RGU partner with TEDxAberdeen and host upcoming Innovation Masterclass

TEDxAberdeen 2022 will take place on Saturday 12 November, once again at the Aberdeen Art Centre, and will include a host of inspiring and thought-provoking talks from a diverse roster of speakers on the theme of ‘movement’.

In advance of the main event, RGU will be hosting an Innovation Masterclass to shine a light on the TED Talk phenomenon, explain more about TEDx, meet previous speakers and explore what it means to the city and its people.

Chris Moule, Head of Entrepreneurship & Innovation and a speaker on last year’s programme, will host the Masterclass on Tuesday 27 September. He will be joined by Moray Barber, TEDxAberdeen licensee, and Derrick Thomson of AB15 consultancy, curator of this year’s main event.

Two further guests who also spoke at TEDxAberdeen 2021 and have close ties to RGU will be involved in the conversation. Professor Lorna Dawson, Head of Forensic Soil Science at the James Hutton Institute, presented ‘Soil as the Silent Witness’ while RGU alumni Bethany Galley spoke candidly while presenting ‘How would you share your life in 27 photos?’.

Commenting on the upcoming event, Chris said: “The Innovation Masterclass series aims to educate, inspire, and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and ideas across our communities of students, staff and graduates. TEDx has these values at its core, and we are delighted to be joined in the main players brining the event to Aberdeen.

“I was privileged to speak at TEDxAberdeen 2021 and look forward to being in attendance this year too. I hope the Masterclass can warm people up for what is coming in November.”

The masterclass is the first of its kind to showcase RGU’s strategic partnership with TEDxAberdeen and the benefits that it aims to bring. As well as sharing expertise and enhancing student experience, the partnership will also involve Young Ambassadors from local schools who will be immersed in the TEDx experience.

Moray Barber, Partner and Aberdeen Head of Tax at EY as well as licensee, added: “TEDx events are focused on community - there is no business or political agenda behind a TEDx. It is a forum for sharing ideas, challenging existing perspectives, and inspiring change.

“I have found it inspiring to see how our 2021 speaker cohort have kept spreading their ideas since their moment in the iconic red dot and not just via the global TED YouTube channel – there is now a published author, award winner, and Chris' innovation masterclass.

“I’m privileged to be part of Chris’ masterclass which carries on the ethos of TEDx by continuing to spread ideas across the RGU community.”

Speakers at this year’s main event in November includes Professor Zoe Morrison, Academic Strategic Lead for Research in Aberdeen Business School at RGU, who will be presenting ‘Why we say people don’t like change’. Her talk aims to tackle the myths around change and instead promote the potential positive impacts that could arise if people altered their mindset when assuming others don’t like it.

Presenters on the famous red spot also include former RGU Innovation Accelerator participant, Katie Forbes, whose talk is titled ‘Autism is a difference, not a disorder’. Zoe and Katie join nine other speakers who have been selected for this year’s event.

September’s Innovation Masterclass is free to attend and takes place at the Innovation Station in The Sir Ian Wood Building as well as online for those that are unable to make it along in person, starting at 17:30.