So You Want to be a TEDxUW Speaker?
Applications are open!
We’re currently looking for inspiring and innovative speakers to attend the TEDxUW 2016 conference. Do you have a profound idea, or an amazing story that you think is worth sharing? We want to hear about it. Through our speakers, we want to educate, motivate, and encourage new perspectives amongst our participants.
Reasons to Apply:
- Opportunity to speak at a prestigious event - As TED affiliated events, TEDx conferences are recognized worldwide. Thus, being selected to speak at one is no small feat. TEDx conferences act as global platforms for sharing incredible ideas. This is your chance to speak about something you are passionate about, or to show the world how to look at something ordinary in an extraordinary way.
- Networking - The TEDxUW event represents an incredible networking opportunity, as our hand-curated audience will represent the best and brightest members of Canada’s innovation university.
What We Look for in a Speaker:
- Groundbreaking story or idea - Keeping with the tradition of all TED events, TEDxUW’s main goal is to share important ideas. For this reason, we are looking for thought leaders, doers, and creators who have pushed the boundaries of what has been done before.
- Fit with theme - The 2016 TEDxUW conference seeks to explore the various interconnected aspects of our world. Your speech should be related to this theme, and you should be able to justify its relevance.
- Ability to engage the audience - The delivery of your speech is just as important as the content. We are looking for engaging, confident speakers who will be able to captivate the audience for the duration of their speech.
Tips for Success:
- Prepare an outline of what your speech will look like, as this will make it easier for us to assess its relevance, envision your performance, and appreciate the full magnitude of your story/idea.
- Watch as many TED talks as possible, so you have an idea of how they are delivered, and what makes one successful.
- We highly reccommend this one by TED curator Chris Anderson, which will give you great insight on how to deliver a great TEDx talk: TED's secret to great public speaking
- Humour is welcome and encouraged in order to make your speech relatable. Context is important though; if your speech deals with very heavy or serious topics, humour may detract from your delivery.
- Make yourself findable via social media and other internet mediums so that we can get a better idea of your accomplishments and personality.
If you have an idea worth spreading, or know someone who does, apply to be a speaker, or nominate one today!