TED Community » Yasser Masood

More About Me

I'm passionate about

technology, design, photography, social media, TED, Apple, electronics, open source, Creative Commons

An idea worth spreading

To educate and inform people about the true benefits of being a globalized citizen, even if you have studied at a branch campus of a college that is miles apart from it's home campus in another country. With commitment and determination, one can be on par with others and that would eliminate any inferiority and discriminatory judgement.

Talk to me about

Social media, education, photography, technology, blogging, human rights, social entrepreneurship, Middle East, yourself, empowerment, grassroots community activism

People don't know that I'm good at

being persistent at anything I commit, never tiring out, keeping pace of the news, amping up excitement and energy when the mood is low, and discovering the undiscovered.

My TED Story

I attended TEDGlobal 2011 fresh out of college in Qatar; my goal was to make my TEDx event a reality and going to TEDGlobal would help make that happen after my return to Qatar. I organized TEDxYouth@Doha 2011 - 1st (of many and more to come) TEDxYouthDay events in Qatar. In addition, I'm also organizing TEDxEducationCity (1st multi-university TEDx event that brings together 6 U.S. universities in Qatar); seeing that the very first TEDx event was TEDxUSC (A university event), this will take it to the next level.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +2626.00 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A comment on Conversation: What are your questions about the new TED-Ed website? Conversation with TED-Ed staff!

  May 3 2012: i was at TEDxSummit (I live here in Doha!) when Chris teased the next phase of TED-Ed. In addition, I was also present in the TED-Ed session with Chris where he gave a detailed breakdown.
  
  Living here in Qatar where school curriculum and education systems, especially public and independent schools, are disjoint. One can evidently see the differences between students that have a significant advantage over another group, as their foundation learning is far more rigorous than another group that doesn't even encourage learning with curiosity or develop critical thinking.
  
  I'm hoping to get this circulated across the schools here by putting it under TEDxYouth@Doha, especially tap into a community that would create Arabic-related content for it - language is a barrier here at schools (some teach in Arabic but learning materials are not plentiful compared to English versions) and I hope that it may even help other countries in the Middle East region.
• +1

  A comment on Talk: Vijay Kumar: Robots that fly ... and cooperate

  Mar 1 2012: This is just pure autonomous ingenuity that shows more possibilities.

• A comment on Conversation: What would you do in the next 60 days the get the most of the TEDxSummit in Doha?

  Feb 13 2012: I'll say come with an open mind and willingness to explore. You might just learn more from other TEDx organizers when they converge in Qatar for one week. It won't just be a cross-disciplinary congregation of people, but also cross-cultural.
  
  For many, it'll be a first time in the Middle East (even when the media can paint a different picture of the region).
  
  I guarantee that you'll be in for a worthwhile experience - I've lived in Dubai since birth and now I'm in Doha for the past 6 years.
• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Can immigration increase innovation? If so, how?

  Jan 30 2012: If anything that I've seen in a recent study, immigration not only increases innovation but also creates more opportunities in the economy. The U.S is wrestling with illegal immigrants but whatever action it takes against them harms those who come lawfully to the country.
  
  It's no longer just about granting H1-B visas (I know those are already snapped up for Indians and other Asian citizens), but it's also allowing those who have stayed a set number of years more freedom and lessing of restrictions for them to thrive and innovate across any discipline of their passion.

• A comment on Conversation: How can I make my TEDx enticing for the students of our university?

  Jan 25 2012: I'm doing a university event in March 2012 - TEDxEducationCity. My event brings 6 universities together under one theme as it intersects with the many pillars of TED. I don't have an issue of organizing it, as I recently did a TEDxYouthDay event. Many of the students, faculty, and staff know about it and they jumped on board quickly to help organize it. My core team comes from the different universities. As David said, the theme does play a role. For my event, my theme centres around what these universities have contributed to help advance and promote knowledge sharing and new breakthroughs.
  
  Since you're living in Dubai, why don't you use TEDxDubai as an example for students and then tailor it to help organize a TEDx event at your university?
• +2

  A comment on Talk: Ben Kacyra: Ancient wonders captured in 3D

  Nov 10 2011: I was 'digitally preserved' while I was seated in the audience for this talk
• +4

  A comment on Talk: Bunker Roy: Learning from a barefoot movement

  Oct 17 2011: This was one of my favorite talks, and good thing I saw this live in the main auditorium (You could probably spot me somewhere in the middle of the video). He made me proud to be an Indian, regardless of how our nation's problems hamper our daily lives.

• A reply on Conversation: What does it take to make the youth take charge and feel responsible for their own initiatives?

  Sep 16 2011: Bea, thanks for the support. Cloe, glad that I could contribute to the conversation. Thinking back after TEDGlobal 2011, I started thinking more about the event when I was indirectly influenced to organize it. I just hope that the youth from my event walk away with something that the future is in their hands

• A reply on Conversation: What does it take to make the youth take charge and feel responsible for their own initiatives?

  Sep 15 2011: That's where they can have the upper advantage. I was just 13 when the Internet was becoming mainstream and social networks were on the rise during my high school years. I faced a similar experience when my parents asked me about what I did during my teenage years and the numerous changes happening around me, and they had a different outlook on how my future should proceed. I broke away from the typical cultural norms (being just either a doctor/engineer/etc. & having just a steady income) so that I can pursue what I'm passionate about.
  
  The youth are in a good position to be a conduit for their generation to that of their elders. Just as I had the chance to witness the rise and birth of many things and I helped my parents comprehend them, they are not restricted by the logic and rationale of the elder's wisdom. They can use the best and good practices imparted to them and integrate them into their initiatives. It's the best melting pot of keeping a sense of continuity so that the youth do not feel any disconnect within and among themselves.

• A comment on Conversation: What does it take to make the youth take charge and feel responsible for their own initiatives?

  Sep 14 2011: I believe that by showing them how others have walked a similar path, it would further motivate and empower them to pursue their own initiative with the edge of going even further to raise the benchmark. As each generation steps forward with parallel advances in technology and societal welfare, they would learn to tap into the resources presented to them.
  
  Living in the Middle East where the youth are now realizing that they can pursue their own aspirations, they can't all look to other places as it should come from within. They can always learn the foundations, but it'll take their passion and commitment to make it worthwhile their efforts.