Intro section
TEDxUniversityofWestLondon
TEDxUniversityofWestLondon* invites speakers to take the stage and inspire the audience with their powerful stories, meant to spark deep inspiration and trigger ideas. The inaugural event took place on Friday, 15 March 2024.
This year’s theme was "Beyond Boundaries: Unleashing Limitless Perspectives."
Speakers
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Kashif Iqbal - SEGA
"My AI Odyssey in Cybersecurity"
Kashif Iqbal is a seasoned leader in the field of technology and cybersecurity, boasting over two decades of experience across different sectors, including gaming, finance, government and healthcare. As the Director of Cyber Security and Technology for SEGA Europe, he has significantly contributed to developing comprehensive security programmes, and different technology initiatives.
His career highlights include leading cybersecurity efforts in the public/private sector, where he implemented robust security measures across various platforms. Additionally, Kashif’s commitment to knowledge sharing is evident through his founding of Urdu IT Academy, a free online technology training platform. His educational background includes an MBA in Senior Leadership from the University of West London and a Master’s in computer science. His commitment to the tech community extends to serving on the University of West London’s Industry Advisory Board and being part of the HackerOne Technical Advisory Board. a free online technology training platform. His educational background includes an MBA in Senior Leadership from the University of West London and a master’s in computer science. His commitment to the tech community extends to serving on the University of West London's Industry Advisory Board and being part of the HackerOne Technical Advisory Board.
A recipient of multiple professional certifications ranging from CISSP/CRISC/ ISO27001/ CEH, Kashif is also a recognised speaker, having shared his insights at various prestigious institutions. His dedication to cybersecurity extends beyond his professional endeavours.
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Leif Ollivierre - The Claude Littner Business School (CLBS)
Tech-economics “the new age of mankind"
Leif Ollivierre is an experienced maritime professional with a background in ship operations, broking, financial reporting and maritime law. Based in London, he has served as a maritime legal consultant and held various roles in international trade. Leif brings extensive experience in education, having been a senior lecturer in international maritime law, deputy head of education at the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, and a lead examiner at the Institute. He has also contributed as an external examiner for international shipping and trade courses and has successfully undertaken projects in Norway, Denmark, Greece, Turkey and the Philippines. Currently, Leif is a lecturer at the University of West London, teaching at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels.
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Jin Luo - School of Medicine and Biosciences (SMB)
“Musculoskeletal health: from earth to space”
Dr Jin Luo is a leading expert in musculoskeletal biomechanics. Formerly Senior Lecturer at the University of Roehampton and Associate Professor at London South Bank University, he has been at the University of West London since March 2020.
A recipient of prestigious awards, including the 2014 ISSLS Biomechanics prize, Dr Luo’s current research focuses on innovative technologies for healthy ageing and improved treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.
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Emma Lucia Hands - Drama Studio London (DSL)
“What is the point of theatre?”
Emma Lucia Hands, an accomplished Theatre Director and Producer, led notable productions at Clwyd Theatr Cymru, showcasing works by renowned playwrights. Her credits include directing plays like Closer (Patrick Marber) and A History of Falling Things (James Graham) as a freelancer. With a BA (Hons) in Drama and Theatre Studies from Royal Holloway and an MA in Theatre Directing from Middlesex University and GITIS, Moscow, Emma has also organised prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award ceremonies for the Directors Guild of Great Britain.
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Justin Paterson & Andy Visser - London College of Music (LCM)
“Feel the future – Touching Sound”
Professor Justin Paterson is an internationally recognised academic, music producer, and author. His research spans multi-mic recordings, audio technology for extended reality systems and interactive music playback. As Principal Investigator, he collaborated with Warner Music Group on the variPlay system, co-designed by him. Justin led the UWL team for the Innovate-UK-funded HAPPIE consortium, pioneering a novel music production interface in mixed reality. A seasoned author, he wrote The Drum Programming Handbook and co-chairs the Innovation in Music conference series. Justin also consults for RT Sixty apps and co-edited the Routledge book 3D Audio. Leading the MA Advanced Music Technology ageing, he supervises seven PhD students at UWL.Andy Visser is a Senior Lecturer at the University of West London. He is currently undertaking doctoral research in the application of haptics (touch) within music production. Andy has been a research assistant at UWL since 2019 when he was first involved in the HAPPIE project, co-led by Professor Justin Paterson, studying the effect of haptics on a music production pipeline existent in a virtual reality environment. His work is currently focused on specific types of haptic surface interactions. Andy is also a professionally trained musician and spends his spare time performing eclectic music in various bands, including the acclaimed Radio Science Orchestra. -
James Goodman - London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism (LGCHT)
“Do you have the HOTS for me?”
James Goodman, an aviation expert with over two decades of industry experience, serves as a lecturer at the University of West London since 2017, specialising in airline and airport management. A former management consultant for international organisations, James is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of aviation professionals. His expertise spans digital aviation, commercial management, entrepreneurship and human factors in aviation safety.
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Fabio Tosti - School of Computing and Engineering (SCE)
“New Frontiers in Immersive Engineering: Observations 4.0”
Professor Fabio Tosti is a leading expert in civil engineering, specialising in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) applications. With an MSc and engineering degree from Roma Tre University, he earned his PhD in 2014, receiving the European Doctorate Label with an excellent rating. Currently a professor in civil engineering at the University of West London and director of the Faringdon Research Centre for Non-Destructive Testing and Remote Sensing, he focuses on GPR-based methods and non-destructive testing in civil engineering. He shares insights on innovative GPR techniques, drawing from his extensive research background, including leading projects on volumetric water content determination. He has chaired international conferences and authored/co-authored about 60 publications in prestigious journals and books.
