Storyteller
A father in training, A husband with 9 lives, A crazy big brother, A son that means well and an epically curious people person that loves passion projects of the extreme kind.
Independent researcher, videodirector, storyteller and journalist
Anne Peetoom (1971) is an independent researcher, videodirector, storyteller and journalist. She teaches television skills at the masterprogramme of journalism at the University of Groningen.
For years she worked in the heart of Dutch television news and current affairs, at several national broadcasters (NOS, NTR, Avro). There, she investigated and shot stories on education, health, childcare.
Making difficult social matters easy to understand for a broad audience: that has always been her goal in her professional life. She’s in search of little, daily life examples to tell the big story in text, image and sound. And that’s what she will try to do talking about the social and cultural impact of The Internet of Toys: a subject she recently researched for Mediawijzer.net. How do connected toys change the way children play? What kind of digital skills do parents need to acquire? And who’s in charge: the child or the connected toy?
Architect & Psychologist
Maarsingh runs a large practice with several psychologists and coaches, and has a nose for innovations. Berit Ann Roos designs buildings, based on human values and co- creation. She creates space by offering new perspectives to people in organizations. She is constantly looking for new possibilities, goes beyond the obvious, and is open to the unexpected.
President of the Language Creation Society
As a lover of languages, a polyglot and an amateur linguist, language has always held a special place in my heart. I see languages as beautiful and intricate cathedrals whose internal structures are fascinating. It was only natural, then, that I would start building my own cathedrals, in the form of new, invented languages. It may sound arrogant, but it's actually a very fun thing to do, and I am just one among many who work in this somewhat uncommon but exhilarating craft. Still, who would have known, when I wrote down my first grammatical rule for my first invented language, way back in junior high school, that today I would be the President of the Language Creation Society, supporting many other language creators like myself, and helping to promote language creation as an art form to the general public!
Coach
My name is Herre Zonderland, I am 33 years old and live in Lemmer. I’m a former top athlete in gymnastics and quitted my career in 2009. I was Dutch champion in the all-around in 2003 and participated at 7 European Championships and 5 World Championships between 2001-2009. Nowadays I translate my top sports experience into the business world. What can we learn from top athletes which benefits in business? As a top athlete I had a structured life and was very serious in becoming a better gymnast every day. After my gymnasticslife I had to find a new balance in my life. The balance between efforts and recovery of it and making choices to do or don’t. And for what? To reach my potential in my “new” life. To develop my talents and skills. To inspire people and make them aware of their energy level and performing every day at a sustainable base. And last but not least to develop myself as a person.
Performer
"Jamila Faber (1989) is a singer, songwriter, poet and performance artist. Her work is about digging deeper. For her, it's way to find out what lies beneath the surface within herself, others and our society. In knowing what goes on behind closed doors and closed hearts, she hopes to find comfort.
In 2011, Jamila graduated from the Academy of Pop Culture in Leeuwarden. Since then, she's been involved in many artistic and educational projects.
She has written, directed and performed several theater shows, with which she toured throughout the country.
She initiated poetry projects, such as VERS and Luistervinkverzen. With those she's also attended many a festival.
Now, she's part of the up and coming duo O, Kutjes. Their bizarre electro pop makes you smile, cry and dance. Preferably all at the same time.
Also, she's working on exciting, new music for a solo project. So stay tuned, folks. You're in for a hell of a ride with this one.
Communications Officer
"I was born in 1977 in Kuala Lumpur, but grew up in the Netherlands being half Dutch and half Malaysian. Groningen is my hometown: having spent my primary school years, highschool and university education there, I majored in history and fell in love with Jelte Posthumus, who studied history as well and now works as a highschool teacher. I graduated in 2004 and got married in 2009.
Since I have always loved to travel - I spent an exchange year during highschool in the USA, an exchange year during college also in the USA and an internship in Jakarta - I always pictured myself working abroad or working in an international environment. This goal I have reached: after having jumped from job to job, I 'landed' with much joy at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Groningen, where I currently work as a Communications Officer. "
Student
"We are Thijs Bruinsma (1998), first year student International Relations and Organisations at Leiden University, and Lennart Vulto (1997), first year student Immersive Media and Visual Effects at the Amsterdam Film Academy.
