TEDxGalapagos will be the place to discuss the human aspect of the Galapagos Islands and the role of the inhabitants in the conservation of its surrounding, lessons learned and steps to take to secure the wonderful ecosystem and its people

Malecon Puerto Ayora
Puerto Ayora
Galapagos, Imbabura
Ecuador

Alberto Granja

In one of his trips to Isabela Island, Alberto, a native fisherman from Santa Cruz Island had no choice but to throw his fishing boat´s motor oil into the ocean. The sight of the crystaline Galapagos ocean water becoming stained with oil, and of the damage beign done to the creatures that could be seen, greatly impacted Alberto, making him aware of the damage done through his activity and that of his fellow fisherman. This gave birth to the curet oil recycling program in the Galapagos Islands.

Arturo Izurieta

Desde hace ya 30 años de haber llegado por primera vez a Galápagos, tierra que le brindó una oportunidad para su carrera profesional y donde inició su vida familiar, Arturo Izurieta continúa aplicando sus conocimientos de relaciones humanas y participativas en beneficio de las Islas Galápagos, el Ecuador, y el mundo. Actualmente es Director del Parque Nacional Galápagos.

Colleen Flanigan

Through visual, performing, and biological arts, Colleen investigates contemporary issues of species endangerment and ecosystem regeneration, specifically coral reefs. Her work encompasses Living Sea Sculptures, conversation-catalyzing alter egos, participatory multimedia exhibitions, and more. Her background in making ball-and-socket armatures for stop-motion animation puppets, including the first 3D stop-motion animated feature film, "Coraline," dovetails with her current desire to design and construct life-supporting skeletal sculptures to be grown over by ocean minerals and marine life.

Cristina Morrison

With emotion is the way this actress, singer, composer and producer is described. Her music is based on her experiences, her people, her emotions and in the fussion of Jazz and other generes, making it eclectic fusión jazz. After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Art in Los Angeles, and during her first visit to the Galapagos in 1993, Cristina fell in love with the islands and these became her muse. During the last few years Cristina has lived between Quito and New York working in movies, theater and music, and in Galapagos, where her creative processes spark. Her passion for the islands has taken Cristina to become promoter of the ArteEducarte program for Isabela island.

Daniel Orellana

Daniel Orellana is a University professor and researcher. He estudied Environmental Biology and holds a master degree in Geographic Systems Information and a PhD in Geoinformation. He has completed research projects in Spain, Holand and Ecuador, about the dynamism between human interaction and the natural surroundings. In Ecuador he has been part of the Charles Darwin Foundation as Human Systems research coordinator. Daniel participated as coordinator of "Galápagos 360º", a project develped by the Charles Darwin Foundation, the Galapagos National Park and Google.

Diego Quiroga

Diego Quiroga obtained his Ph. D in antropology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1994 and became tenured professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in Quito, Ecuador. His research is focused on human ecology, political ecology, medical anthropology in the Amazon, the Galapagos Islands and the Andean region After completing his studies, Diego became Dean of the Graduate School in1999. Since 2002 se has served as Co/Director of the Instituto Académico de Artes y Ciencias de Galapagos, GAIAS, and since 2004 as Dean of the General College of the Universidad San Francisco. One of his latest publications is entitled: “Crafting nature: the Galapagos and the making and unmaking of a "natural laboratory".

Eliecer Cruz

A native of the Galapagos islands, Eliecer is a Biologist with expertise in Management of Natural Protected Areas in the United States, Costa Rica and Spain. With his expertise, Eliecer has served in operations, coordination and finally as director of the Galapagos National Park, during which time the Galapagos National Park Management Plan was developed as well as the creation of the the Galapagos Marine Reserve. Eliecer has vast experience in sustainability, conservation and biodiversity which he has applied to the development of Galapagos.

Magno Benett

Viewing Culture not only as a component but rather a complete element that embraces all expressions generated by the human mind and intellect, Magno Benett develops his curatorial activities and art, in Ecuador and mainly the Galapagos Islands. Magno imagines and creates processes that involve all actors of the community in the development or art and culture for a positive impact in the society of the islands.

Octavio Latorre

Octavio Latorre is one of the renowned figures on a national and international level with regards to Human History of the Galapagos Islands, and the Amazon. Octavio studied in the Catholic University of Quito, the Woodstock College de Maryland and the Boston College de Massachusetts, where he obtained his Master in Education and History. Octavio has studied the Galapagos Islands for several years, as well as the discovery and colonization of the Amazon Rain Forest.

Reyna Oleas

Reyna Oleas Marzo, studied Management of Natural Resources and Business Administration. Reyna and Roberto have built their lives in Galapagos since 1994. As part of their life project, they have lived in Puerto Ayora for the past 8 years with their 2 kids, Cayetano and Marisol. Their sustainable living proposal begun from the necessity to explore other alternatives to living that would have a lesser impact on the surrounding and provide a better quality of life.