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.

/by

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!

/by

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.

/by

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.”

/by

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.

/by

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.

/by

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.

/by

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

/by

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.”

/2 Comments/by

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

Elisa Giaccardi

It’s a bizarre idea but maybe one day, objects will be able to design objects. That’s the sincere belief of Elisa Giaccardi, Professor of Interactive Media Design at TU Delft’s Department of Industrial Design.

Currently, design and manufacturing processes are centred around factors such as cost-effectiveness and optimal design – so is that wrong? “No,” says Giaccardi, “it’s just that these days, there are more opportunities to design products that are more radically innovative.”

One such opportunity involves getting everyday objects to speak for themselves, as it were. “Everyday we use and misuse things for other purposes so that your boot becomes a doorstop or your cup becomes a prop to keep the window open,” explains Giaccardi. “So we thought, what if we could listen to things? Involve objects in the design process? Then we could really innovate because we would be able to look at things that usually go unnoticed because we don’t have the eyes to see them.”

The idea then came to wire up mundane objects such as printers or kettles, by attaching sensors or cameras. In this way you can learn much more about how these objects are used; information that would otherwise go unnoticed. “Imagining a day in the life of the kettle,” suggests Giaccardi, “offers a new perspective, which can contribute to the design process; information that’s invisible to the human eye.”

Working closely with Giaccardi on this project is the ‘Thing Tank’, a team of designers, computer scientists and anthropologists. The ‘Thing Tank’ is described as ‘an interdisciplinary research platform for designing a new generation of products and services capable of reinventing themselves’. Instrumenting and connecting everyday objects around us reveals patterns of use and connections between objects that we would otherwise miss. “The Thing Tank listens to what objects have to say about their use and misuse,” says Giaccardi. “And what these things say could offer new insight into design and manufacture. In this way, things may be able to suggest better versions of themselves”.

So how did Giaccardi get into this field? “For me, there is a theme in all my work: how can we use our new technologies to empower people to develop solutions to their own problems; solutions that are personally meaningful.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdtf7KlLrRI&feature=youtu.be

/by

TEDxDelft Event | TEDxYouthDelft 2015 | You own the future!

A three hundred-large audience gathered for the third TEDxYouthDelft at Theater De Veste on January 27, 2015. It was a day filled with music, ballet, cabaret and TED films, featuring talks from eleven speakers ranging in age between 13 and 30. Here’s a recap of their stories: Data journalist Winny De Jong works for OneWorld, which, according […]

Read more
/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Made Possible By | TamTam | Making people Smile

TamTam_logo_black-300x32

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”.

TamTam 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 Dimi Albers from TamTam to share some insights:

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

We are TamTam, a full service digital agency of 130 “Tammo’s” based in Delft, Amsterdam and Utrecht. We create awesome digital experiences that make people smile. We do this for clients like Oxxio, HBO, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Arcadis and Mojo Concerts.

2. What is the company¹s mission/vision?

Airbnb did it with hotels, Uber with taxis and Netflix did it with TV. Disruptors, they’re called. They are popping up everywhere, rethinking industry standards and offering spectacular new ways to use and enjoy the Internet. Every disruptor that comes along proves that the joy and ease in using a product, living with it, relying on it, and learning from it – is what makes the difference. Consumers are becoming increasingly connected 24/7 and everywhere. Digital is transforming real life. We see a huge opportunity to increase brand interactions and make them more meaningful.

We are proud of our Dutch heritage. Growing up in the Netherlands, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, full of spoiled consumers, both as people and as a company, has had a great impact on who we are and how we see the world. We have digital DNA. One hundred percent. What drives us every single day is that we get to work with clients in this ever-changing world, find our mutual inspiration, the enjoyment of working together and help them deliver the best digital customer experience possible because we know that their service is their brand. We are here to create awesome digital experiences that make people smile.

3. Why did you choose to sponsor TEDxDelft?

When Rob came to us with the idea for TEDxDelft, it felt like a natural fit to become one of the founding partners. Since then, we have enjoyed our role in support of a great TEDxDelft event. We love to be a part of the TEDxDelft family and bring a lot of Tammos and clients to the event to share the inspiration.

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

Aside from our Delft heritage, we both love to inspire people and try to come up with ideas that can impact the world around us. We both live for new innovative stuff.

***

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.

