Futurist and sci-fi writer Bruce Sterling to headline TEDxDeakinUni

Technology and its various adaptations are all around us but can we honestly say that they've benefitted the environment?

This and other conundrums will be discussed in the context of 'pervasiveness', the theme for the first TEDxDeakinUni event at Deakin University's Geelong Waurn Ponds campus on Saturday 15 August.

The headline speaker, renowned U.S. futurist and science fiction writer Bruce Sterling, is one of the founders of the science fiction cyberpunk movement, creator of the Viridian "green" design movement, and author of the influential Wired blog 'Beyond the Beyond'.

Mr Sterling will be joined by some of Deakin University's most exciting researchers focussing on everything from the possibilities of carbon fibre (Professor Bronwyn Fox, Research Director at Carbon Nexus) to inflatable structures as art (Professor David Cross) and the prevalence of autism and Asperger's Syndrome (Professor Nicole Rinehart).

Local luminaries from the Geelong area including Back to Back Theatre's Artistic Director, Bruce Gladwin, media commentator Scott McQuire, cutting-edge architect and artist Pia Ednie-Brown, and internet philanthropist Elliott Costello are also among the 12 featured speakers.

Event organisers Dr Renata Morais and Professor Matthew Allen from Deakin's School of Communication and Creative Arts are excited to be bringing the TEDx experience to Geelong.

"The TEDxDeakinUni speakers are breaking new ground, whether it be using the internet to raise money for charity, or providing millions of creative people with online support, or discovering new ways to diagnose and treat autism," explained Professor Allen.

"These speakers are identifying tremendous opportunities that can inspire us with a greater sense of optimism and possibility," he said.

The TEDx talks were born in 2008 as a spin-off from the TED talks. They are self-organised events that allow communities to create their own "TED-like experiences", which are made available to the global internet audience afterwards.

They have seen phenomenal growth, with more than 2500 TEDx talks in 137 countries during 2014.

Dr Morais attributed the massive success of the TEDx concept to the adrenaline rush that comes from being in the audience.

"It provides a very different pleasure to reading material by yourself," she said.

"And with only 100 tickets on offer, TEDxDeakinUni will provide a wonderful communal gathering and a direct link to the buzz of exciting new ideas that makes TEDx such an amazing experience."

TEDxDeakinUni

Date: Saturday 15 August
Time: 9.30am – 4pm
Location: Centre for Advanced Design in Engineering Training (CADET) at Deakin University's Waurn Ponds campus
Cost: $120 adult, $100 student/concession (includes full catering)
Bookings: Event Brite
Event website: tedxdeakinuni.com 

Speakers

Bruce Stirling, US futurist and science fiction writer
Professor Bronwyn Fox, Research Director at Deakin University's Carbon Nexus facility
Elliot Costello, co-founder of not-for-profit incubator YGAP
Dr Sheila Nguyen, Director of Deakin University's Master of Business (Sport Management) and Executive Director of the Sports Environment Alliance Inc.
Bruce Gladwin, Artistic Director at Back to Back Theatre
Sean St Quentin, Development Team Leader at internet-based creative marketplace ecosystem Envato
Associate Professor Scott McQuire, media technology commentator at The University of Melbourne
Dr Paul Collins, Course Director of the Bachelor of Design Technology at Deakin University
Professor Nicole Rinehart, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Deakin University
Professor David Cross, Visual Arts at Deakin University
Associate Professor Pia Ednie-Brown, School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University
Wendy Brooks, strategic fundraiser and philanthropist