idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Short, engaging talks on current and sometimes highly complex topics – that’s what makes the popular TED format so distinctive. Often given in English, TED Talks are freely available online to audiences worldwide. Last October, the TEDx conference took place at Hochschule Bremerhaven for the first time. Eleven speakers devoted their talks to the overarching theme “Out of the Blue.” The event was organized by university alumna Marnie Knorr and Prof. Dr. Rabea Diekmann, Vice-Rector for Research, Transfer, and Continuing Education, with financial support from the Dieckell Foundation. Those who missed the conference can now watch most of the talks online at www.youtube.com/@TEDx/videos.
TEDx is a program of locally organized events modeled on the larger TED conferences. Following the motto “Ideas Worth Spreading,” live talks are recorded before audiences of up to 100 people and made available online as TEDx Talks. Bringing this format to Hochschule Bremerhaven had long been a wish of Rector Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Alexis Papathanassis: “TED Talks have an enormous global reach and appeal not just to experts, but to the general public as well. Since the videos are published online by TEDx after the conference, they offer a fantastic platform to present our university and the city of Bremerhaven to an international audience over the long term.”
In addition to university faculty and students, researchers from other local institutions also presented their ideas. “We work very closely with Bremerhaven’s research institutes in both teaching and research,” explained Prof. Diekmann. “That’s why it was clear to us from the start that we wanted to give not only university members but also our cooperation partners a stage. This allows us to showcase Bremerhaven’s vibrant scientific landscape internationally.” The organizers also placed great importance on selecting talks that tackled innovative questions. They accepted open submissions as well as directly inviting potential speakers. The outcome was a program covering a variety of disciplines—from marine biotechnology and artificial intelligence applications to forward-looking topics such as space migration.
Even if the finished videos make it look effortless, the organizational effort behind the scenes was immense. “To ensure quality, TEDx provides precise guidelines on lighting, sound, and video editing that must be followed. For a long time, we weren’t sure whether we could meet these requirements on campus or would need to move to another venue,” said Prof. Diekmann. In the end, all technical and logistical challenges were solved—thanks in part to Marnie Knorr’s expertise. She had already organized the first TEDxBremerhaven conference in 2019 and was well versed in the event’s requirements. “I obtained an official TEDx license and studied the guidelines carefully, so I knew where we had to follow rules strictly and where we could be creative,” she explained.
The event received generous support from many sides: parts of the stage set were provided by the Stadttheater Bremerhaven, while lighting and sound equipment came from the university’s student council. A substantial donation from the Dieckell Foundation made it possible to acquire the remaining technical equipment and hire a professional film crew composed of university graduates. The team filmed with three cameras from different angles and handled editing and post-production. Computer science student Franjo Gießel ensured that all speakers could be clearly heard both in person and in the final videos. “It’s incredibly rewarding to work together with so many dedicated people to create something that benefits the community,” said Marnie Knorr. After a thorough review process—including a check of speaker credentials—most of the TEDx talks have now been released on the official TEDx YouTube channel.
The stage of TEDxHochschuleBremerhaven
Source: Faraz Heidari
Copyright: Hochschule Bremerhaven
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