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | The City | TEDxDelft Salon

,

TEDxDelft Salon | The City
 

On Sunday, January, 25 2015, over a hundred people flocked to Theater de Veste in Delft to attend the first TEDxDelft Salon of the year. These Salon events are small, weekly or monthly gatherings organized to engage the TEDx community between regular TEDx events. With “The City” as its theme, the Salon featured a number of speakers who discussed prevalent issues ranging from tackling urban problems to preserving the historical value of old buildings.

The event kicked off with TU Delft’s very own Architecture Master Students, who pitched their designs for two historic buildings in Delft. Nadia Remmerswaal, an old building enthusiast, is working to preserve the Delft Armamentarium –a national monument and former weaponry building of the Dutch army– by exploiting the space for commercial and educational spaces. Working on the same project is Gerben Jansens. His vision entails that the Armamentarium becoming a melting pot for technical individuals and society by creating a complex that houses budding entrepreneurs as well as public exhibitions.

Equal in prominence is the Paardenmarkt at northern part of central Delft. Aukje Schukken proposed to create a basement under the old horse market courtyard, housing three levels for technical students, start-up entrepreneurs and established companies. On the other hand, Andrew Hollands wanted to open the Paardenmarkt to the public by using “food as a catalyst” for social interaction. To do so, he aims to infuse the principles of retail, education and cuisine. In the end, the four students great received applauses from the audience as a sign of approval for their proposals.

After a lively performance by Dutch trio PAul, FrAnk and Friends, two other speakers shared their working concepts in tackling urban issues. Ekim Tan, PhD graduate from the TU Delft Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, is concerned with the increasing number of ghost cities around the world, and strives to solve the problem. As the founder of Play the City, she has designed a gaming concept, which helps the various players involved in the urban planning to come to a consensus for future urban development. The games are now being “played” around the world.

Closer to home, Nan Deardorff-McClain is working to bring more aesthetic value to Delft. Upon her arrival to the Netherlands, she considered vandalism as an eyesore and found them all over the city. Not until an accidental stroke of luck with her neighbor did she start beautifying the “tagging” with mosaic art. Residents have warmly welcomed the project and have been actively involved in creating the mosaics. One of her works has earned the Le Comte Prize for “Best beautification of the city”.

If you are interested to take part in this unique conversation, join us at this year’s TEDxDelft event on February 27, 2015.

***

TEDxSalonTheCityClear
 

Special thanks to:

Print
Studium Generale
 TU Delft

 

 

Successful Speaker Now Logo
Barbara Rogoski
 Successful Speaker Now

 

 

TIP Logo
Jonathan Talbott
 Talbot International Presentations

 

Theater de Veste Logo

 

 

 

/by

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

Modern technologies allow for new ways to look at conventional systems. Whether it is to help children learn in school or to rebuild an ageing Operating System (OS), Puck Meerburg sees only possibilities in what new technologies have to offer.

“When I first started programming, I used PHP to build simple websites,” says Meerburg. “At the time, I was five years old.” By the age of ten, Meerburg had already gone on to develop applications for the iPhone. “It wasn’t something that came gradually,” the fifteen year old explains. “I just said to myself, ‘this is something I want to do.'” Since then, the programming prodigy has developed ten applications for multiple OS, which combined have been downloaded over 300,000 times since they were first launched.

What appeals most to Meerburg are applications that are not necessarily conventional as he calls it, but rather have a practical element to them. In fact, he created his first app TableTrainer because he needed a tool that would help him memorize the multiplication tables. Later on, Meerburg expanded the app and created similar versions for young children and children with learning disabilities. Some of his other applications include a museum exhibition guide on gadgets and an app that turns the iPad into a barcode scanner cash register for kids to use for their play shop.

Nowadays, Meerburg continues to find new avenues and challenges to pursue, such as helping develop a modernised OS for various hardware, including the famous Texas Instruments TI-84 calculator. “Many people probably don’t realise that the TI-84 runs on an OS. They just consider it to be a calculator and not a system which can run programs,” Meerburg claims. Since the system that runs on these calculators has aged, the challenge for Meerburg is to develop an OS using the latest programming techniques. This same sense of challenge has also persuaded him to join a team which has taken on the daunting task of developing a new OS for Mac and PC.

Needless to say, Meerburg’s success and ambition has not gone unnoticed. His programming skills have garnered much interest from national newspapers and television shows, not to mention being asked to speak at various conferences such as the upcoming TEDxDelft event.

