Theme: Solve for Y

Take a second to consider your conception of an "ANSWER.”

Why is it that you are always told to solve problems through a specific process?
Consider how the fluid nature of life prompts the existence of multiple paths to a single destination. This method of seeking alternative solutions to a problem is what we would like to present to you at our TEDxDominianIntlSchool 2017 event: “Solve for Y.”

Similar to the math function f(x), everyone has unique ways of interpreting the true value of “Y.”
The fact that there is no definite answer to a single question also means that one should be unrestrained in one’s pursuit of answers—based on individual experience, knowledge, expertise, beliefs, and more. Ultimately, our theme for this event calls for the rethinking of established ideas, challenging one to seek one’s individual answers in various forms.

Dominican International School
76 Dazhi Street
Taipei, Taipei, 104
Taiwan

Hiro Fu

A rising senior of the host school Dominican International School, Hiro Fu is a student who, in lack of words, has tried it all. Through his years of being a student, he has immersed himself in all sorts of various activities that a student can join, such as joining the Model United Nations, the Advanced Placement Program for 2D Visual Arts, English Literature and Composition, and Biology, World Scholar’s Cup, Student Council, Global Young Leaders Conference in New York, and the School Orchestra. Though he is currently still discovering the path he wishes to tread on, he wishes to be able to contribute his thoughts, gained from his vastly diverse experiences as a student, to people beyond his usual circle, in hope of inspiring people with ideas. He knows that he is merely a single individual within a puzzling world full of unanswered questions, but he believes that each individual possesses the potential of bringing forth change and contribution to the society.

Jean D'Souza

Jean De Souza is currently an Associate Professor of English at a graduate and post-graduate levels at Ahmedabad since 1994. While she is Head of the English Department at Gujarat Law Society’s H.A. College of Commerce, she is also invited regularly as visiting faculty at reputed academic institutes. Jean held a Ph.D. for her thesis titled “The Bible as Literature through Gender Paradigms”, and has presented and published several research papers on this area of interest both nationally and internationally. Together with over 23 years of teaching experience and over 17 years of research, she has also been invited to use her proficiency as a communication consultant, language trainer and an expert in Religion and Literature.

Lauren Grimm

Lauren Grimm is from Portland, Oregon. She spent the majority of her adolescence homeschooled which shaped her views of education. She obtained her two Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and Greek and Roman Studies from The University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. Thus far, she’s lived in three countries and speaks two languages, English and Mandarin Chinese. She has a fascination for the English language and spends time researching etymology and historical grammar structures. Ms. Grimm currently works as an English teacher in Taipei, and has a passion for English literature, especially poetry and short stories. She motivates her students through her energy and enthusiasm. Literature, she believes, can open minds and give readers access to the deepest thoughts and most amazing experiences of people from another time or place. Literature can change the world through providing an open line of communication between the author and the readers.

Louisa Yeh

Louisa Yeh the head instructor of the Taiwan national equestrian federation. She also owns and manages a private stable for the past 18 years. Graduated from Chinese culture university and study physical education, she then went to Germany as a working student at the biggest professional sales stable for 2 years . At that time, she learned the attitude to work with the horses and be a horseman. Afterwards, she started to run a private stable and her own equestrian career. At 2014, she won the bronze medal at the Asian Game in Korea, which was a debut for her riding career. With such, she hopes to pave her paths to the Olympics and to bring up more young talent riders to the Bret national level.

Maggie Chen

Maggie Chen, a senior at the International Bilingual School at Tainan Science Park, is a lively and optimistic girl. In her four years of high school, she, like many others, was a devoted participant in extracurricular activities. Her résumé was notable, filled with events such as Model United Nations, Debate, Student Council, Interact, Hugh O'Brien Youth (World Leadership Congress), etc. In her spare time, she loves reading, binge-watching Netflix, eating churros, meeting new people, and taking hilarious Snapchats of her friends when they're not paying attention. When watching this TED talk, think about this: what problems do you want to eradicate in this world? In that sense, what impact do you want to make? The essence in TEDx lies in knowledge gained and what YOU decide to do with it. She hopes her stories will move people to take action, like how those of others have moved her.

