TEDxLeidenUniversity 2022: Idea(l)s

Hsin-Tse (Steven) Lin

Many of us tend to debate political and social issues. Yet, to move past polarization and superficial “political small talk,” Steven proposes we need to reflect on our ideas and beliefs. In his talk, Steven shares how we can embrace our positionality and appreciate the influences this has on who we are and what we think.

Guy Livingston

Pianist Guy Livingston has performed internationally from Tbilisi to Lincoln Center. His one-man-show performance projects have been featured in Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, Le Monde, Gramophone, The Wall Street Journal, and BBC Magazine. He designed a musical instrument that is currently orbiting earth on the International Space Station. Livingston has produced prize-winning radio documentaries for Australian Broadcasting and Irish RTé Radio, and hosts “The Bug”, a podcast which is broadcast from a former embassy in The Hague. He has lectured at Princeton University, Harvard University, and the European Space Agency.

Hajar Yagkoubi

Hajar takes you back in time to the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit, where she met influential leaders and, in the evening, studied for her accounting exam. With these things coming together, she had a realization: the current accounting system is setting businesses up to harm the world. Hajar proposes a new way to account so that we can hold big corporations accountable for the harm they cause.

Steven Dossou

What should we do when we strive to achieve success and growth, yet encounter hardship and setbacks? In his talk, Steven draws on his personal experience to illuminate the hidden treasures of stagnation. He unpacks how you can find inspiration, direction and drive in times of chaos through reflection, appreciation, and introspection.

Hannah Lidya Madelon

Hannah is a big Sci-Fi fan. Yet, looking at some of the new installments of sci-fi, such as the Star Trek series, it is apparent that there is a typical pattern of grim and dystopia. Hannah talks about the need for optimism in fiction and considers sci-fi’s role in generating hope for the future. She hopes to inspire students, activists, and writers to envision a brighter future.

Bernardo Oliva Vieira

Perhaps some have heard of the following metaphor: we are dwarfs standing on giants. But Bernardo proposes that we are dwarfs standing on dwarfs standing on dwarfs. Our ideas, values, and in essence, many aspects of our identity stem from what was handed to us through history. In his talk, Bernardo shares how we can polish even the most mediocre ideas into wonders if we see ideas as an intergenerational building process that involves many parties.

Paul Behrens

Dr. Paul Behrens takes a new approach to existing debates about global warming by discussing the concept of social tipping points. He unpacks the differences between natural and social tipping points and explains how social dynamics can save us from climate change catastrophes. We can still push towards a future with less suffering if we act strategically, decisively, and collectively, and “don’t sweat the small stuff” too much.

Rick Overkleeft

Who will own the information on your DNA? Rick gives an insightful talk about data colonialism and his fight to decentralize data ownership. He will explain how data colonialism impacts people and talk about new ethical infrastructures that give the data back to its rightful owners, the people.

Homa Golestani

Homa migrated from Afghanistan to the Netherlands. She committed to building a new life for herself and is now excelling as a third-year law student. By drawing on personal experience, Homa will challenge us to rethink freedom. After all, we all find freedom important, but what exactly does it entail? For Homa, freedom means having the capabilities and opportunities to satisfy our own goals and overcome any obstacles that may stand in our way.