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Inspirational & Expert Talks
For students- we are here to share their stories!
Updated December 16 2021
Future of Medicine/Social Entrepreneur
The pandemic forced the world to work together like never before and, with unprecedented speed, bore a new age of health and medical innovation. Physician-scientist Daniel Kraft explains how breakthroughs and advancements like AI-infused antiviral discoveries and laboratory-level diagnostic tools accessible via smartphones are paving the way for a more democratized, connected and data-driven future of medicine and personalized care.
60% of people with dementia wander off, an issue that can prove hugely stressful for both patients and caregivers. In this charming talk, hear how teen inventor Kenneth Shinozuka came up with a novel solution to help his night-wandering grandfather and the aunt who looks after him ... and how he hopes to help others with Alzheimer's.
In the developing world, access to incubators is limited by cost and distance, and millions of premature babies die each year. TED Fellow Jane Chen shows an invention that could keep millions of these infants warm -- a design that's safe, portable, low-cost and life-saving.
TED Fellow Jane Chen has spent years working on health issues in the developing world. Jane Chen is the co-founder and CEO of Embrace, a social enterprise that aims to help the millions of vulnerable babies born every year in developing countries through a low-cost infant warmer. Unlike traditional incubators that cost up to $20,000, the Embrace infant warmer costs around $200. The device requires no electricity, has no moving parts, is portable and is safe and intuitive to use.
Inspirational & Expert Talks
When a psychologist who studies well-being ends up with a brain tumor, what happens when she puts her own research into practice? Christina Costa goes beyond the "fight" narrative of cancer -- or any formidable personal journey -- to highlight the brain benefits of an empowering alternative to fostering resilience in the face of unexpected challenges: gratitude.
When your future is uncertain, how do you keep moving forward? In this courageous talk, oncologist and cancer survivor Shekinah Elmore shares how she embraced life after a rare genetic diagnosis -- and explains why she believes doctors have a duty to help their patients learn to live with radical uncertainty.
Countless poets and writers have tried to put words to the experience of a panic attack— a sensation so overwhelming, many people mistake it for a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening crisis. Studies suggest that almost a third of us will experience at least one panic attack in our lives. So what exactly is a panic attack, and can we prevent them? Cindy J. Aaronson investigates. [Directed by Aim Creative Studios, narrated by Bethany Cutmore-Scott, music by André Aires].
"A record of our emotional life is written on our hearts," says cardiologist and author Sandeep Jauhar. In a stunning talk, he explores the mysterious ways our emotions impact the health of our hearts -- causing them to change shape in response to grief or fear, to literally break in response to emotional heartbreak -- and calls for a shift in how we care for our most vital organ.
In a moving talk, journalist Johann Hari shares fresh insights on the causes of depression and anxiety from experts around the world -- as well as some exciting emerging solutions. "If you're depressed or anxious, you're not weak and you're not crazy -- you're a human being with unmet needs," Hari says.
The Speech That Will Make You Cry - Elon Musk
In this powerful motivational and educational video, Elon Musk – a business magnate, industrial designer, and engineer – CEO of SpaceX, early-stage CEO of Tesla, discusses turning his biggest dreams into reality. He advises young people on starting a business as well as mentions how the future will hold for humanity.
Why does modern technology promise efficiency, but leave us constantly feeling pressed for time? Anthropologist Kathryn Bouskill explores the paradoxes of living in a fast-paced society and explains why we need to reconsider the importance of slowing down in a world that demands go, go, go.
How do you rediscover a happier, more purpose-driven (and less productivity-obsessed) self in the wake of the pandemic? Quiz yourself alongside work futurist Dominic Price as he lays out a simple yet insightful four-part guide to assessing your life in ways that can help you reconnect with what's really important.
Parents, take a deep breath: how your kids turn out isn't fully on you. Of course, parenting plays an important role in shaping who children become, but psychologist Yuko Munakata offers an alternative, research-backed reality that highlights how it's just one of many factors that influence the chaotic complexity of childhood development. A rethink for anyone wondering what made them who they are today and what it means to be a good parent.
