDelft approached him to be this year’s host? “Pleasantly surprised, yes,” Hut shares. “It’s something I like to do, but I didn’t imagine getting a chance to do it on a platform such as this. I am honoured and also a little nervous. But I do have some cool surprises in mind for the audience.”

If you want to catch the repartee between Hut and the TEDxDelft speakers or see what surprises he has in store, then join us at this year’s TEDxDelft event at the TU Delft Aula Congress Centre on February 27, 2015.

Get your tickets now!

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GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! | TEDxDelft 2015 | Let’s Make Things Beta!

Tangarine

TEDxDelft is back! This time, it’s bigger and better than ever. Featuring an impressive line-up of speakers and ideas worth spreading, it’s that time of the year again to be inspired by some of the brightest and most passionate minds who are shaping ideas into reality.

This year, TEDxDelft will be held on Friday, February 27, 2015 at the TU Delft Aula Conference Centre, from 14:00 to 22:00. Participants will get the chance to discover extraordinary, groundbreaking ideas, enjoy great entertainment and participate in various workshops and other activities.

Tickets are available online via the TEDxDelft website or at the Tourist Information Point (Kerkstraat 3) in Delft.

Students/PhDs: €24

Regular Tickets: €49

Exploring how ideas become reality, the theme of TEDxDelft 2015 is “Let’s Make Things Beta”. This year’s conference is not simply about great ideas, but about taking those ideas and making them real. After all, a great idea deserves to be shared with the world.

With only a few days left until the big event, TEDxDelft promises to be a truly unforgettable experience.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

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Event Program | TEDxDelft 2015 | Let’s make things beta!

With an impressive line-up of speakers, performers and ideas worth spreading, TEDxDelft promises to deliver another spectacular event at the TU Delft Aula Congress Centre on February 27, 2015. This year’s event is not just about great ideas, but about taking those ideas and making them real. After all, a great idea deserves to be shared with the world.

Here’s a look at the TEDxDelft 2015 Program:

Check out the Program App here: TEDxDelft 2015

Get your tickets now!

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TEDxDelft 2015 Entertainment | Hilda Ruijs | Singing her heart out

Hilda Ruijs

Originally from Breda, Hilda Ruijs is a student at the Delft University of Technology, currently pursuing a degree in Industrial Design Engineering. Her biggest hobby, however, is playing and composing her own music. As a matter of fact, the singer-songwriter was recently selected as a finalist for the BN DeStem Culture Award.

Ruijs started playing the violin when she was only eight years old and soon advanced to writing her own lyrics at age twelve. Moreover, she received a guitar when she was 15 and also started to play the piano. “I always liked creative things such as museums, drawing and of course, music,” Ruijs says. “This is also what eventually led me to pursue a degree in Industrial Design Engineering, as the creative part of the curriculum is very important to me.”

When asked about how best to balance science and creativity, both in her studies and in her passion for music, Ruiijs has this to say: “Whenever one considers creativity to be important, I believe that you can bring that into everything that you are doing and will actually benefit from it. It is very much about channeling the creativity into different fields.”

Currently, Ruijs is in the final year of her Bachelors program and plans to find an internship at a small design firm in the upcoming months. Eventually, she wants to pursue a graduate degree in Industrial Design Engineering or apply to music school to become a professional songwriter.

Her biggest musical inspiration is Canadian songwriter and singer Patrick Watson. “He is a musical genius, because he is not afraid to act or to orchestrate or to just play any kind of music,” Ruiijs claims. “His music is always like a story, which is interesting from the beginning to the end.” She also likes American singer-songwriter Norah Jones, mostly due to her sultry voice, influenced by jazz music. While she does not have a favorite TED talk, she does watch a lot of TED films. “[It could be] about anything,” she says, “but generally a lot of stuff about design, but it could also be related to science.”

In the future, Ruijs hopes that her passion for music will not remain to herself, but that she will be able to share it with as many people as possible. Performing at this year’s TEDxDelft event, Ruijs will have the opportunity to her showcase her creativity and musical talent with everyone in the audience.

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TEDxDelft 2015 Speaker | Zarayda Groenhart | The why girl

Television and radio presenter, talk show host, author, journalist, columnist and VJ; Zarayda Groenhart has done it all. Dutch television viewers know her from shows such as Try Before You Die, where she performed feats of daring, including being walked on by an elephant, working as a cycle courier in New York and getting her body painted. It was her audacity that got her into television in the first place.

