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 Engineering building
20 Symonds Street
Auckland, Auckland, 1010
New Zealand

Eva Hakansson

Mechanical Engineer - The University of Auckland

Mechanical engineer, lecturer and world-record holder, Eva has shown the world just what electric vehicles can accomplish. Her father being a champion motorcycle rider/builder in the 60s, Eva was raised in a household destined for the racetrack. Starting with the first registered e-bike in Sweden, the ‘Electrocat’, Eva soon developed the ‘KillaJoule’ electric motorcycle in her garage and consequently broke records in land speed racing. Killajoule eventually went on to become the fastest female-driven electric motorcycle, clocking in at 434 km/hr. But determined to go even further, Eva’s latest project, the electric motorcycle ‘Green Envy’, seeks to become the fastest motorcycle in the world, with aims of reaching 650km/h. Outside of her racing career, however, Eva is also a distinguished academic, with Bachelor degrees in Business Administration and Environmental Sciences, a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Denver.

Frances Cook

Journalist and Podcaster - NZ Herald, Newstalk ZB

As a journalist, podcaster, and self-proclaimed financial mess, Frances has made it her mission in life to meet people where they are and educate the public on the importance of financial independence and how everyday people can achieve it in their own lives. Having worked for RadioLIVE, Newstalk ZB, and the New Zealand Herald, Frances is also an accomplished author and currently MC’s the popular podcast ‘Cooking the Books’.

Helen Petousis-Harris

Vaccinologist - The University of Auckland

Helen Petousis-Harris is a vaccinologist and associate professor in the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland, and the Director of the Vaccine Datalink and Research group. She is also the chair of the World Health Organization Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety and for more than 2 decades, she has worked in the field of immunisation, researching vaccine safety and effectiveness. Besides teaching and research, Helen blogs about vaccine myths and matters of current interest in vaccinology. Her recent blogs reflect her dedication in vaccine development and educating people about what exactly is needed to combat worldwide diseases such as COVID-19.

Jzel Ramos

Musician

Jzel Ramos is a 19-year-old local musician, well-known for her young, raw, acoustic vibes from genres of Pop, Ballad, and Modern hits. On December 2017, she co-wrote her first single, ”Strangers Again” released by NZ artist Ciaran McMeeken. The single was then released on music platforms - Spotify, Apple Music, etc as of 2019. Although established quite recently, Jzel has performed at events around Auckland, as well as competed in Stand up Stand Out music competitions, Starlight Talent Shows and involved in songwriting collaborations with NZ artists such as Ciaran McMeeken, Abby Wolfe and Anabac. Jzel is also a first-year student at the University of Auckland, majoring in Biomedical Science.

Mark Billinghurst

Director - Empathic Computing Lab

Mark is the director of the Empathic Computing Lab, the co-founder of ARToolWorks, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in recognition of his work on AR commercialisation. He has won numerous national and international awards recognising his global leadership in AR research and commercialisation and earlier this year he joined the Auckland Bioengineering Institute to lead a research team in the field of Empathic Computing, developing technology that will help people to better share their experiences remotely and understand how they are feeling.

Myra Ma

Cloud Solution Architect - Microsoft

Myra is a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft and an alumni of the University of Auckland. She’s passionate about helping businesses achieve results with cutting-edge data analytics and artificial intelligence. Myra is also an active speaker in the Business Intelligence community, where she is determined to support fellow IT professionals and immigrants achieve more in their fields.

Tony Lambert

Psychology Professor - The University of Auckland

Tony is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Auckland. He has published widely in the field of cognitive neuroscience, including work on visual perception, attention, and memory. His current work makes use of brain signals, eye tracking and behavioural methods to study the mechanisms that allow us to shift attention rapidly and efficiently from one object to another in a complex visual world.