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).

University of Auckland Science Centre
23 Symonds Street
Auckland, Auckland, 1010
New Zealand

Adam Carroll

Pupil of the distinguished R.J. McNeely, Adam has been performing since the age of 16, starting out as a musician at local shops and cafes. Adam plays the Nylon String, Steel String, and Electric Guitar as well as the Bass and Ukulele. He is a master in the art of improvisation, with no song played the same twice. He has a particular preference towards flamenco, gypsy jazz, and blues, but is able to play a wide scope of genres. His performance experience ranges from concerts, weddings and award ceremonies to charity performances and circus shows, both as a soloist and amongst industry professionals

DIWA Band

DIWA is an inclusive "open social band", comprising of around 20+ musicians-at-heart from the University of Auckland Filipino Students Association! DIWA means "soul" in Tagalog, as we believe music is the soul of every Filipino. Through learning and performing music together we hope to enlighten our audiences with the Filipino culture, as well as educate our own members of the true essence of being Filipino.

Dr Peng Du

Biomedical Engineer

Dr Peng Du is a Senior Research Fellow in the Gastrointestinal Research Group at the University of Auckland Bioengineering Institute. Since completing a degree in Biomedical Engineering and a PhD in Bioengineering, Peng has received numerous accolades and awards, including the Marsden Fast Start Grant, a Rutherford Foundation NZ Post-Doctoral Fellowship and a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship. Peng is heavily involved with mathematical modelling in gastrointestinal electrophysiology, where he has developed cutting-edge technology to improve clinical research and diagnosis of any abnormal activity within the gut by monitoring bio-electric signals. This research led to his success as the 2018 Prime Minister's MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist winner, a prestigious award dedicated to rising New Zealand scientists involved in leading-edge research.

Dr Samuel Ekundayo

Senior Lecturer - Eastern Institute of Technology

Dr Samuel Ekundayo is an Author, Senior Lecturer, Life-Coach and Motivational Speaker. Often referred to as ‘The Purpose Preacher’, his mandate is to help individuals and organisations discover their purpose so they can maximise their potentials towards a meaningful, impactful and influential life. He is an internationally sought-after speaker and has been privileged to inspire thousands of people at various corporate organisations, independently organised conferences and churches in and out of New Zealand. Through his writing, videos and published books, Samuel relentlessly challenges the modern-day definition of success through a collection of personal experiences, godly insights, and unrivalled inspiration. He is also the founder of Motivitality, a weekly motivational video series on YouTube and Facebook with the vision of helping men and women live with purpose and maximise their potentials.

Fay Ghani

Student - The University of Auckland

Fay was born and raised in Auckland, but her parents moved from Iraq. When she was nine, her family moved to Malaysia and then to Jordan where she completed her high school education. Fay is currently a student at The University of Auckland pursuing an undergraduate degree in science. From a young age, her parents placed an emphasis on travelling the world and appreciating the beauty that other cultures and people bring. Fay believes that her multicultural upbringing and experiences of different places have shaped the person she is today. Reflecting upon her own story and of those around her, she is inspired to share her understanding of transformations in identity as a consequence of our shared world.

Kate Hall

Founder - Ethically Kate, Fashion Blogger

Between being a social media influencer, and a sustainable living advocator, Kate Hall, or better known as Ethically Kate, is a passionate and determined entrepreneur, writer, and founder of two brands. Ethically Kate, where she creates a space that teaches people how to live more sustainably, highlighting the ease of transitioning into a sustainable lifestyle, along with encouraging brands to be proud of their products and champions them to maximum confidence. Whereas Coast Sitters is a babysitting/nannying service of over 20 employees centred in Hibiscus Coast where parents can safely leave their children when in need of extra help. Alongside creating content for brands, and her blog, Kate has been speaking at numerous events to spread her passion.

Niki Bezzant

Food Columnist

Niki Bezzant is a passionate and experienced writer and a speaker of the food industry, advocating for sustainable food consumption and sensible use of media to create a positive and constructive space for nutrition. She is the currently the President of Food Writers NZ and was the founding editor of Healthy Food Guide magazine, which became one of New Zealand's top-selling food magazines. Over the past 20 years, she has followed many different ventures in the food and journalism industry such as founding Cuisine magazine, becoming an ambassador to the Garden to Table programme and being a member of the council of Directors for the True Health Initiative. Through these ventures, she has developed an extensive knowledge of the effects of modern media and consumer attitudes on improving lifestyle and health.

Sophia Yang

Sophia is an outstanding and talented singer, performing in Opera and classical base since high school. Despite being young, she has won numerous awards and gained recognition through winning the Under 18 Napier Arts Competition and obtaining 3rd place overall in the under 21 New Zealand Aria in 2017. She has performed in concerts such as “Opera takes the Oscars” and “Winter Wonderland” and performed in plays conducted by the Wallace Opera Programme. With talent and music academia under her belt, she has a strong determination and aspiration to become a classical singer, and loves venturing into other music avenues to improve even further.

Wendy Kerr

Director - Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The University of Auckland

Wendy Kerr is the Director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The University of Auckland, where she aims to grow business savvy, entrepreneurially minded students. In her tenure there she has transformed the Centre, developing programmes and initiatives which have increased participation by 272% since 2015. Now, 6% of the University of Auckland student body is involved in the Centre’s innovation and entrepreneurship programmes, including the recently launched incubator and the iconic innovation hub, Unleash Space, which was opened by the Prime Minister. An experienced General Manager, she has global experience in leading technology and media start-ups with the Financial Times, Pearson, and Quicken, where she had a record-breaking tech IPO on the ASX. Wendy is a board member for The Icehouse, an active angel investor, and mentors high potential start-ups. She is also an international speaker and best-selling author, having written two books on female-led startups.