In 2005, she read that a new MTV channel The Box was looking for young talent. Groenhart then took to the streets to interview young people and developed a programme idea. She then kept on emailing the management until she got invited for a job interview. And the rest, as they say, is history.

This was just the start of Groenhart’s media career. After a few years at MTV, she set her sights on Dutch television network BNN. Again, she deliberately avoided sending in the usual CV and application letter, but instead made a pilot for a television show. To Groenhart, this makes perfect sense. “Nobody is going to come up to you and say ‘OMG, you’re just the person we’re looking for,’” she says. At BNN she starred in a number of programmes, among them the much-discussed Spuiten en Slikken (which translates into English as “Shoot and Swallow” with both a drug and sexual connotation). She was also a contestant in the 2013 edition of the very popular TV show Wie is de Mol (Who is the Mole?)

Despite her success, Groenhart was feeling more and more uncomfortable with what she calls “the unwritten laws of television”. She felt that things were moving a bit slow in the staid world of television and wanted more freedom to run with her own ideas. So in 2013, she became an entrepreneur and founded the online media platform The Why Girl. Here, among others, she posts new episodes of her talk show, where she challenges women on their love lives, careers and the choices they make. And guess what? A few months after the first episode aired, television came calling. Since November 2014, The Why Girl can be seen on the Dutch TLC channel.

With all this success, you would think that Groenhart’s life has been roses all the way, but you would be wrong. In 2013, when trying to write her first novel, she realised that the story should be about herself. For over ten years, Groenhart had been pushing away memories of a sexual assault that occurred when she was 20 years old. In her book Het Waarom Meisje (The Why Girl), she confronts those memories and comes to terms with them. Groenhart has since been speaking out on the subject of sexual violence and the influence this has on the victims and on those around them. It is the story she will share with us during the upcoming TEDxDelft event.

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TEDxDelft 2015 | Made Possible By | Microsoft | Changing the way people work and live

Microsoft logo

TEDxDelft would not take place if it were not for the support of our outstanding sponsors. They share the spirit of TED’s mission of “ideas worth spreading”.

Microsoft is one of the sponsors for TEDxDelft 2015. We’d like to introduce this organization to you, and thank them for their support and contribution. We asked Marcel Timmer from Microsoft to share some insights:

1. What is the name of your company, and what do you do?

Microsoft has consistently transformed the way that people live, work, play and connect through great technology. We are inspired every day by the genuine belief that we can change the world for the better. We are passionate about how to drive advances in cloud computing, develop new ways for people to interact with technology at home, at work and on the move, while transforming education and public services and supporting the Dutch economy.

We’ve been at the centre of the revolutionary changes that technology has brought to every aspect of our lives and we’ll be at the centre of tomorrow’s transformations. The best is yet to come.

2. What is the company’s mission/vision?

Our mission is to help people and organizations to achieve their goals, dreams and ambitions. We do this by allowing our technology to work for them. That is what forms the basis of their success, that of our partners, and our own.

More than 100,000 Microsoft colleagues from over 60 countries work every day to live up to our promise to everyone – consumers, small businesses, large businesses and governments – to help get the best out of themselves.

3. Why did you choose to sponsor TEDxDelft?   

Microsoft believes in the power of technology and ideas. They change the way people work and live, and create new opportunities for people, organizations and society. At Microsoft Netherlands, we try to make our contribution in many ways. For example, by sponsoring TEDxDelft, where technology and ‘ideas worth sharing’ come together.

4. What do you see in common between your company and TEDxDelft?

Microsoft and TEDxDelft share the belief in the power of good ideas, and our passion for technology and innovation. The combination of these factors contributes to a better world. That goal binds us.

***

Interested in being a sponsor of TEDxDelft 2015?

We engage the local community by inviting people and companies to contribute whatever skills, goods or funds they are able to share. It is our belief that the TEDx concept is such an inspiration to so many people because its partners contribute whichever they are good at.  If you feel you or your company can relate to TEDxDelft don’t hesitate to contact us.

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The people behind TEDxDelft | Pieter Guldemond | Expecting surprises

Pieter Guldemond Headshot

For Pieter Guldemond, there is no doubt that this year’s TEDxDelft event will be a day worth remembering. With an impressive line-up of speakers and talks, the event offers something that will appeal to every visitor in many different ways. “TEDxDelft is a one-day event that you will remember fondly for the rest of the year,” Guldemond says. “There are a lot of interesting things that happen during the event. One speech always sticks out for me, and every time it is a surprise to find out which talk it will be.”

As Secretary of the TEDxDelft Non-profit Organization, Guldemond is primarily focused on ensuring that there are sufficient funds to organize an event each year, which will attract as many visitors as possible. “The main challenge is to find new partners for the event,” he says. Fortunately, it is a situation Guldemond knows very well as Interim Director of TU Delft business incubator YES! Delft. “I was working for the Delft City Council when TEDxDelft was first being organized. As soon as the organization contacted us, I had to know everything about it.”

Guldemond is convinced that this year’s TEDxDelft event is truly worth looking forward to. As a matter of fact, he compares each event to opening a pile of presents and discovering what is inside. Indeed, visitors will undoubtedly cherish these gifts for a long time to come.

What is your role at TEDxDelft?

I’m the secretary of the TEDxDelft board. It is my main task to take care of sufficient subsidies to organize a stunning TEDxDelft.

Why did you get involved with the organization?

When I was alderman in the city of Delft I heard rumors about a man who had the license to organize a TEDx event in Delft. As I was a big fan of TED.com for some years, I immediately searched for this man and met Rob Speekenbrink. That was the beginning of a fruitful cooperation between the city of Delft and TU Delft. Eventually we managed to organize the first TEDxDelft in 2011.

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

I was involved from the very beginning, but I joined the board in June 2014.

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

Jett Rebel. I think he is an interesting artist, struggling with his personality. In my opinion artists generally think different than most of the people. It’s very interesting to understand what happens in their heads, like Spinvis did when he was cultural professor at the TU Delft.

What’s your nerdy little secret?

I’m a big fan of hummingbirds.

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TEDxDelft 2015 Entertainment | Delft Brass | All about the brass

 

Playing everything from Classical to Swing or Ceremonial to Blues, Delft Brass is a young, enthusiastic seven-piece brass ensemble from Delft with a great passion for music. The troupe is set to grace the stage at the upcoming TEDxDelft event on February 27, 2015 for a truly unforgettable performance. The ensemble was formed in 2013 when tuba player Brenda Hooiveld and her close brass playing friends at the Koninklijke Harmoniekapel Delft (Royal Wind Orchestra Delft) decided to form a new group because, according to Hooiveld, “brass are the nicest instruments.”

“It is a bit more exciting and challenging than playing within a large group of musicians,” Hooiveld explains. “In a small ensemble, you are more of a soloist and much more focused playing your part. Then, it also will need to be really good. This means that you get to learn much more, much faster. For me personally, it is a lot about personal development.”

Another great inspiration for the ensemble is Austria-based Mnozil Brass. The group began in a small tavern in Vienna is now holding more than 120 annual brass music concerts around the world for people from all walks of life. Renowned for performances that allow the crowd to see the music and smell the stage is what Hooiveld considers “weird stuff that we like”.  “We think it is fun, which is also what we want the visitors of the TEDx conference to experience,” she says. “We are all a bit crazy about playing brass and consider it our absolute passion. If possible, we would play every day in the week.”

When asked about an inspirational talk worth sharing on behalf of the Delft Brass ensemble, Hooiveld recommends watching music legend Bobby McFerrin demonstrating the power of the pentatonic scale to reveal the way our brains are surprisingly wired.

With their musical talent and passion for their craft, we look forward to enjoying Delft Brass’ beautifully crafted music at this year’s TEDxDelft event. Forget about the bass because it’s all about the brass!

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TEDxDelft 2015 Speaker | Edward Valstar | Joined at the hip

edward valstar tedx profile

“If you want something done, ask a busy person.” This pearl of wisdom describes Edward Valstar to a T. Valstar is a professor at the Department of Orthopaedics of the Leiden University Medical Center. He is also an Antonie van Leeuwenhoek professor at the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft and this double appointment makes him one of a select company of Medical Delta professors. On top of that, Valstar is an adjunct professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. Yet, he still manages to find time to step on the TEDxDelft podium this month and with great enthusiasm too. “TEDxDelft is a great format to reach a wide audience,” he says. “After all, as academics we tend to talk a lot to each other at conferences and such.”

