Theme: Connecting through Change

The theme of the fifth edition of TEDxUniversiteitvanAmsterdam will be “Connecting through Change”. Change is an inevitable part of our lives, however sometimes it tends to be more drastic than usual, as the past year has shown us. At first, one can fear that change distorts our ability to stay connected with the people around, with the surrounding environment and with oneself. However, even though it poses challenges to our lives, the change can also provide an excellent opportunity to rediscover and reinvent connections between people and their environments, that is why we believe the change should be embraced. Therefore, TEDxUniversiteitvanAmsterdam “Connecting through Change” conference will bring you inspiring ideas, personal experiences, unique stories and creative ways to stay (or become) connected through change, no matter how big or small.

Theater Bellevue
Leidsekade 90
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, 1017 PN
Netherlands

Bob van Luijt

Technology entrepreneur and new media artist

Bob (1985) started his first software business when he was 15 years old. During his late teens and early twenties, he studied music in The Netherlands (ArtEZ) and received a Fulbright scholarship to study at Berklee college of music in Boston. After his studies, he grew his software consultancy business focussing on software enabled business models and products working for a number of enterprise clients in Europe while creating multiple software-art installations which were exhibited at a variety of tech-art and design festivals in Europe and the US. In 2019 he followed the executive eduction program at Harvard Business School and co-founded the machine learning database company SeMI Technologies where he has the role of CEO. He has spoken at over 100 events on the topics of software, business models and creativety in Europe and the US.

dr. Josien de Bie

Neuroscientist

dr. de Bie is a hard-core scientist who mainly does a lot of science stuff. However, she occasionally uses her writing, singing and comedy talents to take down harmful myths in society. With humour, weird songs but above all: hard science. For example, she launched a campaign to create awareness of the fact that there is no scientific basis for the concept of 'being hormonal' ('Being hormonal is not a thing'), gave various performances for the MAAS museum in Sydney, science communication projects for schools and supported various actions of stichting Seksueel Welzijn Nederland. She also teaches, writes a column for TvO and sometimes shouts helpful things on Facebook.

dr. Lela Mosemghvdlishvili

Academic Skills Coordinator

Dr Lela Mosemghvdlishvili is an academic skills coordinator, course designer, and lecturer at the interdisciplinary honours program in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economy. After a career in media industry, Lela decided to commit herself to transformative education. Lela is committed to integrating experiential learning, embodiment, and contemplative practices to enhance teaching methods at the university. To this end, they have received various grants, among them the IIS grant for project-based learning for cultivating students' metacognitive skills and empathy, and the TLC Education Innovation Grant for facilitating knowledge sharing practices and collaboration among students from various backgrounds. Aside from teaching, a considerable part of their time, Lela devotes to the study of wisdom traditions through meditation in the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, embodied practices, and silent retreats for introspection.

dr. Mirjam Hachem

Sex Therapist

Mirjam Hachem, PhD is a sex therapist from the Netherlands. She believes that every human being deserves to have a happy and fulfilling sex life. Mirjam’s mission is to help you find sexual happiness, whatever that means for you. Sex is much more than stimulation to orgasm. Sex is an all-encompassing experience we make with our body, mind, heart, and spirit. Our sexual choices reflect the deepest beliefs we hold about ourselves and the world. Sex makes us vulnerable. It’s during sex that we reveal our true naked selves. Sex has been at the centre of Mirjam's life for more than 15 years. First through her own sexual exploration, education in gender studies, and tantra. Later she used her scientific background to understand sex at the level of the brain, nervous system, and hormones. In 2019, I she started her own practice for sex therapy and coaching in Amersfoort. Mirjam's life and work are guided by three values: integrity, intelligence, and love.

James Marden

Chemistry Student

James Marden is a Master of Chemistry Student (Track Science for Energy and Sustainability) at UvA and alumni of the University of Illinois-Chicago. He grew up in the Boston area, lived in Malaysia and has now moved to Amsterdam, giving him a unique perspective on the ecological challenges facing the world in the coming years. Having lived on three continents, he has developed a broad understanding of societal needs and differing climate challenges around the world. James initially planned to attend physical therapy school after finishing his bachelor’s degree but realised that he could better use his skills to pursue a career in sustainability.He is now working on a master’s thesis focused on developing more sustainable and economically viable methods for CO2 utilisation.

Jim Stolze

International tech-educator and entrepeneur

Jim Stolze is an international tech-educator. After studying at VU University Amsterdam, Stolze earned his MBA from the Lemniscaat Business School. The master's thesis in which he researched the relationship between Internet Usage and Well-being caught international attention and was featured on CNN.After a visit to the TED conference in 2008 Jim Stolze became an active leader in the TEDx community. Under his leadership dozens of events have taken place under the brand of TEDxAmsterdam with an international cast of speakers and innovative ad campaigns. He also played an active part in TEDxBinnenhof, TEDxAruba, TEDxMaastricht, TEDxMuscat and many TEDxYouth events. In 2012 he moved for five months to Doha (Qatar) to work for TED and the Doha Film Institute and help set up an organization that fosters TED's mission of 'ideas worth spreading'. With his online course he has reached over 200.000 people world wide.

Joep Rovers

Orthomolecular Advisor

Joep is an advanced orthomolecular advisor and co-owner of Werk Atleet. After he obtained his bachelor's degree at the Hotel Management School Maastricht, he ended up in corporate work life. After a short period in the corporate career he lost his pleasure to work on a healthy life and that was no longer true for the passionate sportsman. From an early age, Joep has had a passion for healthy food, sports and fellow human beings. From these passions, he started looking for a way to get himself back on the right track and to help other employees do the same. Ultimately, the organization Werk Athlete arose from this passion. Work Athlete Turns Employees Into Athletes.