In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Hokkaido Information University
Hokkaido Ebetsu Nshinopporo 59-2
Ebetsu, Hokkaidô, 069-8585
Japan

Atsuyoshi Saisho

He was born in Adachi Ward in Tokyo in 1989. He is the founder of an international educational support NGO called “e-Education” and is currently in a master course at Institute of Education at University of London. In 2009, his lost love and one book took him to Bangladesh. He founded an e-education system called “e-Education Project”, which provides first educational videos in the country. He helped students from an area of poor families to enter Dhaka University, the highest echelon of academic excellence in the country, four years in a row. He won First Prize in the World Bank Group’s 2014 Innovation Challenge. He is currently committing to expand his project to all areas of the country, collaborating with Bangladesh Ministry of Education. Propounding drastic changes in education in the whole world with his colleagues, he is taking actions in seven countries.

Bo Yin

He was born in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, China. He came to Japan 3 years ago, just after the Great East Japan Earthquake. He majored in Media Technology Course, Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University for 2 years. After that, he entered a graduate school at HIU in order to make progress in his skills and to work in Japan in the future. He is currently at Graduate School of Business Administration and Information Science. His hobby is taking photographs and he was engaged in TEDxHIU 2013 as a photographer. In the event, he was actively involved in communication and collaboration with Japanese students. In addition, he has been taking part in many activities such as cross-cultural events in and out the university. He has wonderful experiences, making friends and enjoying communication with them regardless of nationality.

Joel Rian

Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. Rian has taught English in Japan since 2001, first as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in elementary and junior high schools, and then as a university instructor. He is currently a PhD candidate through Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Mr. Rian is very interested in "interlanguage" (Selinker, 1972), or the kinds of language produced by non-native speakers in the process of learning a second language or foreign language, and is studying the effects of communication strategy training on student motivation and willingness to communicate. He also harbors a longstanding love of antique timepieces. Before coming to Japan he took several classes in clock repair at St. Paul Technical College, and can restore most kinds of pendulum clocks.

Kazuyoshi Motoki

He completed a master course at Graduate School of Business Administration and Information Science at Hokkaido Information University, and also is a 14th alumnus of Workshop Designer Training Program at Aoyama Gakuin University. After working as a lecturer of informatics at a high school and at Nagoya Computer School, he is now a full-time lecturer at Hokkaido Computer School and a workshop designer. While he was in a master course, he investigated motivation in educational activities and development of e-learning systems. He currently teaches his students the mechanism of computers and programming. Besides, he actively works as a workshop designer. Combining three keywords, “Play, Create, Express”, he provides places where children as well as adults can learn with excitement. He has held “a Programming Workshop for Children”, “a Workshop for Imagining a Future School with LEGO”, etc.

Keisuke Iwaya

He succeeded in taking the first photographs from 30 kilometers over Japan as a private sector. Since then, he has been developing his methods, and set a record in the number of launching and acquired the highest success rate in Japan and the highest altitude in the world. He has established a method of world’s best standards. He has been featured in various media such as television, newspapers, magazines, television commercials, and advertisements. He developed the methods by himself. A picture on foreign web news site he found on summer vacation in his fourth year at his university was the beginning of his story. He is acting so that people may feel more familiar with space and have a challenge spirit, through “Fusen Ucyu Project”, or Balloon Photo graphics from Space, which he developed with things for daily use and by personal funds.

Kento Fukuda

Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1993, Kento Fukuda is currently a student majoring in Media Design Course, Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University.Having been fascinated by magic since he was a junior high school student, he wanted to become a magician. In his second year at the university, however, the class called Project Trial made him find the delight in making videos and designing. Finally, he decided to commit himself to them. After that, he learned skills of making videos and designing by himself, and got several prizes in and out of the university. He is expected to work for a film production company in Tokyo. Hokkaido Image Contest 2014 (Students Category), Award of Excellence. NHK Creative Frontier 2013 (Computer Graphics and Anime Category), Award of Best Plan. 8th Hokkaido Information University Commercial Video Contest, First Prize. 1st Hokkaido Information University Short Film Contest, Award of Excellence.

Shigeto Watanabe

He is a professor at Hokkaido Information University and chief of Space Information Center. He investigates environment of the earth and other planets by satellites, planetary exploration space crafts and rockets. His research covers a wide range of fields from developing research scheme to research & development of equipment, observation, analysis, theoretical concept and modeling. Therefore, his lab mates call him a person of all trades. Equipment he developed in NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, which is located in Canada, is loaded in the operating satellite named “Akebono Satellite”. “Akatsuki” is expected to arrive at Venus in 2015. He has suggested making experiments of rockets which he named “Space Fireworks” and has practically conducted them by using rockets of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and NASA since 2007. They are experiments which students can take part in, and through which many of the students have attained good experiences.

Tomomi Takiyama

Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido in 1993, Tomomi Takiyama is currently a third year student majoring in Media Design Course, Faculty of Information Media at Hokkaido Information University. As she wanted to work as a designer, she entered the college, and now she studies web and graphic design. She has been engaged in many projects in and out the university, mainly as a designer. When she was in the second grade, she designed a mascot, “Temmusu-kun”, in the class called Project Trial, and contributed to her team’s winning First Prize and Award Given by Students. In addition, she won First Prize in International WEB Design Contest 2013, in which Japanese and Thai students participated. The workshop she took part in in Thailand encouraged her to do her internship at Gear8 Co., Ltd. In March, she took part in a support project in Nepal as a member of UNIPA Global Art Project.

Yuki Honma

After joining Fujitsu Co., Ltd., he engaged in establishing of Location VALUE Co., Ltd. and assumed the position of COO (chief operating officer). Leaving the company in 2009, he traveled around the world with his wife for 2 years. His social contribution activities, which had been done while traveling, attracted public attention. He got interviewed for TV and was featured on a magazine. After coming back to Japan in 2011, he established HUG and launched a new journal,”Tohoku Fukko Shimbun”. In 2013, he established another incorporated non-profit organization called “Tohoku Kaikon” and began publishing a magazine, “Tohoku Taberu Tsushin”. His recent works are “Social Travel” and “3YEARS ~fukko no genba kara ai wo komete~”. “Tohoku Taberu Tsushin” was nominated for the grand prize of GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2014 (9 out of 3,601 works were nominated for it).