Theme: Unknown. Unfinished. Undone.

Unknown. Unfinished. Undone. A compromise of a theme but no compromise for content. Theme full of similarities, but also contrast. With access to so much information these days, what remains unknown? So many people work on amazing things, but how often do they finish, and if they don’t, is it a failure or is it perhaps better that way? And the things we have built, do they have to remain, or can we undo them? Undone. A simple word, with two almost opposite meanings. What hasn’t yet been done? What, on the other hand, should we break down?
This is our call to you. We want to unlock history, uncover research or reveal your ideas yet untold, projects unstarted yet. We want you to tell us about your unfinished research, about building, about progress. We want to hear how you break down the system, go against the mainstream, undo the oppression. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up now, whether you are a speaker, performer or you combine the abstract with the practical. We are waiting for you.

Lakeside Theatre
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom

Anthony Metten

Anthony Metten is a high school dropout who became a bank executive. That was until he stopped trying to please others and quit his job for full time education at age 44. He’s now a Professional Certified Coach, part of the International Coach Federation and has a master's degree in Counseling Psychology and Career Development.

Faustina Edward

Faustina Edward is an aspiring solicitor and the founder of The Unicorn Project from the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. She moved to the UK in 2017 to pursue a law degree. In 2018, she was named a Highly Commended Runner Up Queen's Young Leader, alongside outstanding young leaders across the Commonwealth for her work in education-focused youth development. Alongside her professional aspirations, Faustina remains committed to assisting students with their academic journeys.

George Linen Jr.

George Linen Jr. has served in the US Air Force for over 7 years, but in his soul, he is an artist. During the day, George is an Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor, teaching future Staff Sergeants how to take care of others and themselves, and express themselves. As an artist, he expresses himself through Spoken Word Poetry.

Lidia Beqiraj

Lidia Beqiraj is an Albanian immigrant studying to be a lawyer. Despite her and her family facing many hardships, she serves as an example of thriving under difficult circumstances. Just this year, she followed her dream of studying abroad in the US. Surpassing all of her expectations, her self-confidence sky-rocketed and she outdid herself with a 4.0 GPA in her second semester.

Lorena Gadella Kamstra

Lorena Gadella Kamstra is a language lecturer in the Language and Linguistics department at the University of Essex. She researches language teaching and investigates the motivation and demotivation of teachers. Her research and role as a teacher goes hand in hand, helping her to better understand teacher’s experiences.

Meera Shankar

Meera Shankar is a medical student at the University of Liverpool. At age 15, she conducted a research study about tuberculosis awareness in tuberculosis prevalent areas. The paper was published in the International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, making her one of the youngest people in the world to achieve this. Recommendations based on Meera’s paper were made to the Government of India to rethink and rediscover their strategies.

Sarah-Jane Manarin

For the last 20 years, Sarah-Jane Manarin has been researching wild bird behaviour. After studying falconry for several years, she has her own business working with birds of prey. Not only does she travel around the UK to discuss conservation ideas, she is also an ambassador for women in business. Environmental awareness is at the heart of Sarah-Jane’s core values.