About TEDxMälaren

The name Mälaren comes from Lake Mälaren, the third largest lake in Sweden. Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea on its eastern end to form 14 major islands, thus shaping Stockholm.

Just like Lake Mälaren that connects towns across Sweden, TEDxMälaren will connect topics in featuring a holistic perspective of inter-linked global issues through the audience, the organizers and speakers of diverse backgrounds, with different forms of media.

TEDxMälaren aims to reach beyond the Scandinavian seas and explore the influence of cultural, political and socio-economic diversity on the way we think, and ought to think for a better future.

Stockholm
Sweden

Mikael Strandberg

In 2004, Mikael Strandberg explored Siberia by canoe and skis for over 3500km at -58 degrees - An Expedition which is globally hailed as one of the coldest ever in the history of exploration. Being an explorer for 25 years now, Mikael Strandberg is considered as one of the world's 50 most important and famous explorers by The Royal Geographical Society in London. He has travelled to 112 countries and has slept more than 2500 nights in his tent. Mikael is also a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, the Explorers' Club, Travellers Club and the Long Riders Guild and has received several prestigious awards. Besides being an explorer, Mikael has also produced three internationally renowned documentaries for television as well as written several books and lectured all over the world. Some of his works are "PATAGONIA – 3,000 kilometres by horse", "THE MASAAI PEOPLE – 1,000 kilometres by foot" and his much awarded, "-58 degrees – exploring Siberia on skies." His passion for exploration has given him the title "the best contemporary explorer in the world" by the Explorers Club in London.

Bhavik Gandhi

In 2007, Bhavik became the first Asian to single-handedly row across the Atlantic Ocean, spending 106 days alone at sea in a 23-feet rowing boat. Bhavik is one of the rising sporting personalities in Endurance Sports. His other achievements in endurance include: Cycling solo for 3000 km across Europe, and a 9000-km trek across Eurasia braving through Siberia and Mongolia during winter to Hong Kong. He is one of the few athletes in the world who have crossed an ocean and a continent only with raw human power and was voted amongst the top 5 sports personalities of the Year 2007 by Outside Magazine. With his background as a serial technology entrepreneur, Bhavik works with numerous startups in Technology, Telecoms and New Media. His philosophy of ongoing personal growth will inspire his audiences to aspire, achieve and advance towards their goals both individually and collectively.

Karl-Henrik Robèrt

Professor Karl-Henrik Robèrt, MD, PhD, cancer scientist, Founder of the NGO The Natural Step (TNS). He is a professor of sustainability at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH), and the chairman of the international research program Real Change. This program is co-founded between TNS, BTH, Lund's University and five Swedish Agencies including The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, EPA, and the Energy Agency. The unique ten year program recruits university partners across the globe, applying one and the same unifying framework for sustainable development. Prof Robèrt is Fellow of World Business Academy, Advisory Board Member at Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, and Doctor of Public Service at the University of Portland, USA. In 1999 Dr. Robèrt won the Green Cross Award for International Leadership, and in 2000 he won the Blue Planet Prize, the ‘Nobel prize' for ecological sustainability. In 2006 he was included in the publication "100 Visionaries of the 20th Century".

Brian Palmer

Social anthropologist Brian Palmer is a guest lecturer at the Department of Theology of Uppsala University, and was formerly the Torgny Segerstedt Guest Professor at the University of Gothenburg. In 2002, he was voted Harvard University's best lecturer. He wrote a doctoral dissertation entitled 'Wolves at the Door: Existential Solidarity in a Globalizing Sweden'; and was co-author of the book, 'George W. Reinfeldt: konsten att göra en politisk extreme makeover'; and was editor of 'Global Values 101', a book based on his Harvard courses. Brian Palmer was a summer host (sommarpratare) on Swedish Radio in 2004.

Sara Ljungblad

Sara Ljungblad works as a researcher at Mobile Life and the Swedish at the Institute of Computer Science (SICS) in Kista, Sweden. Her research interest lies in the field of Human Computer Interaction and her thesis "Beyond Users" focused on how to develop innovative information technology by taking inspiration not primarily from the intended users, but by exploring engaging experiences that the intended users may not already be familiar with. This way, specific experiences and existing practices are used as an analogy to learn about meaningful use of specific technology properties, to explore novel uses of IT. Sara Ljungblad has been working with various technologies in her projects, such as agents and robots, digital camera technology, visualization techniques and intelligent pushpin technology. She has presented her work at international conferences and journals in the area of Human Computer Interaction, Human Robot Interaction, Experience Centred Design and Ubiquitous Computing. Furthermore, she has been giving talks and lectures at different Universities and corporations both in Sweden and internationally. In addition to her research work, she holds an M.Sc. in Informatics from University of Gothenburg and a B.Sc. in Cognitive Science from the University of Skövde.

Anne-Marie K

Anne-Marie is an Educator, Blogger, Writer and Columnist. She received the The Swedish Academy Award, The Swedish Teacher of the Year 2006 and Microsoft Innovative Teacher 200. Now amongst the most progressive educators in Haninge Kommun, Stockholm, Sweden. Anne is passionate about the way children are always learning and how schools should meet children with a hundred ways of education, rather than giving them one way. She will talk about how a teacher can make a difference, change, participate and feed forward.