This year’s theme, “Let’s make things beta” is of particular interest to Meerburg since he considers the beta phase to be an important part in the development process of applications. “All apps go through various phases, alpha, beta, before being released as a final product,” Meerburg shares. When apps reach the beta phase, it signals the next big step in their development. Given the scale of the projects Meerburg  is currently working on, it should come as no surprise that for him, it’s all about that next step. It’s all about making things beta.

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

/1 Comment/by

TEDxDelft 2015 Speakers | Andy Zaidman | Making testing fun

,

unnamed

 

During a lecture earlier this year, one of Andy Zaidman’s students stood up in class and asked him a frustrating question: “Why do I need to test my program? If I get a correct result, that means my program works. Why waste time testing?”

That, for Zaidman, is the biggest problem with the mindset to software design today. People do not test their programs beyond a superficial result.

“I get very frustrated when there are bugs in a program,” the TU Delft Software Engineering Associate Professor says. “More and more programs are launched today without being vetted for bugs. Frankly, it doesn’t surprise me. I see how my students approach design. They only want their program to work, to be functional. They are not interesting in ensuring that it’s flawless.”

His talk at TEDxDelft 2015 will address the need to change that very approach to software design. In order to help with that mind shift, Zaidman is creating software that, on the one hand, stimulates software developers to keep on testing, but it also recommends to test parts of the software because of previous weaknesses. “The idea is to stimulate an interest in the program beyond the result and make it fun to keep testing, a bit like playing a game.”

Zaiman’s interest in software started with his fascination for computers as a teenager. “It seemed only logical for me to study computer science. In the course of actually studying the subject, I realized how complex it was. I feel it’s strange that we haven’t found a way to make the process of testing complex programs more interesting.”

As part of his talk, he will explore examples of high profile projects that went wrong due to software bugs. One such example was the Fyra – the high-speed rail service launched between Netherlands and Belgium. “One of the biggest reasons why that project didn’t work was failing software. Sometimes there are errors because people don’t look into all kinds of things that can go wrong and take precaution against them.”

Programmers and cross disciplinary teams are often unaware of the kind of pitfalls that can occur if a program is not well tested. These examples will help create some awareness about what to watch out for. “In the larger picture, I think the talk is also about how we should be critical of our own work. Keep testing it, looking at it from different perspectives and trying to ensure it’s as flawless as possible.”

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

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | TEDxDelft Salon | The City

,

TEDxSalonTheCityClear
The City
Date: January 25
Time: 15:00 – 17:00
Entrance: Free
See more about the event on Facebook. 

On Sunday, January 25, 2015, TEDxDelft will be hosting the first TEDxDelftSalon of the 2015 at the Theatre de Veste, from 15:00-17:00. With “The City” as its main theme, the aim of the event is to build bridges that connect the international, local and TU Delft community with the city of Delft.

Special guests Nan Deadorff-McClain (Art in the City) and Ekim Tan (Play the City) were invited to discuss their ongoing urban projects and the importance of involving the local community. Art in the City is a community art project with the goal of beautifying the Delft city center with mosaic art. At the same time, Play the City helps people build communities and to develop tools and strategies for digital urbanism and urban transformation. TU Delft Master students Andrew Hollands, Gerben Jansen, Aukje Schukken and Nadia Remmer will also be present to showcase their proposals on how to update the city of Delft.

The TEDxDelft Salon is free, in English, and is open to everyone.  So come join us. Share in the knowledge and tell us about your idea worth spreading!

Special Guests:

 

 Nan Deadorff-McClain
 Art in the city

 

 

Ekim Tan
 Founder, Play the City

 

Paul Frank and Friends

Master’s presentations:
Andrew Hollands
Gerben Jansen
Aukje Schukken
Nadia Remmer

Special thanks to:

Print
Studium Generale
 TU Delft

 

 

Successful Speaker Now Logo
Barbara Rogoski
 Successful Speaker Now

 

 

TIP Logo
Jonathan Talbott
 Talbot International Presentations

 

Theater de Veste Logo

 

 

 

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Made Possible By | Fabrique | Pushing the boundaries of creativity

Fab logo pay-off EN zwart RGB 300

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”.

Fabrique 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 Fabrique’s Communications Coordinator Eveline Schonewille to share some insights:

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

Fabrique [brands, design & interaction] is a multidisciplinary agency based in the Netherlands since 1992. More than 100 artists, engineers and storytellers work with pleasure and passion on a wide variety of assignments for consumer brands, service-sector companies, the government, education, the entertainment industry and cultural institutions.