Indeed, Valstar is a fan of TED. “I’ve always been fascinated by presentations and how people voice their ideas. And at TED conferences you get some real presentation ninjas.” His favourite TED talk is by someone he describes as “high-octane”: bad science debunker Ben Goldacre. “Here’s this bundle of energy on the podium expounding his thoughts on how researchers set up studies and how others interpret the results. It’s fascinating.”

With an MSc in mechanical engineering and a PhD in the imaging of orthopaedic implants, Valstar’s expertise lies in marrying engineering and medicine. “Orthopaedic surgery is the surgical application of carpentry, as it were. That is why I get along so well with orthopaedic surgeons. I’m not sure pharmaceuticals would have been my thing.” Back in the day, his graduation project involved the validation of a muscle and skeletal model of the shoulder. As the years passed, his interest moved to include the hip and the knee and other places where artificial joints can be implanted.

By 2020, the worldwide number of hip replacements is expected to rise to 2.5 million per year. Roughly ten percent of these implants will fail within ten years, based on current performance. Valstar’s ultimate research aim is to make hip replacements last for a lifetime, eliminating the need for revision surgery and its accompanying painful rehabilitation process. “For a long time, I thought that we would achieve that by developing new and better replacement joints,” he says. But current thinking has taken another direction, with Valstar at the forefront.

So what is the future of joint replacement? Find out at the upcoming TEDxDelft event on February 27, 2015.

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The People Behind TEDxDelft | TEDxDelft Webcare Team | Keeping Everyone Informed

TEDxDelft 2014
 

Success is achieved when a team of  highly committed and skilful people devote their time and effort towards a common venture. The TEDxDelft Webcare Team is one such group, working together to make this year’s TEDxDelft event bigger and better than ever. Consisting of a diverse crew of internationals, the team is responsible for TEDxDelft’s online communication, be it via the website or social media.

In order to increase public awareness of the upcoming TEDxDelft event, the webcare team is instrumental in managing the organization’s website content and social media channels. As part of the Marketing and Communications Team, this group of more than twenty enthusiastic volunteers gives the audience something to look forward to by providing relevant information about TEDxDelft, the conference’s impressive line-up of speakers and the individuals and organizations involved in making the event possible.

When asked what is in store for the team during this year’s big event, Online Media Coordinator Molly Quell had this to say: “We announce all of our speakers on the blog. We also announce our side events such as the TEDxDelftSalons. Our audience like a behind-the-scenes look, so we also do interviews with our Core Team and a few other behind-the-scenes pieces. On the day of the event, we live blog the entire event.”

Combining the scope and efficiency of social media along with the skills of webcare team, live blogging during the event ensures that up-to-date information reachers a worldwide audience. In this day and age where social media is easily accessible, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are effective tools in keeping the audience in the know, in real time.

“We always talk about ideas and inspiration, but there’s a huge gap between a great idea and the actualisation of it,” says TEDxDelft blogger Damini Purkayastha.“It will be interesting to see how the speakers actually went from A to Z with their concepts without losing heart along the way. From an idea to an actual event watched by thousands, it’s a fascinating, stimulating journey. That alone makes it something worth putting in the hours for.” Unleashing the power of ideas from a community of scientists, designers and thinkers, the webcare team takes the utmost effort in supporting this motto and marching forward.

Meed the TEDxDelft 2015 Webcare Team:

Molly Quell – Online Media Coordinator
Phillip Gangan – Webcare Team Manager, Online Content
Rachel Richardson – Webcare Team Manager, Social Media

Bloggers:

Philipp Banhardt
Anne Blair Gould
Agaath Diemel
Pierre Mathieu
Juni Margrie
Hardi Wiranata Njo
Preethi Padmanabhan
Damini Purkayastha
Paul Schattenberg
Girish Venkatachalapathy

Social Media Team:

Ailie Burningham
Melinda Jacobs
Vishal Lakmar Balakumar
Oriol Segarra
Marta Sobieraj
Rosalind van Aalen Grant

Photographers:

Aditya Kumar
Jan Willem Kommer

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TEDxDelft 2015 Speaker | Peter Mooij | The answer might just be algae

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

In an online profile, Peter Mooij says he has millions of algae as pets. His favorite color is algae green and he believes that understanding algae might just be the answer to everything.

