UFS TEDxUFS
Conference 2014 PROGRAM
Changing tomorrow today www.ufs.ac.za
What are you doing today, to make tomorrow a better place for society?
About TED (Technology Entertainment Design)
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to the ideal of “Ideas Worth Spreading”. Started as a conference in California 1984,TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with many initiatives.At a TED conference, the world’s leading thinkers and doers are asked to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes or less. TED speakers have included Roger Ebert, Sheryl Sandberg, Bill Gates, Elizabeth Gilbert, Benoit Mandelbrot, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Brian Greene, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. On TED.com, talks from TED conferences are shared with the world for free as TED Talks videos. Talk is posted every weekday. Through the Open Translation Project, TED Talks are subtitled by volunteers worldwide. Through our distribution networks, TED Talks are shared on TV, radio, Netflix and many websites. The TEDx initiative grants free licenses to people around the world to organize TED-style events in their communities with TED Talks and live speakers. Selected talks from these events are also turned into TEDTalks videos.
About TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = Independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.
TEDxUFS Hub TEDxUFS Conference Saturday 26 July 2014 Theme: “Changing tomorrow, today” Venue: Odeion Theater
PROGRAM 08h00 REGISTRATIONS 09h00 Opening by Curator: Bonginkosi Leeuw 09h10 Introduction video - “What is TEDx? By Chris Anderson 09h20 Talk 1: Diran Soumanni
Innovation for Distributed Renewable Energy Systems: A Neglected Approach to Sustainable Economic Development in Africa”
09h40 Talk 2: Lis Lange
Student Activism: a call to awaken
10h00 Talk 3: Lilian Masebenza Inclusive Economy essential in addressing chronic poverty while promoting sustained
economic growth”
10h20 Talk 4: Kgosi Ntono
Africa we are creative
10h40 Performance 1: V chords SA 11h00 Networking and Reflection 11h30
Talk 5: Chris Hart
11h50
Talk 6: John Samuel
12h10
Talk 7: Henriette van den Berg
Escaping South Africa’s Stagflation Trap
Reading the word, reading the world
Highly qualified but unemployable: The dilemma of graduate unemployment in the 21st century
12h30 Networking and Lunch 15h00 Talk 8: Gerrie Booysen
Changing lives using 3D Printing
15h20 Talk 9: Rudi Buys Take it on faith the story of trusting you: A talk on the transformative power of spirituality in
leading change in divided communities.
PROGRAM 15h40 Talk 10: DJ Shaxe Khumalo
Creating our own
16h00 Networking and Reflection 16h30 Talk 11: Zola Valashiya Know thy neighbor, know thyself – Culture.Word.Language 16h50 Final announcements & Speaker gifts 17h10
Performance 2: Classical music performance
17h30 Closing remarks by Co-Curator: Lerothodi Molete 17h40 Networking and Reflection 18h00 Refreshments
Message from the Curator - “What is the purpose of TEDxUFS?” The project TEDxUFS is an independent global platform that is also organized within the spirit of TED and is mainly hosted within the borders and confines of the University of the Free State which is situated in the Free State province in South Africa. This marks the first TEDx event to be hosted in the University of the Free State since its inception in 1904. A significant point about this prestigious event is the fact it will be hosted in 2014 when the UFS celebrates 110 years since its establishment in 1904. As mentioned above, this particular event, namely TEDxUFS, will be based on the UFS strategic vision for 2016, and the theme: “Changing tomorrow, today”. Every speaker will be aligning each of their talks to these two entities. The current atmosphere amongst students and people around Bloemfontein requires that we address the apathy and lack of zeal that exists within the University of the Free State and the city. There may be people who are doing great things within the UFS and outside the UFS, but it has come under our attention that people here still live far below their potential. This situation obviously needs relief. This can be done by sparking public innovation through the idea of TEDx, and to send a message to the UFS student community that they do not need to do something big to be great, but they need to embrace and express their unique ideas which will ultimately be considered as great. TEDxUFS seeks to ignite a culture of ambition that gives confidence to the idea that dynamites come in small packages. This ideal is often realized at many TEDtalks by TED speakers and performers who change the world in the most seemingly impossible ways imaginable such as the man who was put in a rock of ice for 40 minutes to send a message that perseverance and resilience is the key to change in our interdependent world. This event will inspire UFS students and the broader society to be extraordinary and bolder in expressing their innovative ideas. We hope that you have an awesome time today, and you will be impressed enough to come back again next year! Enjoy! - Bonginkosi Leeuw