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

Fabrique thinks carefully about brands, concepts, products and interaction, in order to arrive at apparently simple solutions to complex problems. Fabrique pushes boundaries and breaks through existing patterns, because avoiding the beaten path is the only way to achieve truly innovative and effective solutions.

3. Why did you choose to sponsor TEDxDelft?

That’s a good question. The same question we ask ourselves every year, the day before TEDxDelft starts! But then, when we arrive at TEDxDelft, we know the answer: because TedXDelft is an awesome event!

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

In a word: curiosity.

***

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.

 

 

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Made Possible By | TU Delft | Contributing to a sustainable society

TU_d_line_P1_color_1

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”.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) 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 Evelyne Esveld from TU Delft to share some insights:

What is the name of your organization and what do you do?

Delft University of Technology. It is the largest and oldest Dutch public technical university, with over 19,000 students. The university was first established in 1842 as a Royal Academy, with the main purpose of training civil servants for the Dutch East Indies but has rapidly expanded its research and education curriculum since then.

What is your mission?

The university’s mission is to make a significant contribution towards a sustainable society for the twenty-first century by conducting groundbreaking scientific and technological research, which is acknowledged as world-class, by training scientists and engineers with a genuine commitment to society and by helping to translate knowledge into technological innovations and activity with both economic and social value.

Why did you choose to sponsor TEDxDelft 2015?

Delft University of Technology is one of the founding organizations of TEDxDelft. From the beginning we have aimed to inspire and contribute towards a sustainable society with knowledge and experience. Something that TEDxDelft also aspires toward.

What do you see in common between TU Delft and TEDxDelft?

As mentioned previously, the university and TEDxDelft share a common goal. TU Delft views its role in society as supplying technological solutions that take us significantly further along the road towards sustainability and a flourishing economy.

***

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.

/by

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

20141207_220720

 

“Math is an important element of human culture,” says Dr. Gerardo Soto y Koelemeijer. Culture and math may sound like a collision of worlds, but Koelemeijer believes they complement each other.

And he would know. Having completed his PhD in mathematics at TU Delft, he also studied literature and cultural studies. A published author of historical fiction, he is now working on a book with stories about math and is also researching another historical subject. All this alongside his day job as a math teacher at a secondary school in Haarlem.

Does his varied knowledge base make him a better teacher? “Yes. The more you know, the more you can improvise and motivate students. Mathematics is not a discipline that stands on its own. It has many similarities and connections with other disciplines. Some people consider math an art. I think it is an important element of human culture.”

Inspired by people with great knowledge, it is no surprise that Koelemeijer offers his students a chance to learn something more.“I sometimes tell students about the history of mathematics or about books that I read. Last year I gave a philosophy course and last period I spoke about linguistics.”

Soto y Koelemeijer believes that his work as a mathematician and as a novelist has differences and similarities but people often focus only on the differences. “The focus on language and logic is a similarity and in both disciplines structure and beauty is very important. An elegant mathematical proof can be considered as a poem. Furthermore, creativity is in both cases a keyword.”

His talk at TEDxDelft will explore how to change math education and make it more engaging. “I think that telling stories can be very helpful for students, especially for those who are bad at math. I’m going to tell a story about a specific and complex concept in mathematics and I hope that everybody will understand my talk.”

Soto y Koelemeijer is no stranger to telling a complex story in a gripping format. His novels Armelia and De Gestolen Kinderen (The Stolen Children) explore tragic and dark periods in Spanish history.“Both my books were about Spain, about the Civil War and about the Franco era. I think it is a relatively unknown period of history in the Netherlands.”

Given his Spanish heritage (his father is Spanish) Soto y Koelemeijer has always enjoyed reading about the heritage and history of Spain. When he came across a news story about children who had been abducted from Republican parents by Francoists, he knew that was a story that needed to be told.

As an educator, his favorite TED talks are about education. Here are some he recommends.

Hackschooling makes me happy: Logan LaPlante
How schools kill creativity: Ken Robinson
New experiments in self-teaching: Sugata Mitra’s

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 Speaker | Jojanneke van den Bosch | Helping the Invisible

Jojanneke van den Bosch
A person’s childhood is as fragile as it is precious. Everyday, millions of children around the world are forced to deal with the realities of life, thrown into situations they neither asked for nor deserve. In most societies, these children often remain invisible, while the issues they face are considerably neglected. For Dutch social activist, author and online strategist Jojanneke van den Bosch, raising awareness of the plight of this group of children has become a personal calling, especially since their life-altering experiences are similar to her own.

At the upcoming TEDxDelft Event on February 27, 2015, Van den Bosch shares how a sad twist of fate permanently changed her life and the steps she took to overcome it. “In my talk, I will focus on and illustrate a particularly vulnerable and rather challenging situation that millions of children are facing everyday,” the activist says, hoping that her message will resonate with the TEDxDelft attendees. “In the last seven years, I discovered that not so many people are aware of this issue and that it is in fact considered a taboo. My mission is to break this taboo and to improve the circumstances of the many youngsters who are dealing with this everyday.”

As founder of online strategy and communications consultancy Eos Online Communicatie, Van den Bosch is no stranger to being on stage. Since 2006, she has been giving various presentations and professional seminars, developing the world’s first online training program for online strategy and social media. Be that as it may, the strategist still considers speaking at TEDxDelft as both a unique and challenging opportunity. She hopes that her presentation will open many possibilities for young people in order for them to understand what they are going through and what is necessary to build a good life for themselves.

“Preparing for this TEDxDelft talk is something special,” Van den Bosch admits. “I have given hundreds of speeches and presentations, but this one is different. It demands even more focus and clarity than usual because you want to make a point in a very limited time frame. Since I feel so strongly about the issue I’m addressing at TEDxDelft, preparing for this talk is a journey in itself. It teaches both the attendees as myself something new. I’d like to think that’s a good thing. It makes me feel grateful.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEmv6fJJFGU&feature=youtu.be

/1 Comment/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

From all of us at TEDxDelft, we wish you all a Happy New Year!

Looking forward to seeing you at the upcoming TEDxDelft Event on 27 February 2015. Let’s make things beta!

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 Speakers | Roeland Dietvorst | Understanding the inner workings of the brain

Photo: The Social Conference

The human mind cannot be trusted. This is what many years of research have taught neuroscientist Roeland Dietvorst. With a background in biological and cognitive psychology and a PhD in Applied Neuroscience from Erasmus University Rotterdam, Dietvorst tries to better understand and predict how consumers respond to various marketing stimuli and products.

“Our conscious mind provides us with the illusion that we are in control of our decisions,” the neuroscientist claims. “However, reflexive processes that occur outside of our awareness have a huge impact on our everyday decisions, behaviours and preferences. Because of this configuration of processes in the brain, people perform very poorly when trying to predict their own behaviour in the future, or when explaining their behaviour from the past.”

At the NeuroLabs research facility in the Netherlands, Dietvorst and his team use neuroscientific methods and models to search for new and better ways to comprehend human behaviour. “By measuring activity in the brain, we are able to better predict behaviour in response to certain situations or information,” Dietvorst says. “Whether you are a marketer or consumer, learning about neuroscience will fundamentally change your perspective on what drives your everyday decisions and who you are as a person. Ultimately, you will benefit from understanding the brain in multiple areas. “

As founding partner of neuroscience marketing research consultancy NeuroLabs and Neuromarketing lecturer at the European Institute for Brand management, Dietvorst is more than ready to take the stage at the upcoming TEDxDelft Event on February 27, 2015. “TEDxDelft is considered to be one of the most prestigious stages for a speaker,” the neuroscientist shares. “Therefore I am very honoured to be invited. In addition, I am also very thankful for the experience because TEDxDelft provides excellent and intensive coaching, which will help me to bring my talks to the next level.”

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Meer TEDxDelft | TEDxDelft On Ice

Al meer dan 25 jaar is TED voor velen internationaal een bekend begrip. Ooit begonnen als vierdaagse conferentie in Californië, is TED nu een wereldwijde non-profit organisatie die zich richt op ‘Ideas Worth Spreading’. Tijdens TED bijeenkomsten krijgt iedere spreker met een ‘Idea Worth Spreading’ maximaal 18 minuten om z’n idee te presenteren en om anderen […]

Read more
/by

TEDxDelft 2015 Speakers | Suzanne Ma| Newcomers in the Old World

headshot1-forweb

 

In 2007, while studying Chinese at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Suzanne Ma caught the trail of a story that would fascinate her for years – the lives of Chinese immigrants as newcomers in Europe. The Chinese-Canadian author and journalist, one of the speakers at TEDxDelft 2015, follows this trail in her new book Meet Me in Venice.

The book follows the journey of a young girl named Ye Pei from China to Italy and the challenges she faces as an immigrant. “The idea for Meet Me in Venice actually came to me back in 2007 when I met my husband, a Dutch-born Chinese guy by the name of Marc Kuo.”

