Theme: Self And Society

TEDxSouthampton 2016 brings the famous TED-style talks to Southampton with an independently curated event that will ask the question: self or society? 10 speakers plus musical performances will explore our notions of self, how our societies have evolved and what the future may hold.

The Berry Theatre
Wildern Ln
Hedge End
Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 4EJ
United Kingdom

Anil Seth

Anil Seth is a Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex and Co-Director (with Prof. Hugo Critchley) of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness (Oxford University Press), Editor and Co-Author of 30 Second Brain (Ivy Press, 2014), Consultant for Eye Benders (Ivy Press, 2013; winner of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2014). Anil contributes regularly to a variety of media including the New Scientist, The Guardian, and the BBC and writes the popular blog NeuroBanter.

Bruce Hood

Bruce Hood is a Professor of Developmental Psychology in Society in the School of Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol. Bruce has written three books for the general public, “SuperSense” (HarperOne, 2009) about the natural origins of supernatural beliefs which has been published in 12 countries, “The Self Illusion” (Constable & Robinson 2012) about the fallacy that we are coherent, integrated individuals but rather a constructed narrative largely influenced by those around us and “The Domesticated Brain” (Pelican, 2014) an evolutionary account for the rise in pro-sociality and lengthening of human childhood. Bruce has appeared in a number of TV science documentaries and in 2011 he delivered the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures which were broadcast on the BBC to over 4 million viewers. Bruce is the founder of the world’s largest expert speaker database Speakezee.org which he launched in 2015 and continues to grow at a rapid pace

Bruce Hood

Bruce Hood is a Professor of Developmental Psychology in Society in the School of Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol. Bruce has written three books for the general public, “SuperSense”, “The Self Illusion” and “The Domesticated Brain”. Bruce has appeared in a number of TV science documentaries and in 2011 he delivered the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures which were broadcast on the BBC to over 4 million viewers. Bruce is the founder of the world’s largest expert speaker database Speakezee.org which he launched in 2015 and continues to grow at a rapid pace

Catherine Wright

Catherine has been a bright spark in Southampton’s creative and cultural ecosystem for most of her life. With a panoramic field of vision over the area’s culture and deep connection to the city’s history, Catherine has the natural skill to connect people and projects together that normally wouldn’t meet, whilst also finding time to perform music, direct theatre, conduct workshops and broadcast other people’s work. She is the host of the popular IN CONVERSATION talk series. She lives on a houseboat on the Itchen with a teenage human, a labrador dog and two kittens.

Chris Paradox

Over the last 14 years Chris has performed for, spoken to and inspired over 100,000 people in countries all around the world.He’s developed and delivered over 50 “Art of Meaning” workshops and compered dozens of live events and festival stages. He’s the creator of The Art of Meaning Course: Make Your Life Matter and also the Founder of The Ikigai Mastermind a group coaching programme that empowers its members to find and live their Ikigai – a Japanese word that symbolises “that which you love, that which you’re good at, that which the world needs and that for which you can be paid”.

Debs Carter

Debs Carter is the founder of the Touch Network which celebrates real life stories of everyday people who are overcoming life’s challenges. The hope is that celebrating real life stories becomes part of doing life together, rather than something that may be a little awkward. It reduces isolation, loneliness and stigma and increases the sense of connection between people. Debs began the network by sharing her own story of overcoming severe depression. Debs has a degree in Sociology and Social Policy and also works as a freelancer helping charities and social enterprises to grow through fundraising, business planning and client involvement.

Don John

Don John is a film maker, author & DJ as well as a consultant in the field of community cohesion. He has been a pioneer in the development of “Race & Diversity” issues across the southern region for over 30 years and was the founder and coordinator of Black History Month in Southampton over more than 20 years.

Ewan McLennan

Ewan McLennan has, in a short space of time, come to be known as a guitarist at the forefront of his generation; a troubadour, balladeer and storyteller cut in the old style; a singer that can move audiences with his passion and pathos; and a songwriter for whom social justice is still a burning issue. In 2010 he recorded his first full album, ‘Rags & Robes’. It received critical acclaim, put him firmly on the folk circuit and in 2011 won him the prestigious Horizon Award at the BBC Folk Awards.

George Monbiot

George Monbiot is a British writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Heat: How to stop the planet burning (2006), Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain (2000) and Feral: Searching for Enchantment on the Frontiers of Rewilding (2013). He is the founder of The Land is Ours, a peaceful campaign for the right of access to the countryside and its resources in the United Kingdom. In 2013 George gave the talk For more wonder, rewild the world at TED Global.

Grant Sharkey

Grant Sharkey is a musician/satirist/performer/griot from Southampton. Boiling down important messages from complicated scenarios to simple jokes, catchy choruses and memorable shows, Grant and his double bass stand in an uncomfortable gap between the hangover from the Indistrial Revolution and the next party in humanity’s evolution.

Jan Williams

Jan Williams and her partner Chris Teasdale run The Caravan Gallery – a gallery in a caravan and a mobile art project – in 2000 to document ‘the reality and surreality of the way we live today’. Since setting up in 2000 they have travelled thousands of miles and exhibited in hundreds of locations, taking art to people and places other galleries might not easily reach.

Lewis Dartnell

Lewis Dartnell is a research scientist, presenter and author based in London, UK. He is a Professor in Science Communication at the University of Westminster. His research is in the field of astrobiology and the search for microbial life on Mars. He also holds a STFC Science in Society Fellowship and is very active in delivering live events at schools and science festivals, working as a scientific consultant for the media, and have appeared in numerous TV documentaries and radio shows. He has won several awards for his science writing and outreach work and regularly freelances for newspapers and magazine articles, and has published three books. http://the-knowledge.org

Lewis Dartnell

Lewis Dartnell is a research scientist, presenter and author based in London, UK. He is a Professor in Science Communication at the University of Westminster. His research is in the field of astrobiology and the search for microbial life on Mars. He also holds a STFC Science in Society Fellowship and is very active in delivering live events at schools and science festivals, working as a scientific consultant for the media, and have appeared in numerous TV documentaries and radio shows. He has won several awards for his science writing and outreach work and regularly freelances for newspapers and magazine articles, and has published three books. http://the-knowledge.org

Megan Streb

Megan Streb is an American transplant living in Southampton, UK. Her personal sustainability challenge, a ‘Buy Nothing New’ year, was featured on local radio and national magazines. Megan works to create change in a wider setting as part of Sustrans, an organisation which works to enable people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys they make every day.

Tony Curran

Dr Tony Curran is a member of the University of Southampton’s Public Engagement with Research unit. He runs the University’s Research Roadshow and Researchers’ Café, and is leading on improving the spectrum of ways in which all members of the University can get involved with engaging the public. Tony runs talks and interactive shows with environmental themes: the burger apocalypse, the sustainability game show, the future of energy and the future of waste. Tony’s previous research in the Centre for Environmental Sciences focused on household waste prevention and reuse and moving industry towards zero waste.