An environmental biotechnology researcher at TU Delft, Mooij has been studying the phenomena of algae for quite a while. In 2013, he wrote about how algae can be ‘interesting candidates for the large-scale production of biodiesel’.

His talk at TEDxDelft 2015 will also highlight its importance. “I want to explain why microalgae are, by far, the most important organisms on earth and how these tiny green creatures can solve major problems,” he says. Mooij believes that microalgae will play a central role in the future, bio-based economy. “It’s exciting to be part of this development,” he adds.

In 2014, Mooij was among the nine founding members of an initiative called Faces of Science. As part of this project, eighteen young researchers talk about their scientific work, their lives and their passions in a manner that engages a younger audience. “The Faces of Science project shows the opposite is true. For me, the response has meant quite a few interesting questions from the general public and even some tubes with algae.”

Initiatives such as Faces of Science and TED talks are also important to him as they create a platform to share scientific ideas with the public. “I believe scientists are obliged to reach out to the community. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, as scientists we are spending taxpayers’ money, so we should also explain where we spend this on. Secondly, I believe science is vital to Dutch society. We don’t have cheap labor or large reserves of raw material, but we do have a very good education system. Initiatives like Faces of Science or TEDxDelft might convince people to get the best out of our education system. This will benefit the society in the long run.”

Mooij’s pick for a TED talk? “I’d like to recommend the talk of my colleague Gerben Stouten at TEDxAmsterdam: Candy becomes Plastic.”

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The people behind TEDxDelft | Caryn ‘t Hart de Wijkerslooth | Searching for stories

Caryn 't Hart de Wijkerslooth Profile

Every year, TEDxDelft features an impressive line-up of speakers and their ideas worth spreading. As one of the curators on the team, Caryn ’t Hart de Wijkerslooth is always eager to make each TEDxDelft event extra special in regard to the program’s content. “What I find very rewarding is trusting my eye for a good story,” she says. Indeed, finding good storytellers does not pose much of a challenge to ‘t Hart de Wijkerslooth, since she tries to instill this type of skill to her students at TU Delft. “’I teach public speaking, scientific writing and debating skills,” she shares. “Basically, I help future engineers tell their story in the best possible way.”

According to ‘t Hart de Wijkerslooth, there is a lot that visitors can look forward at this year’s event. “There will be lots of diversity, in a lot of ways,” she explains, “diversity in stories, people, ages, subjects.” That being said, ‘t Hart de Wijkerslooth is optimistic that the combination of speakers and their stories will lead to a program that visitors will truly appreciate. “I hope to see people enjoying the program that we arranged for the event,” she says.

It goes without saying that ‘t Hart de Wijkerslooths’ enthusiasm for TEDxDelft is clear for all to see. As a matter of fact, she is also helping to organize the first TEDxDelftwomen event, which will take place on May 29, 2015. With such a commitment to TEDxDelft, there is every reason to believe this year’s event will be a great success.

What is your role at TEDxDelft?

I’m one of the three curators. The word curator comes from the Latin curare, meaning “take care”. So, we take care of the program, basically. I look for possible speakers and performers to be on the TEDxDelft stage. I search , interview, and invite speakers and performers for the lineup, keeping in mind the balance in the program. Together with Rob Speekenbrink and Jeroen van Erp I will hopefully construct and design a wonderful program with good speakers for the next TEDxDelft.

Why did you get involved with the organization?

Because I am a story geek. I love reading stories, hearing stories, writing stories, referring to stories, discovering stories and helping people build up their story. In short, stories make me tick. I’m convinced that people are shaped by stories and at the same time,  shape stories. Stories might be the most important things we have. So, when I discovered TED years ago I immediately thought that it was so awesome. Then I discovered that there were TEDx events in the Netherlands as well. I knew I wanted to contribute straightaway.

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

Since January 2013.

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

Annie MG Schmidt. Definitely. It would be awesome to hear her speak about her power to be an original, how to find your spark.

What’s your nerdy little secret?

Although I stick to my vegetarian –mostly even vegan- diet, I love a klup burger from time to time at Café van Engelen in Leiden.

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TEDxDelft 2015 Entertainment | Drum Cafe | Creating synergy through sound

Drum Cafe
 

“To give every participant a new form of energy” is Patrick Tromp’s exuberant response, when asked what motivates Drum Cafe. Founded in Johannesburg in 1996 by Warren Lieberman, Drum Cafe is one of the world’s leading interactive team building, conferencing and corporate events companies. Building teams, one beat at a time – this is what the group aims to achieve during their performance at the upcoming TEDxDelft event.

