Theme: Bag and Baggages

WonkHE had done a survey about belonging last academic year with lots of Universities and Students Unions across the UK in which UWE was a part of. The result from the WOnkHE survey showed that students who feel they belong in university do better and are less likely to fail or drop out.

TedxUWE Bags and Baggages would be discussing ideas and proffering solutions for students who feel they don’t belong so as to change the narrative at UWE and work on reducing the awarding gap issue.

Arnolfini
16 Narrow Quay
Bristol, Bristol, City of, BS1 4QA
United Kingdom

Ana Cejudo-Leiva

University student

Ana, a driven and passionate student currently pursuing her degree in Forensic Science at UWE. Her life has been characterized by frequent moves, providing her with a unique and compelling perspective on the world. Ana is excited to share her journey and insights with others who may have faced similar challenges, and hopes to connect with a diverse audience as she takes the stage to share her story.

Asaad Biqai

Phd Student

Asaad Biqai, a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon, is a Ph.D. and a Structural Engineer who has worked on several international consultancies and played a role in designing over 20 buildings, culverts, bridges, and other types of infrastructure. Asaad Biqai was recognized in the Palestinian educational highlights for 2022 and was the top student in the civil engineering department. He received full scholarships for studying and conducting research from various governments, including the UK, Netherlands, France, UAE, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Poland. Asaad Biqai is also an activist for refugees and a volunteer and Co-Founder at different humanitarian NGOs. He was selected to lead the development of a project that supports and helps Nigerian students in conducting research, which is powered by a society at Cambridge University. Additionally, he served as the student representative of the engineering department and was a part of the research committee at Beirut Arab University.

Chathushka Kiriella

Lecturer in Human Resource Management

Growing up in Sri Lanka, I developed a strong sense of community and a desire to make a positive impact in people's lives. This led me to pursue a career in education, as I believe that teaching is a powerful tool for empowering individuals and communities. As a lecturer at the University of West of England, I strive to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where students feel valued and supported. Outside of work, I enjoy any form of creative, craft work. I find these activities to be both therapeutic and rewarding, as they allow me to express myself creatively and capture meaningful moments. I am a firm believer in the power of creativity to enhance our lives and bring joy to others. I am a passionate, creative, and ambitious individual who is committed to making a positive impact in the world. Whether through teaching or pursuing personal interests, I believe that life is a journey of growth and discovery, and I am excited to see where it takes me next.

Chris Vox

Cultural Producer – Chris Vox & Tonic

Chris Vox, performs solo shows. His songs cover many aspects of life, typically through the lens of hope in the face of adversity. As a solo performer, Chris has featured on BBC Radio Bristol and wrote a piece commissioned for Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. The duo, Craft-D & Chris Vox, are regulars at Sofar Sounds, performed at last year's Bristol Harbourfest and Shambala festivals, and supported the rapper, Lowkey, at Bristol's iconic venue, Thekla in January. As a composer, Chris recently finished a co-written comedy Harry Potter-based musical – The Boy Who Sang – and the music for Sven Stears' poem, Lock Picks, which has won multiple awards, featured on BBC Radio 6 Music and is now on Tom Robinson's BBC Introducing Mixtape. Chris has his debut EP, The Double Take, out later this year. Chris allowed himself to record two versions of each song and work solely from those one-shot takes to create the finished tracks to achieve a more authentic finished piece.

Danny Carlo 'Craft-D'

Musician

Danny ‘Craft-D’ Carlo is a rapper, poet, educator, writer, and events producer from London, now living in Bristol, UK. His performances explore the crossovers between forms associated with traditional poetry and contemporary hip-hop. His educational workshops and arts projects seek to make poetry and rap engaging and accessible for everyone, working from the firm belief that poetry and music are a positive outlet for self-expression and mental health. In late 2020, his debut single 'Letter to Corbyn' reached #1 in the iTunes UK Hip-Hop chart, amassing hundreds of thousands of views across social media. He is a former 2x UK Battle Rap Champion. He has been featured on major channels such as ITV News and BBC 1Xtra, and performed at iconic venues such as Ministry of Sound and Roundhouse London.

