Rachel Kolb: Navigating Deafness in a Hearing World
In the United States, two-thirds of hearing-impaired people do not complete High School. In this talk, Rhodes Scholar Rachel Kolb who was born deaf shows what is possible through family support and self-belief, and proves that what is assumed about you and what you can actually achieve don’t always match up.
Andrew Solomon: Love, No Matter What
What is it like to raise a child who’s different from you in some fundamental way (like a prodigy, or a differently abled kid, or a criminal)? In this quietly moving talk, writer Andrew Solomon shares what he learned from talking to dozens of parents — asking them: What’s the line between unconditional love and […]
Simon Hauger and Azeem Hill: On Building Bad Ass Hybrids
The West Philly Hybrid X Team came this close (thumb and forefinger ever so narrowly spaced) to winning the Progressive Automotive X Prize’s $USD10m prize this year. Simon Hauger, who came to teaching from a career in engineering, started the team as an after school project for students who wanted a hands-on science experience. Hauger […]
Martin Villeneuve: How I made an Impossible Film
Filmmaker Martin Villeneuve talks about ‘Mars et Avril’ the Canadian sci-fi spectacular he made with virtually no money. In a charming talk, he explains the various ways he overcame financial and logistical constraints to produce his unique and inventive vision of the future. In his film “Mars et Avril,” he brings his sci-fi romance graphic […]
Lisa Bu: How Books Can Open Your Mind
What happens when a dream you’ve held since childhood doesn’t come true? As Lisa Bu adjusted to a new life in the United States, she turned to books to expand her mind and create a new path for herself. She shares her unique approach to reading in this lovely, personal talk about the magic of […]