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Kristin Brewe & Dennis Olsen - London School of Film, Media and Design (LSFMD)
“Digital dexterity, AI and the future of creative communications”
Kristin Brewe, with over two decades of advertising and public relations experience, brings industry insights as a lecturer at UWL and a seasoned speaker. A Fellow in the UK’s Higher Education Academy, she’s led consultancy work in the UK and US, specialising in marketing and brand building for early-stage start-ups. Previously, as marketing and communications Director at the Internet Advertising Bureau UK, Kristin played a pivotal role in shaping digital advertising. Notably, she spearheaded Esurance’s transformation from a startup to a billion-dollar consumer brand during her tenure in San Francisco. Passionate about nurturing the next generation of start-up brands, Kristin bridges her industry background with education.
Dr Dennis Olsen, an interdisciplinary professional in branded communications, navigates the areas of sociology, culture and psychology. Formerly a strategic planner in a multinational communications agency, he now teaches advertising psychology at the University of West London. With a focus on consumer cultures, EDI campaigns and shifting behaviors, Dennis has garnered international acclaim and funding from prestigious organisations like the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust. As a founding member of the UWL Brand Design Research cluster and the international Brand Design Conference, he also chairs an EDI-focused working group at RCMC. Dennis holds a visiting professorship in Germany.
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Ben Hine - School of Human and Social Sciences (SHSS)
“Family Breakdown, Abuse, & Suicide: Why we need a new model for separation in England and Wales”
Professor Ben Hine achieved his BSc and PhD in 2010, studying gender-typing of prosocial behaviour. Since joining the University of West London in 2014, he’s focused on applied gender and forensic psychology. His research addresses gender dynamics in the criminal justice system and post-separation abuse, notably parental alienation. Ben leads EBDARN, serves as a trustee for The Mankind Initiative, and chairs the Male Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society. A co-founder of the Men and Boys coalition, he’s set to release a guide on men’s issues in 2024. Ben actively participates in various advocacy groups, including the parental alienation study group and the international men and families alliance.
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Caroline Lafarge - Graduate School
“Post-traumatic growth following termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly”
Professor Caroline Lafarge, the Lead for the Doctoral community at the School of Human and Social Sciences, oversees MSc programmes in Health Psychology and Psychology of Health and Illness. As an expert in reproductive and infant psychology, she serves as the secretary of the respective society. Caroline’s diverse background includes a stint as a research consultant, notably in the aviation industry. -
Antony Newman - College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare (CNMH)
“Revolutionising Nursing Education: Unleashing Limitless Perspectives through Simulated Placements”
Antony Newman, a UWL graduate of 2015, began his career in surgical nursing, later becoming the practice development nurse for surgery at Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospitals. After a move to North Wales, he entered academia at Bangor University. Previously, as Learning Environment Lead at Frimley Health, he oversaw student nurses in the clinical setting. Antony has been UWL’s Professional Lead for Simulation since February 2023. His expertise lies in human factors, simulation-based learning and gamification in healthcare.
Talk videos
My AI Odyssey in Cybersecurity | Kashif Iqbal
Tech-Economics: 'The New Age of Mankind' | Leif Ollivierre
Musculoskeletal Health: From Earth to Space | Dr Jin Luo
What is the Point of Theatre? | Emma Lucia Hands
Feel the Future: Touching Sound | Justin Paterson & Andy Visser
Do you have the HOTS for me? | James Goodman
New Frontiers in Immersive Engineering | Fabio Tosti
Digital Dexterity, AI & the Future of Creative Comms | Kristin Brewe
How Can We Separate Better? | Ben Hine
Pregnancy loss and Posttraumatic growth | Professor Caroline Lafarge
Using Simulated Placements to Train Nurses | Antony Newman
Our team
Organisers and event hosts
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Dr Reza Keihani
Lecturer in Building and Environmental EngineeringSchool of Computing and EngineeringDr Reza Keihani is a distinguished Structural Engineer with a robust combination of academic credentials and industry experience. He received his BEng in Civil Engineering from Islamic Azad University of Dezful (Iran) in 2013, his MSc from Coventry University (UK) in 2018, and completed his PhD at the University of West London (UK) in 2021.
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Dr Livia Lantini
Senior Lecturer in Civil EngineeringSchool of Computing and EngineeringLivia Lantini received the BSc (Hons) degree in Civil Engineering and the MSc degree in Infrastructure and Transportation Engineering with the Department of Engineering, Rome Tre University, Rome, Italy. In 2021 she was awarded the PhD degree in Civil Engineering by the University of West London, London, UK.
Her research focuses on the assessment of civil engineering infrastructures using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and other non-destructive testing (NDT) methods in Civil Engineering and Geosciences, as well as the health monitoring and assessment of trees using GPR.
Academic and support staff
- Professor Philip Cox - Head of School of Computing and Engineering
- Andrea Moran – Head of Marketing and Communications
- Andrea Collard – Marketing Team Leader
- Imelda South – Events Manager
- Clare Turner – Events Coordinator
- Sam Talbot – Administrative Assistant
- John Charlton – Head of Knowledge Exchange and Business Engagement
- James O’Rourke – Knowledge Exchange Coordinator
- James Bell – IT Support Team Leader
- Fiona Higho – Head of Digital
- Luciano Chelotti – Head of Communications
Sponsors
About TED
TED is on a mission to discover and spread ideas that spark imagination, embrace possibility and catalyse impact. Our organisation is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the hundreds of TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, more than 3,000 independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyse more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilise a movement for a net-zero future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.
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What is TEDx?
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organised events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxUniversityOfWestLondon, where x = independently organised TED event. At our TEDxUniversityOfWestLondon event, TED Talks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organised.
*This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED.