TEDWeekends talks innovation for the Global South

Global Issues

Malaria kills about 2,000 people every day. The mosquito-borne disease has ravaged the equatorial areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia, where a combination of poverty and climate make a dangerous breeding ground for disease. There is currently no vaccine.

But Nathan Myhrvold has a solution. In his talk and demonstration from TED2010,  Myhrvold offers a silver bullet to prevent malaria in Africa — a mosquito laser zapper. His lab has developed a laser beam that can detect whether a mosquito might be malarial, and then zap it mid-air. This exciting innovation shows much promise in the fight to prevent malaria.

This week’s edition of TED Weekends on The Huffington Post explores the risks and rewards of innovating high-tech solutions for the Global South. In addition to an article from Myhrvold providing updates on his work, HuffPo features two other essays discussing tech innovations in the Global South. Below, some highlights from these pieces to pique your interest.

Nathan Myhrvold: Striking Down Malaria … With A Laser?

So, to the critics who say we’ll fail, I offer this: You’re absolutely right. But that’s part of being an inventor. What’s more important is that we learn, keep trying and make sure our successful inventions have a meaningful impact. At worst, we’ll get people thinking about important problems in new ways. At best, we’ll invent technology that transforms life for the people who need it most and, in the process, inspire more technology companies to work their magic for the developing world. Either way, I’d consider that a success. Read the full essay »

Larry Hollon Rev. Larry Hollon: The Astounding Impact of Innovative Technology in the Developing World

Even technology that’s far more accessible than what Myhrvold describes is changing the game in Africa — not only aiding in the fight against malaria, but opening a whole new world. Mobile technologies make it possible to have access to information that is transformative, whether it’s tracking disease outbreaks or educating children. Read the full essay »

Stuart Rennie: The Less ‘Glamorous’ Side of Invention

For decades, public health professionals have warned against ‘magic bullet’ approaches to disease control. Developing a technological innovation (be it a drug, device or a machine) is generally not enough in itself to make a significant impact on a disease on a population level. This is painfully evident in developing countries, whose citizens often do not have access to medical inventions (like antibiotics or MRIs) that were developed decades ago and currently standard of care in more affluent settings. In order to effect real change, you need more than inventors: You need implementers. Read the full essay »

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TED Global newsmakers: Alessandro Acquisti on facial recognition, Thomas Dolby jams with Buzz Aldrin and more

Live from TEDGlobal 2013

TEDGlobal 2013 will bring dozens of speakers to the stage with ideas to make you “Think Again.” As the conference begins in just four days, here is a look at some of the slated speakers who made the news this week. Plus, a few notables from TEDGlobals of the past.

Alessandro Acquisti studies the tension between our desire for privacy and the wealth of information we freely share online. One of his areas of expertise: facial recognition technology. So we wanted to get his opinion on this article from IEEE Spectrum titled, “Will Face Recognition Ever Catch Criminals?.” It looks in detail at where we are with facial recognition technology and why it wasn’t more useful in identifying the Boston Marathon bombers. Acquisti tells the TED Blog, “The obstacles which make facial recognition hard are not systemic but transient: every year the databases of identified facial images get larger, the accuracy of recognizers get better, and the speed of computers get faster. In my opinion, the question about real time, mass-scale facial recognition is not ‘if’ but ‘when’ – whether we like it or not. Unless of course some rather dramatic change occurs.” Read more in Acquisti’s recent interview with Slate.com. And don’t miss his talk on Friday June 14, during the session “Tech Impact.”Thomas Dolby is TED’s former musical director, who premiered his new record at TEDGlobal in 2010. Here watch him playing “She Blinded Me with Science.” With Buzz Aldrin:A solar-powered aircraft? At TEDGlobal 2008, adventurer Bertrand Piccard shared his plans to fly around the world in one. So we are very excited to see him piloting the Solar Impulse in test flights over San Francisco. See gorgeous images at Businessweek.com.Chrystia Freeland, author of the book Plutocrats, was awarded the 28th annual National Business Book Award last week. Look for her talk on Wednesday, June 12 in the session “Money Talks.”Andreas Raptopoulos, co-founder of the startup Matternet, which is building a network of flying drones to bring supplies to locations where roadway infrastructure isn’t available, will speak on Tuesday, June 11, in the session “Those Flying Things.” Here, read his description of the project to Singularity Hub.Speaking of, the session “Those Flying Things” will look at both the potential and enormous issues surrounding drones. On the extremely light end of that spectrum, this Domino’s pizza delivery stunt got us excited for the demos ahead.Richard Wilkinson gave a blockbuster talk at TEDGlobal 2011 about why economic inequality decays societies. The new documentary, The Spirit Level, is based on his book and looks wonderful. Here’s the trailer:

Find out more about TEDGlobal 2013, “Think Again,” including how to attend or watch it live from home »

Not able to attend or get a TED Live membership? This year, we are doing special outdoor showings on big screens in 7 cities around the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. These outdoor viewing parties will take place through all five days of the conference, and will bring spectators curated programs of classic TED Talks, plus a few new talks from this event. Stay tuned to the TED Blog for more information on these events.

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New playlists: “Close up and personal,” “The global power shift” and “Climate change: Oh, it’s real.”

Global Issues TED Talks

TED playlists are collections of talks around a topic, built for you in a thoughtful sequence to illuminate ideas in context. This weekend, three new playlists are available: “Close up and personal,” “The global power shift” and “Climate change: Oh, it’s real.”

Close up and personal
Talks from seven photographers, with stunning images from the world’s dark and marginalized corners.

Climate change: Oh, it’s real.
We still have a lot to learn about climate change’s causes and implications. But make no doubt about it: It’s real, alright. Stay informed with these eight talks on this essential topic that affects us all.

The global power shift
Economic power is shifting across the world, and we’re moving away from a mono-polar model to a multi-polar one. These 9 talks from economists, politicians and activists look at the big picture.

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‘What’s Killing Us’ – TED ebook examines our toughest global health problems

In the past decade, we’ve changed the way we collectively view the health of the 7 billion people who occupy this planet. Health issues were once seen as an isolated national or regional problem; now they are a global concern. In What’s Killing Us: A Practical Guide to Understanding Our Biggest Global Health Problems, 2011 TED Senior Fellow and healthcare expert Alanna Shaikh lays out the most important challenges and issues in global wellness – from tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS to flu, maternal mortality, and the diminishing effectiveness of antibiotics – while untangling the web of jargon that so often permeate those discussions. Shaikh, who runs the international development focused-blog Blood and Milk, also provides clear ideas about how these worldwide problems can be managed.

In What’s Killing Us, you concentrate on 10 major health topics. Why just 10?

Because they cover a wide and varied range of health issues. Understanding them will give you the background you need to learn about any global health topic. These are some of the most important issues that the human race is facing, although they’re just the highlights of the many health threats that endanger us.

What are the most promising initiatives you’ve seen to improve global health?

Although it has taken some criticism lately,  The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has elevated global health to a consistent international priority. I am also excited about inviting more people into health care – training community health workers, giving nurses more responsibility, and teaching people to care for their own health. Making good health is everyone’s job, not just the job of physicians. Our new focus on improving health systems is also inspiring. Looking at health and health care in a broader social and national context makes a huge difference.

How real are the threats of a global pandemic?

Our globalized lifestyles mean that there is almost no way to stop infectious diseases from spreading rapidly and internationally. When a very contagious disease crops up, we’re all at risk. We got off easy with swine flu because it was highly contagious but was not all that dangerous once you had it. There is no guarantee the next pandemic will be as benign.

We see a number of philanthropists, Bill Gates among them, devoting a lot of time and cash to improving health. How important are these actions?

Tremendously important. Global health is a field where targeted international effort and investment has a powerful impact on human lives. Many global health problems are things we know how to solve if we just had the funding to do it.

What are the health issues that we should worry about the most in the next five to 10 years?

The two biggest are climate change and tuberculosis. Drug-resistant tuberculosis is the big one. Tuberculosis (TB) is evolving so that our current drugs can’t treat it. TB is also contagious through the air so it spreads in situations like crowded cities and public transport. And climate change will be the biggest single threat to human health, causing everything from famine to natural disasters to new infectious diseases. We should also worry about the growth of non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Rates of these diseases are rising rapidly. Finally, as the planet urbanizes we need to start make making good, deliberate choices about the design of cities. If cities just grow without any government thought about the health of people in them, it will be a health catastrophe.

What’s Killing Us: A Practical Guide to Understanding Our Biggest Global Health Problems is part of the TED Books series. They are $2.99 and are available for the Kindle and Nook, as well as for sale on Apple’s iBookstore.

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Communication Hacks: 5 Ways to Hone Your Global Skills

Most people who work in the business world today regularly interface with colleagues and clients all over the globe. In an economy without borders, enabled by instantaneous technology, they must actively collaborate with people in unfamiliar nations, speaking unfamiliar languages. The key question is – do up-and-coming twenty-first century leaders have the diplomatic skills and cultural savvy to be successful in this new climate? The answer in many cases is no.

In a recent study conducted by the Career Advisory Board established by DeVry University, hiring managers noted that global outlook was a skill that was considered most important but also most rare among current job candidates. However, improving global outlook and competence is not as simple as reading a book. Here are a few ways to hone yours.

Get to know another culture intimately by observing variations in daily living and values. In communing with people who are different from you, you will acquire an additional perspective that’s extremely valuable and can be used in your future career. Although even short travel is beneficial, it’s better if you have the financial ability to stay a few months or a year.

A great site to look for and learn about the logistics of overseas job opportunities is Goinglobal.com. If you are currently employed with a large organization, inquire internally about the chance to do a stretch assignment offshore.

More so than in other countries, American citizens lack an understanding of what’s occurring in the outside world. Become better informed and more culturally sensitive by subscribing to an international business publication such as The Economist, and by talking through global issues with your family members and friends.

