TEDx University of Derby
By Melanie Welaratne
The iconic red TED sign means different things to so many different people. To me it was an opportunity to involve myself with a worldwide organisation who help to inspire people daily. These were the talks I grew up watching, the stage that I had always admired and the speakers who filled my thirst for knowledge.
Over the years TED and TEDx talks have provided inspiration, education and knowledge to my life. I had been a fan for ages but it wasn’t until a friend of mine organised her own at a school I was in that I realised how great the organisation was. I then ended up changing schools and helping run a TED talk after school club where me and friend would help aid discussion around different talks.
A few years later, I decided to take a break from watching and try my hand at organising one intead. TEDx is the organisations way of getting everyone involved. The X stands for “Independently organised TED event”. Deciding to apply for my TEDx licence was an easy one. I realised that I had built up enough connections and knowledge about the university to be able to organise one here.
My TED story is still growing and developing with every step I take towards TEDxUniversityofDerby.


Behind every great event is a great team of dedicated and hardworking volunteers. I am looking for some students to help me bring this event to life.
If you are interested in getting involved please click here and read through the job descriptions provided!
Could you be a TEDxUniversityofDerby speaker? If you think you have an idea worth sharing and spreading why not apply to be a speaker at this years conference. It’s a great way to inspire others, reach out to the wider community and showcase your idea!