For hundreds of years, be it in any culture, drumming has proven to be the most effective team building activity. That being said, Drum Cafe is known for incorporating music and rhythm to motivate, inspire and connect people. During every performance, audience members are each given a drum and are made to bring their unique sound into the mix, creating a one-of-a-kind percussion orchestra. The audience’s individuality and coordination builds team spirit, motivates team members and brings about a better understanding within the group.

“The humor in our concept and the energy we create through it are our most striking features,” says Tromp, head of Drum Cafe Benelux and facilitator for Drum Cafe Europe. The group’s unique method is a proven success in more than 50 countries, having presented in over 30,000 events. They help revitalize and refocus participants between presentations and enhance their receptive capacities.

According to Tromp, drumming is an effective ice-breaker, promoting unity with a sense of belonging. In fact, making music as a group sparks creativity, imparts learning and provides insights as to how important it is to collaborate and listen to one another. People’s true personalities come out instead of their corporate image. On a lighter note, drumming is infectious and hence, impossible to stay away from.

“The best audience one can get would be that which focuses and laughs a lot,” Tromp explains. “We understand how to energize a group of people and know how to connect individuals with each other.” Shedding light on how their approach has changed over the years with the varying expectations of the audience, Tromp says, “People are still people, they react the same to the energy we deliver. The only thing is that, with every session, we are getting better!”

Stop thinking and start feeling the rhythm as the drums are all set roll at the upcoming TEDxDelft event on February 27, 2015.

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TEDxDelft 2015 Speaker | Yuri Verbeek | Finding inspiration in the ordinary

Inspiration can be found in the most unlikely places. While most chefs turn to seasonal or unusual ingredients to devise a delectable dish, culinary creative Yuri Verbeek looks to his surroundings and everyday experiences to create extraordinary cuisine. As head chef and owner of Delft culinary studio De Kokkerie, Verbeek believes that simple things can lead to surprising dishes.

“I create dishes in a special way,” says the award-winning chef. “I look further than the dish to try to surprise people.” Whether it is an ingredient, utensil or personal encounter, there are no holds barred for Verbeek when it comes to finding inspiration. “When I create something, I walk by IKEA. I walk by garden centers and see what they have there. And I like to play with those kind of materials with my dishes.”

On one occasion, the chef stumbled upon a perfume bottle while browsing at IKEA and had the idea to fill it with lemon juice. The bottles were then used to spray the lemon on fish when served during catering events. Other times, Verbeek’s creativity is sparked by ordinary situations.

“I was in a front of a Turkish supermarket where three guys with scooters and a lot of ‘bling bling’ were eating pita gyros,” he says. “For me that was very interesting. So I thought, how could I make the most culinary pita gyros for my clients? Normally, in pita gyros, they use very bad meat. And so I made mine from confit of quail, fresh bread and garlic foam. I also used edible gold to make the dish beautiful.”

At the upcoming TEDxDelft event, Verbeek shares his unique approach to gastronomy and how he is inspired by the seemingly mundane. “I was surprised that I was asked to speak at TEDxDelft because I don’t consider myself to be so special,” he admits. “But people see it in a different way.”

While some are put off by culinary creativity, Verbeek maintains that his dishes are very well received. “Every year, we get busier and busier,” he claims. “Our clients know that something special happens when we come with our food. And for a lot of customers, it’s very interesting.”

Indeed, the most rewarding part of Verbeek’s gastronomic endeavours is the opportunity to surprise people and to think differently compared with other chefs. “For me, it’s not difficult to be creative,” he says. “I see something and I make a creation with it.” With Verbeek at the helm, the result is always a culinary experience like no other.

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TEDxDelft 2015 Speaker | Shou-En Zhu | Getting to grips with graphene


There is a Chinese dream whereby education is the key to secure one’s brighter future. Shou-En Zhu was one of the millions of Chinese taking part in the rural-urban migration in order to receive this good education.

Having grown up in a small, rural village in China, Zhu was sent to a good primary school in Fuzhou city, the capital of Fujian Province by his father, who strongly subscribed to the Chinese dream. When asked of his inspiration as a child, he described his former self as “not having too much plan”. That, however, changed during his Bachelor years when he was acquainted with the prospect of a game-changing material: graphene.