Dr. Diran Soumonni is a Senior Lecturer in Innovation Management and Policy at the Wits Business School. He obtained his PhD in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A, where he focused on both innovation studies and energy and environmental policy. Diran Soumonni’s primary research interest lies in the area of innovation for sustainability from both a policy and a firm-level perspective. Some of his previous publications span subject matter on electricity policy, biofuels policy, nanotechnology policy, and innovation studies. Prior to embarking on his doctoral studies, he worked as a materials engineer in the area of energy-efficient lighting, following undergraduate degrees in physics and mathematics, and a masters degree in materials science and engineering, respectively. Dr Lis Lange is currently Acting Vice-Rector: Academic at the University of the Free State where she holds a substantive position as Senior Director heading the Directorate for Institutional Research and Academic Planning. Before this, she was the Executive Director (2006-2010) of the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council of Higher Education (CHE), and Acting CEO of the same organisation between August 2007 and April 2008. She has been involved in the development and implementation of science and technology and higher education policy in South Africa for a decade and a half, working in different capacities in the Human Sciences Research Council, the National Research Foundation and the Council on Higher Education. Her major concern in both research and practice is the role of higher education in the development of democratic societies based on social justice.Dr Lange studied in Argentina, Mexico and South Africa, where she obtained a PhD in South African history from the University of the Witwatersrand. Lillian Masebenza holds a UNISA B.A. Honours Degree, 1981 in Communications and Marketing. She also obtained a number of Diplomas and Certificates from various Financial and Educational Institutions, including an Advanced Certificate in Leadership from UCT Graduate School of Business in 2003. Lillian founded Mhani Gingi (literally means an Industrious* Woman) Social Entrepreneurial Networks in 2004 and launched the organization in 2006, www.mhanigingi.com. The aim being to encourage women not to wait for something or somebody but use what they have to Create Wealth both economically and human capital. The organization empowers women and youth through tailor made skills training as well as linking their emerging businesses to markets and finance, thus helping them to improve both their livelihoods and that of their communities. Lillian also supports vulnerable groups as her social responsibility. For this innovative work she was awarded an Ashoka Fellowship in 2008.
Chris Hart joined Investment Solutions as head of market and economic research in August 2007 and has since been appointed the company’s chief strategist. He was previously a senior financial market economist with Absa Capital. Hart’s main research focus is analyzing financial markets domestically and abroad with the aim of advising the investment team on enhancing portfolio returns and identifying portfolio risk. As chief strategist, Hart is also responsible for client liaison and engagement with Investment Solutions and the broader Alexander Forbes group. He has presented papers at numerous conferences in South Africa and abroad. Chris is one of the country’s leading commentators on economic issues and financial markets. Hart studied at the University of the Witwatersrand and has been a volunteer with St John Ambulance, which he has served as its South African commander. Previously a teacher, he has a keen interest in education, social and development issues. John Samuel is one South Africa’s leading education experts with international and national experience covering a period of more than forty years. He was involved in the founding of the South African Campaign: Public Participation in Education Network (PPEN), established the Center for Education Policy Development, the Joint Working Group (for The National Party Government and the ANC), the National Education Conference and the National Education and Training Forum. He also made leadership contributions to the First Education and Training White Paper, the Transformation Strategy for the National Education Department and the first Green Paper on Higher Education. In 2011 he joined the International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice at the University of the Free State (UFS) as its Interim Director. He served as Senior Advisor to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Professor Jonathan Jansen, until his retirement in December 2012. Currently he acts as visiting Professor to the UFS. Dr Van den Berg registered as a counselling psychologist in 1986, after completing the degrees BA, BA Honours Psychology and MA Counselling Psychology at Potchefstroom University, South Africa. She worked as a counselling psychologist in a hospital and university setting to treat patients with psychological disorders and to promote resilience in children, adolescents and adults from 1987 to 1993. She joined the Psychology department at the University of Free State on a part-time basis in 1994, while she was practicing as a psychologist specialising in trauma therapy, suicide prevention and occupational health and well-being. She obtained her PhD in 2001 (Free State University) on work-related stress and well-being. She served as Programme Director for the Professional Psychology Program and for the PhD Child Psychology Program where she was responsible for curriculum development, academic support and quality assurance of the programs. Kgosi Ntono (King) was born in 1981. He is the last son of three boys. In 1998 he graduated at Navilsig High School and in the year 2000 he completed his Diploma at Damelin college. He majored in Multimedia and 3D Animation. His first job was with “RVB Designs” as a junior graphic designer. He then moved to a company called “Chillies” while it was in the founding stages where he was appointed as head of the creative studio. From there he advanced to “Bloemonline” and then lastly, to “CRC Media” in 2005 as the Creative Director & worked there for 8 years until 2012. In 2011 he won the NYDA Young Entrepreneur Challenge in Bloemfontein under his own company “King Studios”. In 2012 he launched “RNK Productions” and he is currently operating under that umbrella. His entrepreneurial ambitions led him to the MTN Entrepreneur Challenge in the UFS under their Business School Department.
Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, University of the Free State (2010-current) This office is responsible for the co-curricular development and well-being of students at the UFS and do so through a number of departments that focus on programs to develop leadership, citizenship and social justice agency, programs of social integration and intercultural cohesion and programs for personal and career development. Council Member of FET College (2013-current) The Minister of Higher Education and Training appointed Rudi the governing council of the Further Education and Training College as ministerial representative. Secretary-General: SA Association of Student Affairs Professionals (2012-current) As Secretary-General of SAASSAP Rudi oversees the operational functioning and financial management of the organization, and directs the execution of its programmes, conference and other professional functions.
Raised in the small town of Botshabelo just outside of Bloemfontein in the Free State as the third of six children (two older sisters, two younger sisters and a younger brother), Shaxe Khumalo did not dream that he would one day be one of the biggest power players in Bloemfontein’s entertainment industry. As a young boy it was soccer that occupied his time until he came across Kovsie FM (then known as Radio Shimla) in his first year of his Bsc. Statistics studies at the University of the Free State. Following rigorous auditions Shaxe Khumalo made his debut on radio. Today Shaxe Khumalo is not only a radio presenter at OFM, the biggest radio station in Central Africa, but is also a sought after MC, motivational speaker, business man, events organizer and Bloemfontein’s premier hip hop DJ. Shaxe hosts On Air with Shaxe weekdays 10pm to midnight and The House That Shaxe Built on Saturdays 10pm to midnight on OFM.
Gerrie Jacobus Booysen was born on the 9 August 1976 in Bloemfontein. Gerrie Booysen is the Director of the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing at the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa. He obtained his master’s degree in 2007 from the CUT (cum laude), which focused on bridge tooling using additive manufacturing technologies. His research focused on rapid and hybrid tooling applications using additive manufacturing technologies. He was the author/co-author of 14 articles concerning rapid prototyping and product development in accredited academic journals. He read papers on product development and rapid tooling at numerous local and international conferences. His main achievements include best BTech Mechanical engineering student in 1999 and best postgraduate student in the Engineering Faculty and received the S2A3 Bronze medal in 2007. He also received the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for best postgraduate student at the university in 2007. Zola, an enthusiastic law student, has a sharp mind, a passion for debate, public speaking and the oratory arts. He is a quick study, a creative mind and a critical analytical thinker. Zola has served as: the Chairperson of the University of the Free State Debate Society (UFSDS); the Vice-Chairperson on the South African National Universities Debate Championship (SANUDC) Council Executive; Chief Development Officer on the Free State Schools Debating Board (FSDB). He is currently seated as Secretary on the World Universities Debate Championship (WUDC) Council Executive; and is the current Chairperson of the Bloemfontein branch of the South African Council for English Education (SACEE). From 2010 – 2012, Zola has been involved in the training and adjudication of schools’ tournaments in the Free State, working with various underprivileged and urban schools; and local municipality the Free State Department of Education (FS DoE). He also has experience as a trainer, workshop facilitator and adjudicator working with Collective Genius.
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