You may be experiencing burnout and not even know it, say authors (and sisters) Emily and Amelia Nagoski. In an introspective and deeply relatable conversation, they detail three telltale signs that stress is getting the best of you -- and share actionable ways to feel safe in your own body when you're burning out.
Society has a set of stories it tells itself about who refugees are and what they look like, says documentarian and TED Fellow Feras Fayyad. With his films, he's on a mission to separate the facts about refugees from fiction, as a form of resistance -- for himself, his daughter and the millions of other Syrian refugees across the world. A harrowing account, a quest to end injustice and a testament to the power of storytelling.
From his home in London, Jacob Collier showcases his virtuosic vocal, piano and guitar skills in an enrapturing five-song set. Stick around to hear him premiere a new original track, "The Sun Is in Your Eyes," and sing a gorgeous rendition of "Danny Boy."
Our obsession with productivity -- to-do lists, life hacks, morning routines -- is making us less productive, says digital anthropologist Rahaf Harfoush. She explains why we need to redesign our workday around creativity -- not just efficiency.
Coming to us from 60 years in the future, legendary sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson tells the "history" of how humanity ended the climate crisis and restored the damage done to Earth's biosphere. A rousing vision of how we might unite to overcome the greatest challenge of our time.
Conventional wisdom frames the ideal career path as a linear one -- a ladder to be climbed with a single-minded focus to get to the top. Career development consultants Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper invite you to replace this outdated and limiting model with "squiggly" careers: dynamic, open-ended growth paths tailor-made for your individual needs, talents and ambitions. A radical rethink for anyone who feels restricted and defined by the limits of the corporate ladder.
It was not easy to put his personal life in the public but he hopes the story will inspire others and help people in Dolpo especially with medical and health care. He is most thankful to his parents for risking their life in order to get medical care for him after walking for a month carrying him on their backs from Dolpo to Kathmandu and allowing him to stay in the city so he can study and have better future. His main goal now is helping his family and encouraging others to help like they did with him. He is extremely grateful for Rokpa International and his friends and family in the Netherlands for encouraging him to pursue his education.
Accept Who I am: Firing off her formidable beatboxing skills, musician Butterscotch serenades -- over a hauntingly beautiful backtrack made live on stage -- and shares pieces of her own story as a shoutout to those struggling through dark times. "We have to be compassionate with ourselves, allow acceptance for who we are -- even on our worst days when we're still doing our best," she says.
Artist Aaron Koblin takes vast amounts of data -- and at times vast numbers of people -- and weaves them into stunning visualizations. His works brilliantly explore how modern technology can make us more human.
We're raising our girls to be perfect, and we're raising our boys to be brave, says Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code. Saujani has taken up the charge to socialize young girls to take risks and learn to program -- two skills they need to move society forward. To truly innovate, we cannot leave behind half of our population, she says. "I need each of you to tell every young woman you know to be comfortable with imperfection."
In this talk, Ted underscores the potential for our kids and our country if we educate to our innovative and creative strengths, and trust our schools and teachers to prepare our kids for life, instead of for standardized tests.
How can disadvantaged students succeed in school? For sociologist Anindya Kundu, grit and stick-to-itiveness aren't enough; students also need to develop their agency, or their capacity to overcome obstacles and navigate the system. He shares hopeful stories of students who have defied expectations in the face of personal, social and institutional challenges.
The global refugee crisis is a mental health catastrophe, leaving millions in need of psychological support to overcome the traumas of dislocation and conflict. To undo the damage, child psychiatrist and TED Fellow Essam Daod has been working in camps, rescue boats and the shorelines of Greece and the Mediterranean Sea to help refugees (a quarter of which are children) reframe their experiences through short, powerful psychological interventions. "We can all do something to prevent this mental health catastrophe," Daod says. "We need to acknowledge that first aid is not just needed for the body, but it has also to include the mind, the soul."
A blind woman can see how short I am
"You don't need eyes to see" in this impactful commencement speech Khalid Latif, chaplain at NYU and distinguished service member of NYPD, gives deep lessons of seeing beyond the surface value of people.
Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
In this gentle conversation about listening, we begin to understand how to develop meaningful friendships, and most importantly how to be a better partner. What does it mean to really hear someone?
What's the difference between heroes and leaders? In this insightful talk, Lorna Davis explains how our idolization of heroes is holding us back from solving big problems -- and shows why we need "radical interdependence" to make real change happen.
Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but what if there's a more fulfilling path? Happiness comes and goes, says writer Emily Esfahani Smith, but having meaning in life -- serving something beyond yourself and developing the best within you -- gives you something to hold onto. Learn more about the difference between being happy and having meaning as Smith offers four pillars of a meaningful life.
This 120-second film presents the stories of Ahmed, 12, from Damascus in Syria, and Harry, 92, from Berlin, Germany. During the film, the two tell their individual stories of being forced to flee their homes and their harrowing journeys in search of safety. Despite being separated by over 70 years, the two stories contain many similarities, and the film interposes footage of Syrian refugees with historical footage from World War II.
""While love is an instinct and an emotion, the ability to love better is a skill we can all build and improve on over time". - Katie Hood
How to Fix a Broken Heart
Psychologist Guy Winch reveals how recovering from heartbreak starts with a determination to fight our instincts to idealize and search for answers that aren't there -- and offers a toolkit on how to, eventually, move on.
"We have seen advances in every aspect of our lives -- except our humanity," says Luma Mufleh, a Jordanian immigrant and Muslim of Syrian descent who founded the first accredited school for refugees in the United States. Mufleh shares stories of hope and resilience, explaining how she's helping young people from war-torn countries navigate the difficult process of building new homes. Get inspired to make a personal difference in the lives of refugees with this powerful talk.
As an expert in the field of college application, Alex Chang discusses the secret behind successful college applications. He explains colleges’ mindset when looking through the applications, and how grades are not as important as what most people believe. He also talks about how it is important for the applicants to “be awesome” and be unique in order to get into “dream colleges.”
Psychologist Kelly McGonigal outlines how we can build resilience by connecting with and caring for other people during times of stress.
The Gift & Power of Emotional Courage
Psychologist Susan David shares how the way we deal with our emotions shapes everything that matters: our actions, careers, relationships, health and happiness.
I’m a product of that horrific moment. I was a constant living, walking, talking reminder. I was really, really scared. I was upset with my mom. Then my stepdad introduced me to the game of football. He was a die-hard Jets fan. And I tell you what—that was one day that changed my life.
Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.
Entrepreneur Elon Musk is a man with many plans. The founder of PayPal, Tesla Motors and SpaceX sits down with TED curator Chris Anderson to share details about his visionary projects, which include a mass-marketed electric car, a solar energy leasing company and a fully reusable rocket.
At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it's simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a hospice and palliative medicine physician who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life.
Guy Winch makes a compelling case to practice emotional hygiene — taking care of our emotions, our minds, with the same diligence we take care of our bodies.
Shame is an unspoken epidemic, the secret behind many forms of broken behavior. Brené Brown, whose earlier talk on vulnerability became a viral hit, explores what can happen when people confront their shame head-on. Her own humor, humanity and vulnerability shine through every word.
In every workplace, there are three basic kinds of people: givers, takers and matchers. Organizational psychologist Adam Grant breaks down these personalities and offers simple strategies to promote a culture of generosity and keep self-serving employees from taking more than their share.
In this funny and blunt talk, Larry Smith pulls no punches when he calls out the absurd excuses people invent when they fail to pursue their passions.
In a moment when BJ Miller faced his own mortality, "one of the ways that I sort of got through some of the early days was insisting that this was a variation on a theme we all experience. That theme is basically suffering."
Frans Johansson, the author of "The Medici Effect" & "The Click Moment" that discusses the role of luck and serendipity in personal lives and in business. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Medici Effect.
Prioritizing the wholeness of each person, BJ Miller helps us envision a redesigned end of life clinical and cultural landscape that makes space for lessons of loss and cuts across age and economic barriers. Embracing the cross-pollination of varied expertise and personal values, BJ’s perspective as a hospice and palliative care physician, and informed by his own lived experience, encourages new lines of thinking that are individually authentic and enriched by wit, compassion and daring.
