Theme: On the Flip Side

The Flip Side: The reverse or unwanted concomitant

In our forward-thinking and dynamic society where we are constantly pushing for progress, we are often constrained by common societal belief.

Inspired by the mission of United World Colleges to use education as a force to unite people in the hope of a peaceful and sustainable future, TEDxPearsonCollegeUWC is a full day event that brings speakers from near and far to share their ideas that contrast with that of the conventional, in the hopes of motivating our audience to take a step away from the collective opinion.

Join us for a showcase of revolutionary ideas that are being developed on your doorstep - united through their ambition for change. Take the step to challenge your preconceived notions and stand as an individual during our exploration of the flipside to the traditional perspective.

Purchase tickets here: https://www.universe.com/events/tedxpearsoncollegeuwc-tickets-victoria-VG64NM

650 Pearson College Drive
Victoria, British Columbia, V9C 4H7
Canada

Bronte Kolar Dina Shehata

Student Scientists

Brontë Kolar from Ontario and Dina Schehata from Newfoundland/ Egypt are both students at Pearson College. The aspiring scientists want to open a dialogue about what it means to be human. Their talk will be about revising the Voyager Golden Record, a record of humanity in space. The main objective is to take diverse opinions into consideration to find an accurate and authentic representation of us humans, that will outlive all of us in the universe. Brontë and Dina are interested in the human aspect of science and regarding social issues through a scientific lense. In the past Brontë worked on propeller-powered hoverboards and Artificial Intelligence programmes. Dina researched genetics and cancer and invented an ultra sound gel model.

E.J Tremblay

Artist, Filmmaker, Scholar, Athlete and Coach

E.J.’s work as an artist, filmmaker, scholar, athlete, and coach has taken him from his birthplace in New Brunswick, to working in the film industry around the world. He has continuously embraced social initiatives while working in many venues such as with NHLers where he learned methods of incentive and success. At present E.J. is facing an unexpected challenge, that of vision loss. In accepting this new challenge he feels he could make a significant difference in supporting others through complexities and obstacles. Because vision is now less and less accessible to him, he engages with other processes of perception - still photography. In the digital darkroom, his vision insists upon detail; colour, saturation, framing, and composition. Art has always been present in his life—now it is a tool that allows him to share the phenomenological experience of blindness as he answers questions about what it is like for him to look, and what it is that he sees.

Emily Brass

Journalist

After spending ten years as a touring singer-saxophonist and songwriter, playing festivals and clubs with her band across the east coast of the US, Emily Brass made a midlife career change. At age 39, she moved back to her home city of Montreal to study broadcast journalism, while also working as a research assistant for the Concordia Science Journalism Project. During her studies, Brass completed an internship at CBC's London Bureau in the UK, helping produce and report international news. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Joan Donaldson CBC News Scholarship and officially began working for the public broadcaster in Toronto and St. John's, NL. Brass went on to spend five years as a local and national TV and radio reporter at CBC Montreal, before starting a new position last spring as the morning radio newscaster in Victoria.

Joanne Peng

Student, Violinist and Scientist

Joanne Peng is a student at Pearson College UWC. A professional violinist, scientist, and tinkerer, Joanne is interested in the ideas that arise from intersections of different fields. With her multidisciplinary experience, she wants to challenge the way we approach new or unknown problems through the Toolbox Method — a way we can best make our crazy ideas and solutions a reality using our current tools.

Peter J. Scott

Futurist, Author, and Technology Change Consultant

Born in the United Kingdom, Peter Scott received a master's degree in Computer Science from Cambridge University in 1983 and went to work for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. He moved to Canada in 1999 (now holding triple citizenship) and went freelance, continuing to serve JPL but also developing a parallel career in "soft" fields of human development, getting certified in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and coaching. Bridging these disparate worlds positions him to envisage a delicate solution to the existential threats humanity faces arising from exponential technology progress, explored in his 2017 book, “Crisis of Control: How Artificial SuperIntelligences May Destroy or Save the Human Race.” On February 3, learn how all of us are involved in mitigating those threats at TEDxPearsonCollegeUWC!

Tess Casher

Student

Tess Casher is a first year student at Pearson College UWC. Having lived in 5 different places, spanning 3 continents, she is currently living on Vancouver Island, where she continues to be exposed to various cultures and perspectives. Being born with a speech impediment has allowed for a unique perspective to our society. Through stuttering, Tess has had the opportunity to see how we communicate in an entirely different way, which she believes is perspective that should be shared.