This is it! We are counting down to our Main Event and we couldn’t be more excited to announce our final lineup of inspiring individuals that will be stepping on to the main stage at TEDxSydney on 26 November 2021, broadcast live from the Sydney Opera House.
Our theme for 2021 is POSSIBLE. As we look to the future we want to explore where we go from here, what innovations are just around the corner, what stories of ingenuity and resilience can we learn from? What can we discover about our world, our work and ourselves that once may have been inconceivable and what are some of the biggest challenges facing us today?
On the TEDxSydney stage this year, you will hear speakers from all walks of life who are showing us what is POSSIBLE … in science, technology, business, design, entertainment, innovation and beyond.
Latest Announcement:
Julia Baird – Author and award-winning journalist, Julia hosts The Drum on ABC TV and writes columns for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. Her first book, Media Tarts, was based on her history PhD about the portrayal of female politicians. Her most recent best selling book, “Phosphorescence: On awe, wonder and the things that sustain you when the world goes dark”, won several awards including the ABIA Book of the Year.
Josh Pyke – Since breaking out to widespread success with the release of debut album MEMORIES & DUST in 2007, ARIA Award winner Josh Pyke has cultivated a strong community of supporters around Australia and beyond.
Dorr’e Dari – A poetic crash course in the language of love. Performed by three Afghan-Australians: Bibi Goul Mossavi, Jawad Yaqoubi and Mahdi Mohammadi.
Alon Ilsar & Ciaran Frame – Alon is an Australian based drummer, composer, instrument designer and researcher. Performing in collaboration with Ciaran Frame – a composer, media artist and researcher.
Ursula Yovich – Singer, song-writer, actor, playwright and storyteller. She grew up in Australia’s Northern Territory, in Darwin and Maningrida. Her performances and writing have been recognised with numerous awards and nominations, most recently four Helpmann Awards 2019 and four Green Room Awards 2020 for the rock musical, Barbara and The Camp Dogs.
Catherine Alcorn – Catherine is a multi award-winning actor, vocal artist, producer and one of the world’s most in-demand entertainers. A critically-acclaimed artist, Catherine has been hailed as ‘a must see!’ (L.A. Times) and ‘absolutely hilarious’ (Time Out) with “a voice to die for” (Stage Noise)
Previously Announced:
Monica Gagliano – A Research Associate Professor in evolutionary ecology at Southern Cross University who has pioneered the brand-new research field of plant bioacoustics, for the first time experimentally demonstrating that plants emit their own ‘voices’ and detect and respond to the sounds of their environments.
Lesley Hughes – Distinguished Professor of Biology and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Integrity & Development) at Macquarie University. Her principal research interest has been the impacts of climate change on species and the implications for conservation.
Zhanwei Hou – Researcher in the Centre for IoT and Telecommunications at the University of Sydney, he is making great strides in the field of Tactile Internet, developing a low-latency communication method which he hopes will one day allow users to experience touch over the internet.
Tim Dean – Sydney-based philosopher and science writer. He has a Doctorate in philosophy from the University of New South Wales on the evolution of morality and has expertise in ethics, philosophy of biology and critical thinking.
Jun Bei Liu – A portfolio manager with over 19 years of investment experience covering a large range of sectors, an effective public speaker about her investment views and a regular participant in prestigious conferences such as Sohn.
Jamaica Moana – Sydney-based artist, rapper, creative director and songwriter of Māori (Ngāpuhi/Tainui) and Samoan descent. As a multidisciplinary artist, she balances her professional career as a rapper & artist whilst being a leader & resident commentator of the Australian ballroom community.
Sally Woellner – Experienced creative leader, designer and product design group lead at Canva. Sally has recently been recognised as one of the Women Leading Tech by B&T and Google.
Martha Marlow – Singer-songwriter and a painter, Martha Marlow’s debut album “Medicine Man” has received widespread critical acclaim since its release in June 2021. Drenched in orchestral pop, it is an evocative, heart-on-sleeve album, exploring recurrent themes of introspection, longing and hope.
Grace Tame – 2021 Australian of the Year, Grace is an outspoken advocate for survivors of sexual assault, using her voice to push for legal reform and raise public awareness about the impacts of sexual violence.
George Peppou – Serial entrepreneur, inventor and co-founder and CEO of food-tech startup, Vow, transforming the concept of food through animal cell reproduction creating a new category of food that claims to be “sustainable, abundant and irresistible.”
Shelley Reys AO – A Djiribul woman of far north Queensland and a respected Indigenous specialist, strategist and service provider who has been a leader in the reconciliation space for 30 years and helping the Australian workforce to work in the Indigenous space with greater skill and confidence. Shelley is the CEO of Arrilla and a Partner at KPMG.
Uncanny Valley (Charlton Hill and Justin Shave) – Uncanny Valley’s focus is one part musical craft, and the other sonic technology. They believe in the pursuit of augmented creativity and strive to define the ethical and sustainable role of emerging tech in the ever-changing landscape of the music industry.
Tracey Rogers – Ecologist studying how animals overcome the challenges of changing environments including how whale populations have recouped from 20th century hunting and warming oceans; how pack ice seals cope with the loss of ice and krill in the Antarctic; and how Tasmanian devils cope with extreme population loss because of a facial tumour.
Sara Saleh – The daughter of migrants from Palestine, Egypt, and Lebanon, living on Gadigal land. A poet, writer, human rights activist, and campaigner for refugee rights and racial justice, she has spent over a decade in grassroots and non-governmental organisations in Australia and the Middle East.
“With every passing week we learn more and more about what is POSSIBLE … and what is not. I’m excited to see what our valiant curators have come up with for 2021. We need new ideas more than ever, and TEDxSydney is proud of its role in bringing bold and brave ideas to the forefront of conversation.” – Remo Giuffré, TEDxSydney Founder & Licensee
Register Now and secure your spot at our Main Event online, 26 November 2021