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About Me

Dr. Sarah Jane Pell is an Australian artist-researcher and commercial diver interested in human performance underwater as an analogue to space and the poetics and technologies made possible by the human-aquatic-environment interface.

Like most Aussie kids, Sarah grew up with a love of the ocean and the great outdoors. A third generation diver following her father and grandfather, I guess you could say it is in her genes. At 23, a PADI trainee Dive Master with a Bachelor of Fine Art, Drawing and a Masters of Human Movement, she thought nothing of her ambition to have an art studio…underwater!
An artist and ADAS Commercial Diver, Sarah founded ARTi Aquabatics Research Team initiative: an Underwater Multimedia Lab & Production Company in 2002 to create and tour works for international festivals, galleries and museums. She has since logged over 1000+ hours work underwater working in commercial, aquaculture & entertainment industries. Named 2004 Freedman Foundation Traveling Arts Scholar she studied Live Art, Nottingham Trent University and Collaborated with SymbioticA: Centre for excellence in Biological Arts, co-authoring, and performing in the mobile biotech performance lab: LifeBoat for ISEA 2004. The Western Australian Maritime Museum exhibited her first retrospective ‘Walking with Water’ 2005 accompanied by a world-wide DVD release by Contemporary Arts Media 2006.

Awarded best PhD Art & Science 2007 (English Language) LABS, MIT for her pioneering thesis ‘Aquabatics as new works of Live Art’. Pell also studied at Singularity University US and International Space University FR. She led and co-authored Luna Gaia: a closed loop habitat for the Moon: a joint study commissioned by NASA Ames/ISU and launched a space-art payload onboard JAXA’s SPRITE SAT, 2009.

Dr. Pell is currently is working on a new venture Liquid Uni: a platform for underwater education, entertainment and training. She was appointed to the European Space Agency ESA Topical Team for Art and Science in 2011 and became CoChair to ETTAS in 2012.

Location:
Australia, Melbourne
Current organization:
Aquabatics Australia
Current role:
Artist Researcher Explorer
Gender:
Female
Areas of expertise:
Art and Science Collaboration, Movement and the Lived Body of Phenomenology, Live Performance, Commercial Diving, SCUBA diver, Installation Art, New Media
I am:
Artist, Brainstormer, Change Agent, Designer, Entrepreneur, Explorer, Idea generator, Job-seeker, Performer, World traveler
Associations:
The League of New Worlds - Atlantica Expeditions, ESA ArtScience Topic Team
My website links:
www.sarahjanepell.com, LNW Atlantica Expeditions Undersea Colony Mission
Universities:
International Space University, Singularity University, Edith Cowan University (ECU)
TED conferences attended:
TEDWomen, TED2010
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TEDCRED 100+ TED FellowAssociate

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Live art, diving, underwater habitat design, human performance, and the relationship between technological innovation, advanced life support, human factors, environment, poetics and aesthetic practice

An idea worth spreading

Develop a sustainable program of advancement in underwater technologies and clean autonomous advanced life support systems towards the creation of infrastructures for in situ custodianship of our oceans. Open up a new area of the planet Earth that has not been accessible for human habitation and take advantage of the opportunities to reconsider life cycles and adaptive strategies to best prepare as a responsible species for increasingly extreme environments. Realise ways to create positive pressures on human life. Champion new languages, ideas, and forms of art derived from, and engaged with, new ways of being in the world. Create a culture for celebrating the beauty of what is, the wonder of what has gone before and the possibility that is still before us.

Talk to me about

Art & Science Convergence, Human Performance, Diving, Underwater Habitats, Interdisciplinary Art, Water, Oceans, Space Countermeasures, Innovation, VR, Making Dreams Reality, Collaborating with you...

People don't know that I'm good at

Choosing apples, oil painting, rock climbing, design, dancing in the rain, massage and process-patching ideas.

My TED Story

TEDxISU Speaker, TED2012 Webcast, TED2011 Webcast, TED2010 Fellow, TEDxSydney Speaker, TEDWomen Attendee, TEDxMelbourne Presenter, TEDTalks fan, TEDster fan, supporTED fan, all-round TED groupie.

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +120.50 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • +5

    A reply on Talk: Mike deGruy: Hooked by an octopus

    Feb 5 2012: Deeply saddened. May Mike's mission, passion and insight live on and continue to inspire us to action. Condolences to his family and friends.
  • +1

    A comment on Talk: Enric Sala: Glimpses of a pristine ocean

    May 15 2010: Enric presents supurb arguments for an increase of global marine reserves to 20%. Not only does he enlightens us to the biophilic interdependence between species - above and below the water - but he also explains how industry too can profit from increased marine protection. I am inspired and excited by the overarching ideas he champions. The financial persuasions however, may only be useful leverage to a top-end governance model. If new governance models and financial strategies are to be found to empower local communities to preserve areas of ocean, then additional strategies are required to empower and support change across local communities industries. Seventh generation fishermen, salties and wharf-folk for example, will need much more than the promise of financial return. Awareness and outreach programs must ask: How do you create retraining programs for those who live and work by the ocean? How can ecotourism be attractive to small communities living on coastal areas? Inspiring!
  • +2

    A comment on Talk: Viktor Frankl: Why to believe in others

    May 15 2010: Three timeless things to remember: Deliberately set out to over reach my target. Recognise and champion this in others. Lessen my contribution to cross-winds! A powerful and impassioned speech...with a magnificent accent!
  • +1

    A comment on Talk: Lies, damned lies and statistics (about TEDTalks)

    Apr 30 2010: What fun! I love this. What are the colours and key words for Funny, Witty and Incredible ratings again? This TEDtalk is really cleaver and well delivered and the TEDpad is a hoot!

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