AUT University academics to speak at this year’s TEDx Auckland event
AUT University academics Professor Grant Schofield and Professor Steve Pointing are set to speak at TEDx Auckland this Saturday.
TEDx Auckland, a platform for big ideas, storytelling, creativity and actionable innovation, has become a popular Auckland event. The fourth annual TEDx Auckland showcase will be held at the Victory Convention Centre, and will once again be a catalyst for conversation and debate.
Professor Schofield is no stranger to debate, and is well known for challenging convention wisdom in nutrition and weight loss, as well as physical activity and exercise.
Professor of Public Health and Director of AUT’s Human Potential Centre, his work has included leading public discussion on flipping the food pyramid; promoting risky play as a result of his free range kids research, and developing national accounts of wellbeing through the Sovereign Wellbeing Index. He is passionate about redefining public health as the science of human potential – the study of what it takes to live a long, healthy and happy life.
Professor Pointing’s work has also drawn widespread interest. The Professor of Applied Ecology and Director of AUT’s Institute for Applied Ecology has worked alongside NASA for over a decade, leading an astrobiology research collaboration. He pioneered the use of molecular techniques to understand how simple microbes cling to life in extreme environments, which is invaluable to understanding whether life could exist beyond Earth.
Professor Pointing is also interested in the societal impacts of discovering life on other planets, including how this might alter our perception of humanity and what practical steps we should consider in preparation for discovering life elsewhere.
In addition to seeing their TEDx Auckland talks, the public can engage with Professor Schofield and Professor Pointing at the #AUTLounge, a unique and interactive forum for expanded discussions and Q&A sessions with selected TEDx Auckland speakers.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.tedxauckland.com.