Hear about Elon Musk's keynote speech about the Tesla Powerwall! It is intended to be used for home energy storage and stores electricity for solar self-consumption, time of use load shifting, backup power, and off-the-grid use.
Activist and fundraiser Dan Pallotta calls out the double standard that drives our broken relationship to charities. Too many nonprofits, he says, are rewarded for how little they spend -- not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, he asks us to start rewarding charities for their big goals and big accomplishments (even if that comes with big expenses). In this bold talk, he says: Let's change the way we think about changing the world.
A handful of people working at a handful of tech companies steer the thoughts of billions of people every day, says design thinker Tristan Harris. From Facebook notifications to Snapstreaks to YouTube autoplays, they're all competing for one thing: your attention. Harris shares how these companies prey on our psychology for their own profit and calls for a design renaissance in which our tech instead encourages us to live out the timeline we want.
At only 23 years old, Jairek Robbins was awarded the Congressional Award Gold Medal from the United States Congress. By 25, he became and international phenom by developing a revolutionary approach to accelerating results for businesses in different industries. Today, the 28-year old is unlocking secrets for maximizing employee performance and organizational success (and he's just getting started)
Alzheimer's doesn't have to be your brain's destiny, says neuroscientist and author of "Still Alice," Lisa Genova. She shares the latest science investigating the disease -- and some promising research on what each of us can do to build an Alzheimer's-resistant brain.
Psychology Related Talks
You spend weeks studying for an important test. On the big day, you wait nervously as your teacher hands it out. You're working your way through, when you're asked to define "ataraxia." You know you've seen the word before, but your mind goes blank. What just happened? Elizabeth Cox details the complex relationship between stress and memory
Stress isn't always a bad thing; it can be handy for a burst of extra energy and focus, like when you're playing a competitive sport or have to speak in public. But when it's continuous, it actually begins to change your brain. Madhumita Murgia shows how chronic stress can affect brain size, its structure, and how it functions, right down to the level of your genes.
Many of us will experience some kind of trauma during our lifetime. Sometimes, we escape with no long-term effects. But for millions of people, those experiences linger, causing symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and negative thoughts that interfere with everyday life. Joelle Rabow Maletis details the science behind post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD
How do you get on the road to being happier? Start by setting your alarm for 30 minutes earlier than usual and not hitting the snooze button. The effort required to leave that warm bed and enter the world is the same amount of effort needed to shake up your life and make that elusive change. In this humorous and provocative talk, Mel Robbins explains how turning off our brain's autopilot and demolishing our comfort zones is key to a rewarding life.
Essay Writing Talks
Adam Grant, author of 'Give and Take' and the youngest tenured professor at Wharton- gives us some insight into what works in communication. Grant uses results from research as well as stories from his own life to get us thinking about how we are perceived when we communicate and how to tweak our style to maximize our results.
Through his '10 meters of thinking' Paul Hughes unrolls stories that create organizational change. This change is an ongoing path where he uses design & branding to pave the way and offer signposts for the journey, which he coaches participants to walk with practical steps.
Magnus Walker talks about his life journey of following his passion and going with his gut feeling which eventually led him to turning his dreams into his reality.
Stairs don't just get you from point A to point B. Architect David Rockwell explains how they shape your movement -- and your feelings.
Business Related Talks
Financial literacy isn't a skill -- it's a lifestyle. Take it from Curtis "Wall Street" Carroll. As an incarcerated individual, Carroll knows the power of a dollar. While in prison, he taught himself how to read and trade stocks, and now he shares a simple, powerful message: we all need to be more savvy with our money.
Profit, money, shareholders: these are the priorities of most companies today. But at what cost? In an appeal to corporate leaders worldwide, Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya calls for an end to the business playbook of the past -- and shares his vision for a new, "anti-CEO playbook" that prioritizes people over profits. "This is the difference between profit and true wealth," he says.
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