TEDx Aberdeen has unveiled the roster of speakers ready to take centre stage at its second event later this year.
Covering a diverse range of topics including social acceptance and inclusion, racism, keeping language alive, resistance to change, re-thinking values, and societal conditioning, they will share their interpretation of the TEDxAberdeen theme of ‘movement’ at the one-day event on Saturday, November 12.
Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success and now this year the famous red dot awaits for:
Dr Aileen Alexander
Talk Title: The Benefits of Movement
Passionate about health and wellbeing, Dr Aileen will invite us to question why, despite knowing that exercise is good for our health and it makes us feel good, we can find it difficult to make long-term behaviour changes to boost our wellbeing.
Eric Doyle
Talk Title: Passion will get you moving, passion with strategy and community will get you further…
In 2013 Aberdeen-based consultant Eric took on a huge challenge, fuelled by the emotion of a conversation with a friend who sadly lost his life. He went to Morocco to take part in the Marathon Des Sables… six marathons in six days, across the Sahara Desert, fully self-sufficient.
During the event he quickly got into serious trouble and couldn’t complete the challenge. A few years later Eric decided to do it again. The weight of unfinished business and the desire to fulfil a promise were overwhelming but this time he submerged himself in strategy and community.
Katie Forbes
Talk Title: Autism is a difference, not a disorder
Katie is an autistic marketing professional specialising in digital and social media based in Aberdeen.
Katie’s talk discusses the detrimental impact of healthcare professionals and the media portraying autism as a disorder; something that needs to be fixed or cured. She will invite the audience to look beyond this terminology and see autism for what it is, simply a difference. Not bad, nor less – just different.
Katie said: “I become overwhelmed with emotion thinking about how far I’ve come over the last few years. Throughout my adolescence and early twenties, I was debilitated by self-doubt and thought I was broken because I was different. Now, I’m preparing a talk that celebrates my differences and uses my experiences to help and educate others. It’s surreal.”
Fraser Hay
Talk Title: From Human Being to Human Becoming
Entrepreneur and business coach Fraser will talk about how the events of the last couple of years has caused many people to stagnate. As a result of many industries collapsing, businesses closing their doors, and many individuals being laid off, paid off, or made redundant, thousands have found themselves at a crossroads.
Fraser will share a powerful four-step process with specific examples from his life when he had stagnated and was faced with considerable challenges, and the results he was able to achieve in applying the process to his next stage of growth.
Lauren Hay
Talk Title: Speak Properly: Is Doric Dying?
Cullen born quine, Lauren will share her concerns about the growing disconnection from our north-east dialect doric.
“Doric is at risk of extinction as we are shackled to scrolling on screens and have less and less conversations in ‘real life’ and this is where Doric exists – in the communities around us,” Lauren says.
“It is not a language that we read nor write very often but we speak it every day. The less we speak and more we scroll the more disconnected from Doric we become.”
“It’s a privilege to give Doric such a prestigious platform.”
Lyly Lepinay
Talk Title: Beyond the Chinese Takeaway
Buckie born marketing specialist and creative writer, Lyly, will give us a taster of life beyond the Chinese takeaway.
“Often when we think of the Chinese community in the UK, the first thing that comes to mind is the takeaway or buffet restaurants,” she said.
“There’s little the average person knows about the community other than their own Chinese takeaway order. This comes as no surprise as our community is often invisible in mainstream media despite being the third biggest ethnic minority group in Scotland.
“My talk will feature examples from my family and friends’ experiences – some may even surprise people.”
Zoe Morrison
Talk Title: Why we say people don’t like change.
Robert Gordon University Professor Morrison says: “I’m excited to talk about why we say that people do not like change.
“All too easily we use this statement as an excuse, identifying other people as the reason for lack of movement. But how valid and engaging are our ideas to initiate change?”
She adds: “Some people are great at making changes and others might need help. I haven’t found anyone yet who doesn’t like any change at all. So why do we all say it all the time? I’m looking forward to exploring the myths about change and explaining the potential impact if we stopped telling ourselves that people don’t like change.”
Del Redvers
Talk Title: How your hypocrisy can help to save humanity
Corporate affairs director and environmental charity chair Del will challenge our thoughts about hypocrisy and how being a hypocrite is not only okay, it can enable positive change.
Del explains: “To address the biggest challenges humanity faces we must move quickly through social and behavioural transitions. In these transitions, there are gaps between what we say and what we do, where our hypocrisy is evident.
“Hiding our hypocrisy as a vulnerability or a failing slows our progress. Instead, we can acknowledge and own it, using the tension it creates to draw us to a better future. For the sake of humanity, it is time to rethink hypocrisy.”
Sarah Rochester
Talk Title: We don’t need a reason
Communications manager Sarah will share her experience of the decision to stop drinking.
Sarah says: “When I stopped drinking, I felt constantly anxious because I didn’t have a ‘reason’. I didn’t have a rock bottom moment and therefore I didn’t have an answer to the question ‘why?’.
“Until I realised that wanting to was enough on its own. I hope to be part of a change in the conversation around alcohol, to help people see they don’t need a reason.”
Alex Whyte
Talk Title: The Career Mother Gear
Alex’s talk centres around her experience of pursuing her career while also entering motherhood. Alex explains: “This period has been the hardest and fastest pace of life I have ever experienced. A pace I didn’t know I had in me until I was faced with the prospect of failure in one or the other.
“I am thrilled to have been selected to be a speaker at TEDx Aberdeen. At its core, this talk is about my life which is incredibly daunting to lay bare but it feels like it is an important time to speak up about this subject, and I am truly honoured to be able to do so.
Selection process ‘a challenge’
TEDxAberdeen licensee, Moray Barber, said: “We received an incredible number of high-quality applications to speak at TEDxAberdeen, which made the selection process very challenging.
“However, that simply demonstrates the north-east of Scotland is full of thought-provoking ideas and talented speakers.
“Our speakers impressed us with their unique takes on movement – moving beyond, moving minds, and moving bodies – we can’t wait to see how they refine and hone their ideas.”
For more information about TEDxAberdeen visit: www.tedxaberdeen.com
Conversation