Although English is still the international language of business, that could change at any time, so it’s a wise investment to become proficient in an up-and-coming language like Chinese. Online or offline coursework is helpful, as is having a native speaker in your community with whom you can practice conversing.

Before going overseas, or even instead of going overseas if travel is not possible, find a local contact who has previously resided in or worked with a country that intrigues you. Arrange an information interview to discuss that country’s culture and way of conducting business. Build the relationship over time with in-person lunches or coffee dates. Hopefully your contact will provide essential insights about global work and that nation in particular.

This approach will allow you to increase your global awareness and competence without leaving U.S. soil because you will routinely interact with overseas contacts. Use directories such as the “Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States” to create a target list of employers, and then leverage LinkedIn to identify openings and find individuals at those organizations with whom you can network.

As with any new skill, you have to start somewhere. Even if the effort seems small now, a continued focus on increasing your worldview will render you more marketable and employable in the future.

(Photo credit: Global Communication via Shutterstock)

Alexandra Levit is a career and workplace expert at the Intuit Quickbase Blog, a daily source for advice on how to be exceptional at your job. You can follow her on Twitter at @alevit.

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Announcing a global talent search for TED2013 speakers

The best moments at TED have often come from unexpected places. But this year, we’re pushing that to an entirely new level. We’re staging a global talent search to bring together the most remarkable lineup in TED’s history. A series of public auditions in cities around the world will reveal voices, talents and ideas that delight and surprise. As a result, at least half of our TED2013 program will literally be crowd-sourced through what we’re calling the TED2013 Worldwide Auditions.

Public auditions will be happening in 14 countries on six continents — in Amsterdam, Bangalore, Doha, Johannesburg, London, Nairobi, New York, São Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo, Tunis and Vancouver — between April and June 2012. The auditions will be official TED events, and we’ve tapped local TEDx organizers in each city to produce.

Online audition applications, which include the option to upload a short video, will be available for each city at least two months before the audition. From those submissions, TED will invite 30 of the best applicants to each audition, where speakers will have 3-6 minutes to deliver a proposed talk in English. Anyone – with the exception of those who have already spoken at an official TED Conference or have a talk on TED.com – is eligible to apply to auditions in his or her nearest city. In some exceptional cases, TED will contribute to travel costs.

Learn more about TED Worldwide Auditions >>

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Nominate your “global good” hero to speak at TEDxChange

Do you know of a hero for the “global good”? Someone who inspires with their work to reduce poverty and improve health around the world? Someone who has ushered in significant change in their community through commitment and creativity?

Then nominate this hero to take the stage alongside Melinda Gates at TEDxChange, happening this coming April 5th in Berlin, Germany.

TEDxChange is exploring “The Big Picture” — how fresh ideas and new perspectives can help to solve some of the world’s most pressing health and poverty issues. The event is seeking to find and elevate those new and undiscovered voices who have a lot to say.

Nominate your hero of “global good” to speak at TEDxChange.

Melinda Gates will announce the final speaker line-up at the beginning of February.

The program will be streamed live on TED.com but you can also organize a TEDx event around the TEDxChange webcast. 96 events have signed up so far!

To learn more about the event and how you can take part, visit the TEDxChange Facebook page, and follow TEDxChange on Twitter.

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The global power shift: Paddy Ashdown on TED.com

Paddy Ashdown claims that we are living in a moment in history where power is changing in ways it never has before. In a spellbinding talk at TEDxBrussels he outlines the three major global shifts that he sees coming. (Recorded at TEDxBrussels 2011, November 2011, in Brussels, Belgium. Duration: 18:30.)

Watch Paddy Ashdown’s talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 1,000+ TEDTalks.

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TEDxWomen: A truly global conversation

On December 1st, TEDxWomen will take place at the Paley Centers in both New York and LA.

Simultaneously, over 110 TEDxWomen events will be hosted by TEDx event Organizers in communities all around the world, including China, The Netherlands, Israel, Pakistan, Romania, South Africa, Lebanon and the United States. Besides watching the webcast of TEDxWomen, some of these events will incorporate local speakers, bringing local flavor to the global conversation:

TEDxBFUWomen — an event in Beijing, China — will host outstanding female speakers that include professors of biology and business, as well as student leaders.

In its second year after hosting an event around TEDWomen, TEDxAmsterdamWomen — held at the Van Gogh Museum — will highlight Dutch thinkers and doers.

At TEDxCrestmoorParkWomen in Denver, Colorado, will feature local women and their amazing stories.

TEDxDirahWomen in Saudi Arabia will feature women speakers from the region including a biologist and a library director.

Find more events on the TEDxWomen website »

Learn more about organizers of these TEDxWomen events »

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WEF announces 2011 Young Global Leaders

The World Economic Forum has announced the selections of their 2011 Young Global Leaders. Young Global Leaders “represent the future of leadership, coming from all regions of the world and representing business, government, civil society, arts and culture, academia and media, as well as social enterpreneurs.” Among them, you’ll find several TED speakers and TED Fellows:

See the complete list [PDF] »

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