Born and raised in Holland, Kuo’s ancestral hometown is in eastern China. “For me, as a Chinese-Canadian, I was fascinated to learn about the migration route from China to Europe. It’s a story I hadn’t heard before, and I wanted to know more.”

At the end of their year abroad in China, Kuo returned to Holland and Ma went on to do a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University. There she won the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship which enabled her to start her research on this topic and travel to eastern China. “Marc’s ancestral hometown has a 300-year history of migration to the West. Most of the migrants from this region of China end up moving to Europe. I wanted to know why and I wanted to witness this migration, which continues today, with my own eyes. The goal was to meet migrants who were getting ready to leave China. Then, I planned to follow them to Europe and see how their lives unfolded. I stayed in China for a year before setting off on my European tour, visiting Chinese communities in Holland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Portugal.” Ma also started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund her first trip, though it took two more trips to Europe before she could finish the book. Over the years she visited Chinese communities across Western Europe.

She believes that policies and public opinion in the Netherlands are among the most progressive here. “I think the Chinese community, especially that of my husband’s generation, is well integrated and generally the Dutch are quite accepting of the Chinese communities in their midst. That said, I do see some signs of stagnation in terms of the way minorities view themselves in Holland and also the way in which they are treated by the general Dutch population.”

Having grown up in a multi-cultural neighborhood in Toronto, Ma confesses that while she has never been the victim of major bigotry or racism, not every Canadian is lucky enough to be able to say so. “Discrimination happens everywhere, but Canada is indeed a land of immigrants and that’s helped create a society that’s extremely inclusive.”

One of the biggest differences she has noticed between Europe and Canada is how vocal and visible the immigrant communities are in Canada. “We have so-called minorities in government – members of parliament, premiers, mayors. Minorities aren’t afraid to ‘rock the boat.’ If we’ve got something to say, we say it. Media newsrooms reflect Canada’s multiculturalism. The people on TV reading the news are not homogenous. I don’t see this kind of diversity in Europe, not even in Holland.”

Currently working on her talk for TEDxDelft, she says “At the most basic level, when it comes to dealing with the influx of so many newcomers, it’s really important to have empathy. That is the theme for my talk.”

Like most followers of TED, she has too many favorites to name. However, she did suggest two that resonate with the topic she will be exploring. “Here are two TED talks that have really touched me as a writer and someone interested in immigrant stories.”

My Immigration Story: Tan Lee

Lisa Bu: How Books Can Open Your Mind

 

/2 Comments/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Holiday Gift | Give The Gift Of An Idea Worth Spreading

Holiday Gift Code
Here’s an idea worth spreading this Christmas!

Want to give your friends, colleagues or loved ones something different for Christmas this year? How about tickets to the TEDxDelft event on February 27, 2015?

This year, in time for the holidays, the TEDxDelft team is offering a Christmas special – purchase a maximum of 2 tickets per person with a discount of €2.50 euro per ticket. This offer extends to January 2, 2015.

And what’s more! To make it even ‘beta’ we have gotten creative and prepared unique TEDxDelft giftwrap so you can make your own gift envelopes. Simply purchase your tickets online using the discount code shown, print the tickets, download the gift wrap, print it out and fold it into an envelope as shown below.

While we’re on the topic of gift ideas, here’s another good one to spread: Did you know you can customize your own TED DVDs? You can choose six TED Talks and make your own ‘mix’ of good ideas.

 

141202_tedxdelft_kado_v2_001_2  141202_tedxdelft_kado_v2_002_s

 

 

 

 

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 Speakers | Mileha Soneji | Empathy is the key to innovation

IMG_202

Empathy, believes Mileha Soneji, is the key to any great innovation. On November 28, Soneji won the TEDxDelft Award, an event organized in association with YES! Delft Students, and will now be one of the speakers at TEDxDelft on February 27, 2015. Her talk will focus on the Staircase Solution – a simple design that makes life easier for those suffering with Parkinson’s Disease.

“While studying product design in India, we had a course called Design For Special Needs. It was the first time I realized how challenging it is to design for people with special needs. Around that time an uncle that I was very close to was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. I really wanted to do something to help him,” said Soneji. Spending time with her uncle and observing the difficulties he faced in his daily tasks led to her idea. “At the end of the day, I believe that having empathy and being able to put yourself in another person’s shoes is what makes a great design.”