Mercia de Souza

Dr. Mercia de Souza holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, and Master’s degrees in Applied Linguistics and Marketing Management. She also holds a Postgraduate Higher Diploma in Education, a Bachelor’s degree with three full majors. She has been involved in numerous aspects of Education for almost four decades. In South Africa, she was a High School teacher; but after eleven years in the classroom, she left the school environment to become Head of the Education Division at the South African Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) where she became an accreditation specialist, developing the Institute’s accreditation process. In 2000, while she was Head of Education at the Institute of Administration and Commerce of Southern Africa (IACSA) in Cape Town, she was awarded Fellow Membership for Life for her contribution to education in Southern Africa, especially in the field of accreditation, by the IACSA. In 2001, she was recruited for Samsung’s elite Globalization Team in South Korea. Then after three years in the corporate world, she became International Relations and Marketing Manager at a Korean university. In 2006 she was awarded a gold medal by the University of Moscow for her contribution to International Education, and in January 2015, she was awarded a certificate of recognition for her contribution to Education by Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) International, a U.S. professional organization for educators, for the work she is doing with Global Issues Network students at DIS. During her many years in education, she published textbooks and study notes, wrote prospectuses and marketing materials for a number of academic institutions, and published numerous education-related articles in newsletters, magazines, and journals.

Suni Yen

After graduating from college, Suni selected a job much away from his expectation; he joined ELIV. In 2013, he was assigned to work in Siem Reap, an orphanage in Cambodia, and lived with 37 children. He realized how the education of the children there is often disturbed by tourist visits. Wanting to protect their education rights, he decided gather volunteers and negotiate with the principal of the orphanage. He believed that the orphanage should have sustainable economic income instead of fund raising by sad stories. By means of the cooperation between the principal, children, and volunteers; he and his team established a museum to show how the orphanage use the money from external sponsors. Currently, tourists can visit the museum directly. With this improvement, more long-term sponsors began the recognize the goals of this orphanage. Suni also hosted a Yunnan project of poverty alleviation. He considered education as the key to escape from poverty. Yunnan plan started from 2014; until now, they have established 11 cow sheds; by means of the “Cow Bank”, they have helped children of 11 families in the village to have enough money to pay their tuition until they attend college. Yunnan project promoted him and the volunteers to find the root of the problems. The key change was when the volunteers invited more villagers to join them; this sustainable influence could not be created without combining thought with belief and action. What they built was not only a cow shed, but also a belief of the power of education.

Timmy Chang

Timmy is a senior from Dominican Intl School’s class of 2017 and the next liberal arts freshman at the University of British Columbia. He was an avid debater in the World Scholar's’ Cup, an active participant in Model United Nations, and a passionate president of a children charity club. With such a great variety of backgrounds and experiences, he has developed an interest and passion in global issues and a critical mind to view the world in different perspectives. This then has evolved to a dream goal of majoring in international relations and studying a law and society minor in college. Furthermore, he has done thesis projects on related fields and hopes to spread his ideas and discoveries during this talk. He is also the head of the TEDx speaker curating team, which means that he truly understands how to transform an idea into one that is worth spreading. With that being said, he hopes to make his talk a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a changing point for all the audience, to embrace a whole new perspective in viewing our international, global society, and ready to strive a change for our generation and the generations to come.

Willis Lu

Willis is the CEO/ co-founder of the Leaf Inn, CEO of Home East property management group, and the co-founder of Ron Cafe + Bar. He specializes in micro-hotel management, real estate market analysis, brand management, space planning, and event planning. Worked in both Taiwan and the United States, he is experienced in identifying the economic market and unique features and characteristics of both nations, which thereby formed his current branding strategy in his career in Taiwan today.