We met each other in high school in Sneek, where we in 2015 decided to work together on our final high school research paper, which has been awarded with the Nel Stehouwer Award and won the price for “Best final research paper” of the province Friesland, held by the Leeuwarder Courant and the University of Groningen.
This is what we do, but who we are as a person is a difficult question. What are the ingredients of our personality? What we do? What we think? What we have experienced? Or are we constantly driven by the influences of our environment? Questions we tried to give an answer to. "
Managing Director
Former top-level swimmer Pia Vemmelund has over twenty-five years of experience in the travel industry, and is in charge of the online travel and meta search website Momondo: “Everyone in the world should be able to travel, to meet other people and experience other cultures and religions. Because traveling opens your mind!”
Hacker, artist, engineer, researcher and teacher
Pieter is a hacker, artist, engineer, researcher and teacher driving forward Free & Open Source Technologies that enable citizens to take matters into their own hands. He leads the Open Wetlab, Open Design Lab and Fablab Amsterdam at Waag Society. He is an expert in biological technologies, an award winning entrepreneur and world recognized speaker on Biohacking and DIYBio. His contribution to this citizen science movement focus on the development of tools that support others in analysing and improving the environment. He has organised dozens of hands-on art science “Do It Together Bio” workshops, led more than 150 Dutch DIYBio community events, runs the micro-organism store Pet Shop, and presents a YouTube channel on making and hacking things. The outcomes have been displayed at mayor international art, design and science museums and festivals.
Politician
Sander Terphuis ontvluchtte op zijn achttiende alleen zijn vaderland Iran. Het verlangen naar de vrijheid was zeer sterk. Hij wilde architect zijn van zijn eigen leven. In Nederland bouwde Sander een nieuw leven op. Hij greep dankbaar alle kansen aan om in vrijheid zijn dromen waar te maken. Sander wordt binnen een mum van tijd oer-Hollands: hij trouwt een Friezin, werkt bij de overheid, wordt politiek actief en verandert zijn naam in Sander Terphuis. Het leven van Sander kenmerkt zich door gedrevenheid, optimisme en veerkracht. En zijn motto is bergen beklimmen, drempels overwinnen en dromen najagen.
Interaction designer, Promovendus WU&R
Soheila Najand - Dutchman born in Tehran, Iran (1957) - is transformation designer and artist. Art for her is a movement, is awareness and mutual revelation of human, ecological, systemic, cultural and economic relationships, both personally and at the level of society processes
She is a founder and director of InterArtLab, NL Today and several other organisations. Soheila has served on various advisory committees and juries, including BKVB, Mondriaan Fund and Heritage Netherlands. She is also a driver of educational reforms in various educational institutions like ArtEZ, Fontys High School south etc.
CEO
Stefan Wobben is naast wandelende wikipedia ook co-founder van Concept7. Hier doet hij what he does best, bedrijven helpen innoveren. Met zijn voelsprieten voor nieuwe trends, werkt hij met organisaties die het anders willen doen. Samen onderzoeken ze of hun product of dienst (nog) aansluit bij de behoefte van de eindgebruiker.
Hij focust zich op bedrijven die gaan voor zowel purpose als profit. Met een drive vanuit het internet, worden consumenten namelijk steeds bewuster. Hun veranderende waardenpatroon zorgt ervoor dat zij kiezen voor verantwoorde alternatieven. En deze alternatieven zijn er volop, de een nog creatiever dan de ander.
Stefan neemt jullie mee in de wondere wereld van de Betekeniseconomie. Aan de hand van inspirerende voorbeelden legt hij uit wat dit betekent voor onze huidige economie en denkwijze. Een prachtig betoog waarin hij uitlegt dat juist de kleine dingen een groot verschil kunnen maken. Enjoy!