From Pune, India, Soneji moved to Delft to do her masters. Having worked as a product designer for a while, she felt the need to learn more about the subject in terms of market forces and design. The Strategic Design Course at TU Delft seemed like the perfect choice to her.

Since the TEDxDelft Award, Soneji says she’s been receiving congratulations from most unexpected quarters. “It’s exciting. I have some butterflies and jitters, but mostly I am really excited about this amazing platform,” she said.

A keen follower of TED talks, she linked us to two of her favorite talks.

Angela Lee Duckworth: The key to success? Grit

Aparna Rao: Art that craves your attention

See more about Mileha Soneji in this video from the TEDxDelft Awards:

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 Speakers | Alec Momont | Using technology for the greater good

qy0cIlVC

 

Use technology for the greater good of mankind. That’s the rule product designer Alec Momont lives by. Momont recently made international headlines for his defibrillator-fitted ambulance drones that can substantially increase the chances of a person’s survival after a cardiac arrest. The design was made as part of Momont’s thesis project during his MSc at TU Delft. He scored a perfect 10 for it.

“I started grad school with the idea that I wanted to change the perception of drones. I have been fascinated by flight ever since I can remember, and I always felt that there had to be a better use for this technology,” said Momont.

A few years ago, one of his neighbours had a cardiac arrest while out for a walk. He was too far for an ambulance to reach him in time. “When I realized that things would have been so different if he could have received medical attention in time, it got me thinking of an ambulance drone with a defibrillator.” While working on his thesis Momont was hospitalised a few times for a knee-surgery. That gave him a chance to observe hospitals, interact with doctors and get a sense of their needs.

Originally from Leuven, Belgium, Momont moved to Delft a couple of years ago to study product design. “There is a lot of great technology in the world, but having that is one thing, I wanted to learn how that can be leveraged to make lives better.”

That, for Momont, is the most important aspect of any innovation: “It should serve society.”

An avid TED follower, he says he’s watched over 500 videos. How To Make Tough Choice by Rutgers University philosophy professor Ruth Chang is one of his favourite talks.

Read more about Momont on his website alecmomont.com

/1 Comment/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | And we have a winner | TEDxDelft Awards

TEDxDelft Awards Winner

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

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

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

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

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 Events | Women take the lead | TEDxDelftWomen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

/by

TEDxDelft | Inspiration delivered to your inbox | Newsletter

,

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

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

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

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Ideas and Awards | TEDxDelft Awards

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

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

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

When: November 28, 16:00

Where: Molengraffsingel 12-14, 2629 JD Delft

Tickets: 7.50 euros

Book them online here. 

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Inspiration Can Be Cosy | TEDxDelftSalons

,

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

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

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

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

 

 

/by

Welcome to Delft Event 2015

The City of Delft will be organizing an informative Welcome to Delft event at the DOK Library Concept Center on Saturday, November 1, 2014 from 10:15 to 12:00. Hosted by Vice-Mayor Ferrie Förster, the event is an opportunity for expats in Delft and the surrounding area to meet new people and to learn more about living and working in the city. Visitors will be provided with information concerning official matters, employment, housing, health care, leisure and the arts, and education. Several activities will also be organized for children.

TEDxDelft will be present during the event to inform visitors and newcomers alike of the upcoming TEDxDelft event, which will be held at the TU Delft Aula Congress Center on February 27, 2015. Visitors interested in volunteering for the conference are welcome to enlist with TEDxDelft Team.

To register for the Welcome to Delft event, kindly send an e-mail to expats@delft.nl and include your name, the organisation you work for or study at and the number of relatives who will accompany you.

Welcome to Delft Event 

DOK Library Concept Center (Vesteplein 100, 2611WG Delft)

Saturday, November 1, 2014 | 10:15 – 12:00

 

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Special discount at TEDxDelft

Early bird tickets are sold out! Regularly priced tickets are still available!

Early birds always get a good deal – even at TEDxDelft. Ticket sales for TEDxDelft 2015, to be held on February, 27 2015, went live last week at special discounted rates.

Students tickets priced at €24, cost €19 at the moment and are applicable for students and PhDs from any university in the Netherlands. Regular tickets, which cost €49, will be available for €44 as long as the offer lasts.

In the past few years, early bird tickets have been snapped up within weeks. So, don’t procrastinate, book your tickets today. It’s a great call to action for our theme this year- Let’s make things Beta.

Book your tickets here.

