The TEDx University of Strathclyde conference is held annually, and this year’s theme is ‘Orchestrated Emotions’.
The President of the TEDx Society, Andrew McFadzean, explains why TEDx conferences are so important, particularly for students at Strathclyde. “Idea conferences ignite a curiosity within us. A lot of students at university are lectured on a single subject, whereas these conferences present such a vast array of ideas. Also these conferences are on a TEDx platform, so it’s good exposure for the speakers. It’s about giving them the opportunity to allow others to explore their ideas.”
Lisa La Marra, Head of Content and Vice President, explains the importance of letting people know about the talent within Strathclyde, “many of our speakers are actually from within the university and a lot of us don’t even know… what they do and how they’re making a difference in the world. This gives them some visibility and gives Strathclyde students an idea of how good we can be as a university.”
The Orchestrated Emotions conference will feature talks from speakers from a multitude of disciplines and backgrounds. Kirstie Drummond Papworth, a behavioural change expert specialising in the effects of compassion in organisations and leaders, will speak about compassion and why it is so powerful and important in contemporary society.
Misha Botting, a Bolshoi-trained ballet dancer who worked with Team GB during the winter Olympics in Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018, will discuss the significance of mindfulness and compassion in team sports.
Among the talented student speakers are Harley Borrell and Rachel Macpherson. Borrell, an architecture student working on creating a ‘theme park’ type space within Glasgow designed specifically to make people feel happy. And Macpherson, a Journalism and Creative Writing student who runs workshops in high schools to help young people gain experience and break in to the media industry.
In a significant step towards further inclusivity, the Orchestrated Emotions conference will also have two British Sign Language Interpreters that will translate every single talk given. Andrew discussed the decision, “There hasn’t been, or at least I’ve never been to a conference that has allowed that kind of access. To have two British Sign Language interpreters for deaf attendees, for all the speeches – it’s now allowing that access. Looking at how to make the platform at TEDx University of Strathclyde more accessible [is] a big thing because the deaf community can sometimes be forgotten.”
Visit the TEDx University of Strathclyde Facebook page to get more information on the conference, and to book your tickets.
By Niamh Johnstone