Isabel Ryall

Advocate + Campaigner

Isabel is a Politics and International Relations student at UWE Bristol, as well as the Women’s Welfare Officer and a campaigner for Our Streets Now: Higher Education. Through her work and studies she has gained a strong desire to join the fight to end violence against women and girls in all forms. In her talk, she shares how Public Sexual Harassment can negatively affect students' experience at university, harming their sense of belonging and engagement, as well as how looking towards communities might offer solutions.

Jim Dickinson

Associate Editor

Jim is an Associate Editor at Wonkhe and takes a particular interest in student experience, university governance, and regulation – and leads our work with students’ unions. His career background is in support for student leadership. He has held senior roles at the National Union of Students – where he led on SU development, campaigns and political strategy – and was the CEO at the SU at UEA, providing strategic management for the union’s charitable and commercial vehicles as well as policy support for the elected student officers. Jim has served as a governor and trustee in both further and higher education and the voluntary sector, and is a regular speaker at sector events and conferences. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, an obsessive fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, and dreams of visiting Moldova.

John Cottrell

The Breakthrough Guy

As a mechanical engineer, John started his career making machinery more productive, and he soon realised that people were the real key to productivity. Solving people problems led him to the world of emotions and the understanding that material success is nothing without emotional success. For the past 12 years he has been helping people to release unresolved negative emotions – the quickest path to emotional success.

Opeyemi Adeboye Kareem

Student Ambassador/Content Creator/Fashion Influencer

A passionate and ambitious individual currently pursuing a master's degree in international management. Alongside my studies, I am actively involved as a student ambassador and content creator, here at UWE Bristol. Additionally, I currently volunteer at the SS Great Britain and The Bristol Refugee Festival. I serve as the Black Minority Ethnic Officer at the UWE Student Union. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, I have found a home away from home in Bristol, and I enjoy helping fellow students navigate university life. My interests lie in the field of People management, and I am honoured to have my photo displayed in the Celebrating Culture Hall of Fame on Frenchay campus at UWE Bristol.

Rita Buehring

Student

Rita is currently a student at the University of Bristol pursuing a Master’s in Psychology of Education. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Studies (First-Class accreditation) from the University of the West of England. She is passionate about how our early years’ experiences influence the development of an individual’s mind and behavior. Rita grew up in a household of mixed ethnicity in Kenya, moved to Switzerland in her early teens and eventually to the United Kingdom. Her journey has piqued her interest in what shapes us as individuals and how we develop a sense of belonging. She believes in the power of community to unleash our potential. In her spare time, Rita enjoys writing poetry, fitness and creating community through various early childhood education-related charities in East Africa.

Rob Hosking

Co-Founder of Rise of Happiness

Rob Hosking is a former police officer who experienced mental health issues after a traumatic last shift. He founded Rise of Happiness to publish free wellbeing magazines with inspiring stories, expert tips, and research on happiness to help others. Rob aims to reduce the stigma of mental health by sharing his story and encouraging others to open up. He is a trained mental health first aider and is dedicated to helping people find happiness and make positive changes in their lives.

Ronan Harrington

Keynote speaker and consultant

Ronan Harrington teaches world leading organisations how to become resilient in the face of adversity. In this moving TedX talk, he shares his jaw dropping personal story: from early childhood tragedy to leading a global political movement, and dealing with the consequences that follow him to this day. Through extraordinary storytelling, Ronan distills the key factors that determine whether adversity leads to breakdown or breakthrough

Winston Adaete

Student

Winston Adaete is a student at UWE; the current president of the Nigerian Student Society, a coach, start-up enthusiast currently working on two ideas and a big believer and investor in cryptocurrencies and digital payment products having worked as an ambassador with the now defunct FTX. Winston is a writer with a rare writing style and story telling ability with a soon to be released work. Winston is an advocate of good governance and the independence of institutions especially in Africa - Nigeria. He believes in an egalitarian society and thinks education is a sine qua non to such a society.