Theme: Change is the Only Constant

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Black Box Theatre
3 Tampines Street 73
Singapore, South East, 528704
Singapore

Bjorn Low

Urban Farmer

Bjorn Low is the co-founder of Edible Garden City, an organisation that focusses on the “Grow Your Own Food” movement in the land-scarce and import-dependent Singapore. His organisation uses sustainable natural growing methods, resource recycling and waste minimisation and follow their mission “Beautiful gardens should be productive too.” Bjorn spent the last half decade in Europe farming before returning to Singapore and also has a bachelor's degree in commerce and had a high-paying job in the UK which he left to follow his passion. He was also interviewed by the Straits Times in a long article on his journey to his current occupation.

June Chua

Gender Activist

June Chua is a transgender woman who is very involved in gender activism and trans protection. Assigned ‘male’ at birth she became increasingly aware that she identified as female and decided to undergo sex affirmation surgery at the age of 17. Wanting to fill what she calls a "void" in the Singapore social service and health system, Ms Chua decided to set up a shelter under her social cause, The T Project. September 2014, she secured the attic space on the goodwill of a non-profit organisation. In 2016 she became the first transgender woman to be awarded “Promising Advocate of the Year” by the Singapore Advocacy Awards."

Kamini Ramachandran

Storyteller

Kamini Ramachandran is a professional storyteller since 2004. She is committed to promoting the lost art of oral narration. Ramachandran also runs a storytelling organisation - MoonShadow Stories. She was inspired by her grandfather, a storyteller from whom Ramachandran inherited a repertoire of tales such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata and as an apprentice, she learned the nuances. Her passion for the craft has remained ever since. She has travelled all over the world performing her repertoire, conducting masterclasses and giving talks on the craft of storytelling. Most recently, Ramachandran was invited to an International Storytelling Festival in Sharjah.

Michael Tegos

Jounalist

Michael Tegos is a technology journalist and lawyer. He works as a reporter for TechInAsia, covering startups and technology in Southeast Asia and Singapore. His expertise revolves around intellectual property, tech startups, and the impact of technology on society. He previously co-founded the games, tech, and home entertainment website, TheGang.gr.

Robin Tan

Architect

Robin Tan, an NUS Alumnus, founded the Wallflower Architectural Studio with Cecil Chee in 1999. With his main job being to design houses, Tan’s philosophy is that each project has its unique needs and qualities from which innovative and fresh solutions are revealed. Tan’s studio looks for: solutions, fusing urban, architectural, landscape, interior, lighting and furniture needs. His studio has also won numerous awards for the projects that have been completed.

Ryan Syliva

Youtuber

Ryan Sylvia, in the top 3 most subscribed comedy Youtube channels in Singapore, takes its name from the Singaporean humorous couple: Ryan Tan and Sylvia Chan. Their video production house, Night Owl Cinematic (NOC), independent filmmaking group, called so as Ryan and Sylvia "are nocturnal and hardly ever sleep at night!" features short films, music videos, comedy skits and more, using local humour and outstanding production quality, entertaining a huge audience weekly. Winners of several awards such as Influencer Asia Awards 2015 and Best Youtube Channel 2015, they are definitely amongst Singapore’s most popular YouTube personalities.

Samantha Lo

Artist

Samantha Lo, also known by her art name “SKL0”, specializes in installations but is constantly striving to hone her skills. She uses many mediums through which she presents her art which includes sculpting, watercolor, wheat paste and spray paint. Lo is inspired by her daily observations and research on the sociopolitical climate of Singapore. She wants to create critical thinking regarding public issues towards her main audience, Singaporeans. She is also the founder of the Indigoism and RCGNTN platform.

Shen Tan

Chef

Shen Tan is a chef who left her corporate suit as an Events Director at Forbes, to work for a hawker centre at Maxwell Food Centre. Ten creates very appealing and modern versions of classic Malaysian and Singaporean dishes. She is very involved in Mod-Sin’ - a way of describing a modern approach to Singaporean cooking. She is currently working at Revolution Coffee. The perfect place and perfect name for her style of cooking!

Suresh Jesuthasan

Professor

Suresh Jesuthasan is a Stanford University Electrical Engineering graduate who moved on to get a D. Phil. in Zoology at Oxford University after having developed and interest after joining Hopkins Marine Station. He then began experimenting in neuroscience at a post-doctoral fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany. He is currently the Adjunct Associate Professor in the Dept. of Physiology at NUS. He has also contributed and written papers for very famous publisher such as: Current Biology, Behavioral Neurosci and Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience.