TEDx University of Suffolk: Building a Better Suffolk

Join us for TEDx University of Suffolk, Ipswich's first-ever TEDx event.
About this Event

Join us for TEDx University of Suffolk, Ipswich's first-ever TEDx event.

Under the theme "Building a Better Suffolk", seven speakers will share ideas, innovations, and discoveries that have the potential to shape the future of our region. Each speaker will have 15 minutes to present their research and insights to a live audience.

This landmark event offers a unique opportunity for local residents to hear directly from the people driving change across Suffolk and to explore how their work could influence communities, businesses, health, education, and the environment. It is also a chance to put Suffolk's ideas and expertise on the global TEDx stage.

See the University’s events programme at: www.uos.ac.uk/about/events or contact [email protected] for more information.

Doors open at 5.00pm for a 5.30pm start.

Please note that photography will take place at this event for marketing and publicity purposes. If you don't wish to be captured on camera, please let our organisers know in advance.

Parking

Guests can park in the main University Car Park, Long Street, IP4 1LQ from 4.45pm-9.30pm. Guests must pay £2.00 to park either via the machine in the Waterfront Building or the RingGo app.

Please do not park in The Hold car park, as you will receive a PCN.

Agenda

🕑: 05:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Registration and Refreshments
🕑: 05:30 PM - 05:35 PM
Opening of Event - Jenny Higham, Vice-Chancellor
🕑: 05:45 PM - 06:00 PM
Hashtag Activism and Women's Rights
Host: Dr Reilly Willis

Info: Hashtag campaigns and social media activism have transformed how people engage with news, politics, and social change. While working as a human rights advocate for women and girls’ rights, I witnessed NGOs rapidly shift their campaigning online, replacing traditional forms of volunteering with digital actions such as sharing posts, tweeting, and signing petitions. Although online participation increased, questions remained about the real-world impact and long-term outcomes of these campaigns. The challenges of monitoring and evaluating digital advocacy raised concerns about accountability and effectiveness. This research explores what social media campaigns are truly achieving and whether they are contributing to meaningful, lasting improvements in laws and rights for women and girls.

🕑: 06:00 PM - 06:15 PM
What trail of hares taught me about building a better Suffolk
Host: Mars El Brogy

Info: The arts and creative sector play a vital role in building a better Suffolk. Through the lens of the Hop to It trail, this talk explores how creative initiatives can transform places, strengthen local economies, and bring communities together. What may appear to be a simple trail of painted hares is a powerful example of how creativity can increase footfall, support independent businesses, showcase emerging artists, and encourage people to connect with their surroundings. Beyond the economic impact, the arts create shared experiences that build pride, belonging, and a stronger sense of place. Drawing on nearly three decades in the creative sector and a lifelong connection to Suffolk, this talk challenges us to rethink what “building better” means — not just through what we construct, but through what we create, share, and experience together.

🕑: 06:15 PM - 06:30 PM
Nothing Ever Happens Here
Host: David James

Info: Nothing ever happens in Suffolk. The county reaches us at two speeds: the postcard, where little changes, and the foam of events where everything happens at once. Between them, quietly, Suffolk is being remade. We know this but do not recognise what we see. This talk takes one familiar sentence and through one very old word asks whether this has anything to do with luck.

🕑: 06:30 PM - 06:45 PM
What AI can teach us about working with uncertainty
Host: Dr Ruth Flaherty

Info: Uncertainty often stops us from taking action, whether in business, education, or everyday life. This talk explores an unexpected lesson from AI: it doesn’t wait for certainty before responding. It draws on what it knows, acts, learns from feedback, and moves forward. While AI can make mistakes, its willingness to adapt offers a valuable mindset for people and organisations facing change. Drawing on critical-creative theory and legal expertise, this talk challenges the belief that we need perfect information before acting. Instead, it shows how knowledge is built through action, reflection, and continuous learning. With Suffolk’s strong communities, growing creative industries, and thriving education sector, embracing this approach can help unlock innovation, confidence, and positive change. The future belongs to those willing to take the next step—even without all the answers.

🕑: 06:45 PM - 07:05 PM
Break
🕑: 07:05 PM - 07:20 PM
The end of one-size-fits-all medicine
Host: Dr Georgina Marsh

Info: Pharmaceutical 3D printing has the potential to transform healthcare by replacing the traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach with truly personalised medicine. Instead of standard doses, medicines can be tailored to each patient’s age, health conditions, genetics, and treatment needs, improving safety, effectiveness, and adherence. The technology can also combine multiple medications into a single tablet and work alongside digital healthcare systems to create smarter, more efficient care. For Suffolk, where an ageing population, rural healthcare challenges, and increasing pressure on NHS services are growing concerns, personalised medicine could improve access to treatment, reduce Medic*tion-related hospital admissions, and bring care closer to home. This talk explores how innovation can help create a more patient-centred and resilient healthcare system.

🕑: 07:20 PM - 07:35 PM
Why Colour Matters
Host: Lily Hammond

Info: Colour and creativity have the power to shape how we feel, think, and connect with the world around us. Drawing on experience as an illustrator and research into colour psychology, this talk explores how colour can influence mood, wellbeing, and aspiration. Too often, the spaces we live, work, and learn in prioritise function over inspiration, affecting our sense of possibility. This talk argues that colour and creativity are not luxuries but essential tools for building healthier, more connected communities. Through public art, education, and thoughtful design, we can create environments that inspire confidence, support mental wellbeing, and foster creativity. For Suffolk, investing in creative expression means strengthening community identity, inspiring future generations, and creating places people are proud to call home.

🕑: 07:35 PM - 07:50 PM
When Suffolk Calls, people listen: citizen science
Host: Dr Hannah Steventon

Info: Celebrating the work of hundreds of Suffolk people and our collaborative impact to build a better Suffolk with science, action and love. • our environment can be better understood and is changing • communities mobilise armies of volunteers to investigate, measure and take action • informed by university expertise • two case studies: - bioacoustics in Suffolk: listening to bats, building bat detectors - microbiology in Suffolk rivers • knowledge empowers Suffolk people • action impacts our environment and community.

🕑: 07:50 PM - 07:55 PM
Close of Event - Jenny Higham, Vice Chancellor
🕑: 07:55 PM - 08:30 PM
Networking