In pursuit of his interest, Zhu went on to attend several universities. These include a Master exchange program at Sungkyunkwan University in Korea, PhD guest programs in Leiden University and ETH Zurich, as well as a Visiting Research Scholarship at UC San Diego.

Currently, Zhu is a PhD candidate at TU Delft. The university’s unique education system has pushed him to go above and beyond. “When I first arrived, I was really alone and you need really to be independent to overcome the reiteration of frustrations,” he recalled. “But this environment is very good.”

Zhu understood the lack of development in graphene and with this insight, he managed to design and construct sophisticated graphene production equipment from scratch. When trying to reminisce about his ordeal, Zhu shared the influential teachings of a  former chairman of the Department of Material Science in Jilin University that kept him going: “If all of the people in this new field are sprouts, you have to grow a little bit taller than the rest, to get more sun and to grow into a large tree.”

His pioneering prototype eventually gave birth to Graphene Master, a startup company that provides research prototyping device fabrication all over the world. Ultimately, Zhu aims to reduce the cost of graphene and to be able to penetrate into the mass market.

Zhu has always dreamt of speaking at a prestigious TED event and finally has opportunity to do so at the upcoming TEDxDelft conference. According to the PhD researcher, graphene is truly a new field. “People hear about graphene, but most of them are not familiar of the practical application of graphene,” he claims. Zhu sincerely hopes that his talk will be a catalyst to raise everyone’s awareness of the new material and to spark interesting conversations about it.

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Sneak Peak | TEDxDelft 2015 | Let’s Make Things Beta!

We hope to see you at the upcoming TEDxDelft event at the TU Delft Aula Congress Centre on February 27, 2015. With an impressive line-up of speakers and inspiring stories, this year’s event is not just about great ideas, but about taking those ideas and making them real. After all, a great idea deserves to be shared with the world.

Get your tickets now!

Rob Speekenbrink | Welcome to TEDxDelft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm9s50yCO3Q

Elisa Giaccardi | A day in the life of a kettle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdtf7KlLrRI

Wolter Smit | Making every penny count

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6tW-IieDNg

Puck Meerburg | Turning the conventional into state-of-the-art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBh1oNFdKbE&feature=youtu.be

Andy Zaidman | Making testing fun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFWm8C4FoUI

Kor van Velzen | Creativity and change

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9wJ8aKdxas

Jojanneke van den Bosch | Helping the invisible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEmv6fJJFGU

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TEDxDelft 2015 Speaker | Patrick Rensen | Losing weight the ‘cool way’

Prof. dr. PCN Rensen

Turn down the central heating and you’ll not only reduce the fuel bill, you’ll lose weight. That’s the extraordinary message behind Patrick Rensen’s  talk at the upcoming TEDxDelft event.

As a Professor of Endocrinology at Leiden University Medical Center, Rensen studies the role of sugar and fat metabolism in diabetes and heart disease. In particular, Rensen is investigating something called ‘brown fat’ which is different from the all too familiar ‘white fat’ that tends to collect around our middles. “We know that babies are born with brown fat,” says Rensen, “but we thought it disappeared after a few years.”

Recently however it was discovered that adults also have brown fat. It accumulates near the collarbone and heart where there is a lot of blood flow. This discovery got Rensen and his team at Leiden University Medical Center thinking. “We know that brown fat plays a role in temperature regulation in babies,” explains Rensen. “So why would adults need it, given that we wear clothes? At a normal room temperature of about 25˚C – that’s around 77˚F – brown fat does not need to be active. So what’s it there for?” The team decided to find out the therapeutic implications of brown fat.

When volunteers are cooled below this temperature, brown fat is activated, and maximum activation takes place at a temperature at which they shiver. In other words, when the room temperature is low, brown fat burns calories. What is particularly exciting is the discovery that brown fat burns up the sorts of fats that increase the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This means that a cooler room temperature will stimulate brown fat to burn the ‘bad fats’ in our blood stream reducing the risk of obesity, and therefore diabetes and heart disease.

“Activating brown fat to burn 200 kcal per day,” says Rensen, “can translate to about three kilograms of weight loss per year. We are now investigating whether nutritional and pharmacological interventions may be effective as well.”

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