Theme: TEDxBrayford Pool (Lincoln) 2023

In a world that’s often polarized and divisive, we choose to come together as one to embrace the diversity of spectrums of thought in our community. At the intersection of scepticism and curiosity are understanding and innovation, and the opportunity to embrace new thinking, different positions and opinions. The power of ideas is what propels us forward.

Featuring 20 speakers and performers, and 18 amazing workshops, discussions and activities, we invite you to join us for a weekend of ideas and activations as we celebrate the contrarians, open-minded thinkers, and doers committed to creating a better tomorrow for our city and the world.

University of Lincoln
Brayford Pool
Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 7TS
United Kingdom

Amith Karayil

Senior Design Engineer

Amith Karayil is a Senior Design engineer and a member of UK Institution of Engineering and Technology. After completing his master’s in engineering from the University of Lincoln, he currently works with Arcadis, designing several rail infrastructure projects including HS2. With experience of sixteen years on several rail and power projects he is devoted to developing digital tools for quantifying rail carbon emission. These will enable decision analysis on the most sustainable project path to reduce carbon footprint by deploying available low-carbon options. As a strong advocate of sustainability, he is committed to embedding the whole-life carbon approach into infrastructure projects.

Ananda Breed

Professor of THeatre

Ananda Breed is a Professor of Theatre and Principal Investigator of £2M AHRC GCRF project 'Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP): Informing the National Curriculum and Youth Policy for Peacebuilding in Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, Indonesia, and Nepal'. She has served as a practitioner and researcher to explore how local arts-based cultural forms can be used to enhance mental health and well-being and to inform curriculum and youth policy working with and for children, young people, artists, educators, civil society workers, and decision-makers to address global challenges. Her academic work underpins her practice and consultancy work for British Embassy, IREX Europe, USAID, and UNICEF in terms of using arts-based approaches for peacebuilding.

Andrew Brown

Politics Educator & Commentator

Andrew Brown has worked all over the world, in education, leadership, facilitation, service, and training, with a particular focus on communication skills, international understanding, and in making learning fun. He is a serial entrepreneur, focusing on projects that will make the world a little better, a little clearer, and a little better understood - in everything from rewilding to personal development, and from international negotiation to problem-solving skills. After initially studying politics, and a later period as an elected politician, Andrew is now the host of the podcast “Taking the Party out of Politics”.

Chemical X

Music Ensemble

Uniting TEDxBrayford Pool 2023 speakers and performers with illustrious alumni, Chemical X is a melting pot of creativity. Following in the footsteps of legendary supergroups like The Imagined Village, Cream, Audioslave and many more, the Chemical X project is made up of musicians, composers, artists and poets fused together to create a collaborative supergroup. Chemical X will close TEDxBrayford Pool 2023 in a performance unlike any other!

Craig Miles

Electrical Engineer & Educator

Craig Miles is the founder of wireless telecommunications company Yesway Communications and a qualified trainer, teacher and lecturer specialising in RF Communications, Electrical Engineering, and Business Subjects. Over the last 30 years, he has worked in education, and industry. This experience includes satellite communications engineering reliability analysis, for an international space systems manufacturer. His love of wireless technology, a creative mind, and a passion for trying to improve the world, gave him the idea that the United Nations aim of education for all is now within our grasp

Eleanor Hancock

Entrepreneur & Designer

Eleanor Hancock is the creative direction behind a small yet mighty design agency, Number 75 Design, nestled in the heart of Lincoln. Over the last decade, she has used her expertise in visual storytelling, branding, website design and marketing, to help local business owners stand out in their industry, find their voice and demand attention. Known for 'respectfully shaking things up,' Eleanor uses design as a way to make waves without getting anyone soaked, and a combination of creativity and respectful rule-breaking to make a substantial strategic impact. Her success shows that you don't need to leap off cliffs to be a trailblazer; the view from the top is just as amazing if you take a different route down whilst discovering your own path and appreciating the journey.

Ewan East

Composer

Ewan East is a composer, educator, pianist and improviser, currently undertaking a PhD in Music Composition at York St John University. Ewan’s journey into composition began through improvising on the piano from the age of 9. He completed his Undergraduate degree in Music Composition in 2016, where he developed his style as a minimalist and romantic composer. Completing his Undergraduate degree in 2019, Ewan became the inaugural recipient of the Ann Green Prize for Contribution to University Music. Following a PGCE in Secondary Music, Ewan taught for the 2020 academic year until the role had a severe impact on his mental health. Ewan began a process of moving towards teaching in higher education, returning to York St John University in 2021 to study for a Master’s Degree in Music Composition. His final master’s work, Pieces of Depression, created a musical representation of different symptoms of depression, with the aim of encouraging conversations around mental health.

Gyoko Youth Taiko

All Female Youth Taiko Team

Gyoko Youth Taiko is the leading youth group for Humber Taiko in partnership with NEL Music Centre. The group are based in Grimsby and currently has an all-female line-up under the direction of professional Taiko player and composer, Emma Lawn. Taiko is Japanese style ensemble drumming and most of the Gyoko group members have been playing since around the age of 5 and are now well known for composing and touring their own original work as a young ensemble.

Joshua Skoczylis

Counter Terrorism Specialist

Joshua Skoczylis is a social and political scientist researching counterterrorism policy. He explores how states responds to terrorism and extremism. He is also interested in how states tackling organised crime and the role of the criminal justice system. He has written about the UKs Prevent policy exploring the tensions that exist between intelligence led policing and prevention. He has also written about video gaming and extremism (written with Sam Andrews). Joshua is an Associate Editor of the Behavioural Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression journal. With his social science background, he explains how public policy should be used to tackle terrorism, extremism and organised crime.