 

Visitors in line for tickets at TEDxDelft 2013. You can book your tickets online, at a discount! Photo: Renee Veldman-Tentori

Visitors in line for tickets at TEDxDelft 2013. You can book your tickets online, at a discount!
Photo: Renee Veldman-Tentori

 

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 – Registration is now open!

TEDxDelft2015_poster_noninteractive

On February 27, 2015, TEDxDelft returns with an impressive line-up of speakers and inspiring stories. Only this time, it’s not just about great ideas but about taking those ideas and making them real. Let’s Make Things Beta, that’s the theme for 2015, and we hope to inspire you to convert your ideas and plans into actual prototypes and complete first drafts.

The day-long session will be held at the Aula Conference Centre, TU Delft. Registration is now open so get your ticket today!

The theme for the year reminds us that every great concept once had a beta-phase, a moment in time when it wasn’t perfect. So, don’t let the fear of failure or imperfection scare you off from taking your ideas forward. Even finished products are constantly updated – just look at those Apple guys.

Come and share your almost-complete ideas and listen to TEDx speakers discuss how they followed through on theirs.  See what others think, what suggestions they can make. Release your imperfect ideas into the world and welcome the constructive response you receive.

After all, a great idea deserves to be shared with the world.

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Save the Date!

,

Save The Date

Let great ideas inspire you. On February 27, 2015, TEDxDelft returns with an impressive panel of speakers, cutting-edge ideas, inspirational stories and fun side events. Tickets will be on sale soon, so make sure you circle the date on your calendar.

The theme for 2015 is Let’s Make Things Beta and it’s all about co-creation, crowdsourcing and creating unfinished things. Our focus is to encourage the community of scientists, designers and thinkers that are the hallmark of Delft to be motivated and proactive about following through on great ideas.

Started in 2011, the event is a TEDx program – a self-organized, local event that brings people together to share a TED-like experience. The platform has been growing ever since, and the event in 2013 was attended by 900 people. Our website, which also streams the event live, had over 10,000 visitors on the day.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will update our website with more information about speakers and TEDxDelft salons – side events that range from cinema to children’s activities. Stay tuned for more.

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Get Involved

Do you want to get involved with TEDxDelft 2015? We want you. We’re actively searching for volunteers to help with everything from production to catering, from the web care team to post-production.

Our volunteers get to see the TEDxDelft experience from behind the scenes. They get to attend the event for free. They work with knowledgeable and professional team who are passionate about developing ideas worth spreading.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Fill our our volunteer form or send an email to our volunteer coordinator.

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | TU Delft Multicultural Night

To celebrate the cumulation of the orientation program for the new international students at TU Delft, the university  hosts a multicultural event complete with dancing, food and drinks. Directly following the closing ceremony of the program, the new students are welcomed to the university in the Aula by DJs and tables of campus student groups.

TEDxDelft was among the groups.

15064703485_faf3e2a48b_z

As they come from all over the world, many new students weren’t aware Delft had its own TEDx event. We were interested in promoting the event and, most importantly, locating volunteers. Our TEDx event is run nearly entirely by volunteers, many of whom are affiliated with TU Delft.

130 names and email addresses later, we were quite pleased with the outcome.

If you’re interested in volunteering for TEDxDelft, sign up using our volunteer form.

15061958771_334091bd0e_z

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | Seats available @ release event

cde8f42b-23d3-4295-82ed-b53ddbe3a1ce

After one year of research, Boyan Slat will finally announce the results of The Ocean Cleanup’s feasibility study. Besides the incredible support of volunteers, sponsors and funders, we also wouldn’t have been able to complete this essential first step without you – our supporters. Hence, we now enable you to be present at the release events in New York and Delft (NL).

Note: Be quick – both events have only limited capacity.
To confirm your attendance, please click on the links below (password TOC2014):

New York:
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ocean-cleanup-release-event-tickets-11735590467

Delft:
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ocean-cleanup-release-event-registration-11734649653

/by

TEDxDelft 2015 | TEDxDelft Cinema: Chris Slappendel

,


ChrisDe zesde avond TEDxDelft Cinema, met talks, video’s en een hoofdfilm, staat helemaal in het teken van Chris Slappendel, een ‘gewone’ Delftenaar die zijn leven heeft gewijd aan het behoud van tijgers in de wereld.

donderdag 15 mei, 19.30 uur in Filmhuis-Lumen, Doelenplein 5 in Delft . Reserveren via website Lumen Read more

/by