Laura Serrant

Inclusive Practice Specailist

Professor Laura Serrant OBE works with individuals and organisations to help them meet their personal aspirations, corporate and social responsibilities of optimising inclusive practice to improve their business impact, client experiences and deliver their best of themselves. Author of over 100 articles, including edited books, she is one of the BBC’s expert women and was named as the 8th most influential Black person in Britain by the Powerlist UK and was awarded an OBE in the 2018 Queens Birthday Honours’ list. She has a successful podcast ‘Speaking for Ourselves’ available on most podcast platforms.

Olivia Hennessy

Curator & Researcher

Olivia Hennessy (she/her) is a social justice advocate who is committed to exchanging ideas and starting small in order to achieve a big difference. She was the 22/23 chair of the first student-led Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee (SEDIC) for the University of Lincoln’s School of Humanities and Heritage. Additionally, she completed her dissertation on how “Queer identities are represented in Queer Britain as a twenty-first-century British Museum Space”. This reflects her ambition to participate in curatorial activism within Lincolnshire alongside discovering ways to represent intersectional communities in museums and community spaces.

Rachael Hunt

Plus Size Advocate

Rachael Hunt is an award-winning marketing professional and has been a familiar face within the Lincolnshire Business Community for over 10 years, most recently being selected as one of Lincolnshire’s 30 under 30 in 2022. As a woman in a leadership role, she has had the pleasure of being featured in industry-related publications and podcasts talking about sustainability, feminism, and her career path. She is currently sharing her personal story via social media as a plus-size professional woman, dubbing herself the ‘Fat Funny Marketer’ and is on a mission to uncover the reality of the size ceiling in the business world and wants to inspire others to be their true selves.

Roz Edwards

Entrepreneur

Roz Edwards is known internationally as the Mannequin Lady. Having started her mannequin hire business from home in 2007, with no mannequins, it quickly grew into a massive recycling operation. She has rescued over 40,000 shop mannequins that were destined for landfill and houses a massive collection on an old RAF base in Lincolnshire. She has reached the globe with her story using the power of PR. The business of Mannakin is now 15 years old and works with some of the biggest names in film, television, music and fashion. Roz now mentors others to make their businesses famous, using PR. Her motto? Be so amazing that you cannot be ignored.

Ruby Boy

Drag Artiste & Activist

Ruby Boy, the vibrant and empowering drag queen hailing from Lincoln, UK, is a beacon of love and acceptance within the LGBTQ+ community. With a passion for self-expression and a captivating stage presence, Ruby is carving out a remarkable career in the world of drag entertainment channelling their inner burlesque clown. Beyond the glitz and glamour, Ruby is a tireless community activist, fighting for equality, inclusivity, and social justice. Through her performances, she challenges societal norms and inspires others to embrace their true selves. Ruby Boy's unwavering dedication to her craft and her unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community make her an influential figure and an inspiration to all.

Ruby Melling

Musician

Ruby Melling is an 18-year-old art student from Grimsby, she has been part of the North East Lincolnshire Music Services since she was 9. She boasts a versatile musical repertoire, from orchestral recitals to rhythmic Taiko beats and spirited pop performances. Not only does she enchant audiences with her musical prowess, but she also champions gender equity in the male-dominated music industry. Her steadfast dedication empowers women and girls to pursue their passion bravely, shifting paradigms and pioneering a new era of inclusivity in music.

Serena Smith

Musician & Educator

Serena Smith is a grade 8 violinist who teaches violin and runs music workshops. Her real passion is performing; whether it's playing solos in weddings or as a busker on the London Underground, while leading an orchestra or leading her band. Serena started playing violin in school at the age of 9 then picked up Irish fiddle tunes as a teen after she found Irish céilí dancing. Serena has been playing in folk bands ever since and recently secured funding from Arts Council England to form her own band. Over the last 12 months Serena has been on a great journey to create new Celtic Fusion music and form new musical collaborations.

Steph Blanco

Lecturer in Neuropsychology

Steph Blanco is a skilled and compassionate neuropsychologist dedicated to understanding the intricacies of the brain, body and cognition. With unwavering passion, she has devoted her career to conducting research and giving patients with “hidden conditions” a voice. Stephanie-Roxanne is currently a lecturer at Bishop Grosseteste University, completing her PhD at Nottingham Trent University and is Vice Chair at FND Dimensions. With a strong academic background and extensive research experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her practice striving to improve the lives of individuals affected by an array of disorders, empowering them to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Stephanie Laing

Comedian & Community Organiser

Stephanie Laing is a Stand-up Comedian turned Community Organiser turned Comedian again. She has a Master’s Degree in Community Organising and nearly 2 decades of experience as a comedian. As an organiser, she worked for the charity Citizens UK to make civil society more powerful by developing leadership and strengthening civil society institutions. She worked with these leaders and institutions to run campaigns to make real changes on social justice issues, including hate crime, climate change and a Living Wage for social care. She has also trained leaders across the UK to run their campaigns for change. As a comedian, she has toured Australia and Canada and performed at UCB in New York and the Laugh Factory in LA. She is a stalwart of the UK club comedy scene and a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe. She now runs the Serendipity Foundation in Louth which supports people into employment.