Noelia Loor-Moreira discusses her personal journey from someone who did not care about her appearance to someone who does - and the unfortunate truths she has discovered on both sides of the "pretty" spectrum. Noelia Loor-Moreira is a 16-year-old student at NeoCity Academy, currently pursuing the BioDesign Pathway, hoping to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Born in Tampa and raised in Osceola County, she’s a first-generation Ecuadorian-American who leads as an officer in the United Hispanics Association (UHA), a passionate weightlifter, and the youngest of three sisters. She's lived the contrast of growing up feeling “ugly” by society’s standards and now navigates life with the privilege of being seen as conventionally attractive, a journey that's sharpened her empathy, fueled her confidence, and deepened her passion for building a world where worth isn’t defined by appearance. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

First-time public speaker Erika Troya Ureta discusses how music connects people and just makes people downright happy. Erika Troya is currently in the Engineering Pathway at Neocity Academy. She plans on studying Engineering and potentially specializing in architecture or civil engineering. She enjoys spending time with family, playing games, playing and dressing up her beloved dog Pooka. She was the first place winner for the State Technology Student Association 2025 competition for CAD Architecture. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

¿Y si la medicina del futuro no fuera una pastilla, sino una célula viva capaz de adaptarse a cada cuerpo?En esta charla poderosa y visionaria, Maroun Khoury —científico e investigador en terapias celulares— nos introduce al mundo de los medicamentos vivos. A través de su experiencia con terapias como las CAR-T, muestra cómo la biotecnología está revolucionando el tratamiento de enfermedades que hoy no tienen cura.Con ejemplos reales, preguntas provocadoras y datos sobre desigualdad en salud, Khoury desafía el modelo tradicional de medicina y plantea una pregunta urgente: ¿seguiremos tratando síntomas con soluciones genéricas, o nos atreveremos a curar desde la raíz, con tratamientos únicos como cada paciente?Esta charla fue grabada en TEDxUANDES 2025, un evento producido por la Dirección de Innovación de la Universidad de los Andes junto al equipo organizador de TEDxUANDES. In his research, he employed various gene therapy strategies, including RNA interference and viral and liposomal vectors. The success of these approaches led to multiple high-impact publications, which earned him the opportunity to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at the Koch Institute at MIT (Cambridge, Massachusetts). He later held a position at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) in Singapore, where he worked with hematopoietic and fetal stem cells. He is currently the Chief Scientific Officer at Cells for Cells and Regenero, the Chilean consortium for regenerative medicine. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

¿Qué pasaría si combatir la pobreza no dependiera de la caridad, sino de una red de ciencia, política y compromiso social?Anil Sadarangani, comparte una historia real y poco contada: cómo Chile erradicó la desnutrición infantil crónica. Desde los años 60 hasta la actualidad, Sadarangani revela cómo la articulación entre academia, gobierno, salud, empresas y sociedad civil transformó un problema estructural en una política de país.Más que cifras, esta charla es una lección de cómo el trabajo multisectorial y el conocimiento aplicado pueden mejorar la vida de millones. Una historia de ciencia con propósito, que deja claro que el verdadero desarrollo empieza con los más pequeños.Esta charla fue grabada en TEDxUANDES 2025, un evento producido por la Dirección de Innovación de la Universidad de los Andes junto al equipo organizador de TEDxUANDES. biologist with a PhD from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and an MBA from the University of California, San Diego, USA.In 2018, he became Director of Innovation at Universidad de los Andes (UANDES), where he has led the institutional design and strategy for science-based innovation and technology transfer. He also oversees the process of transferring knowledge and technologies from UANDES to the market.He serves on the board of UANDES spin-offs and initiatives such as Dia+, Pregnóstica, and HubTec Chile.In 2010, while pursuing his MBA in the U.S., he developed a biotechnology venture that is currently in clinical stages. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Brody Barnes considers how the school system as currently designed negatively affects students' health and sleeping habits due to schedule, overworking, expectations of home life, and extra-curricular activities. Brody Barnes has applied himself to studying Biology and the life sciences, studious in his effort towards working as a Scientific Reseacher. A passionate advocate for improving the lively hood of all people, he argues for standing up to authority without trampling over the powerless. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

¿Y si el mayor obstáculo para aprender no fuera la falta de talento, sino la invisibilidad?Carolina Melo, especialista en educación, nos enfrenta a una crisis silenciosa: millones de niños no entienden lo que leen. Lo llama “pobreza de aprendizaje”, y no es una metáfora. En países como Chile, 5 de cada 10 estudiantes viven esta realidad.Con datos, ejemplos internacionales y una defensa firme del rol de los profesores, Melo propone un cambio de enfoque: medir no para castigar, sino para transformar. Una charla urgente sobre cómo empezar a cambiar el sistema desde la primera infancia y con evidencia en la mano.Esta charla fue grabada en TEDxUANDES 2025, un evento producido por la Dirección de Innovación de la Universidad de los Andes junto al equipo organizador de TEDxUANDES. Consultant for the World Bank and co-founder of the network "Por un Chile que Lee". She holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Virginia and a Master’s in Educational Psychology from the University of Arizona.Her research focuses on assessing and improving children's reading skills and on teacher quality. In 2020, together with Professor Pelusa Orellana, she received the Chilean Innovation Award (AVONNI) for the creation of Dialect. In 2023, Dr. Melo was named one of the 100 leading women in Chile by El Mercurio This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

¿Y si el conocimiento no fuera un camino seguro, sino un acto de rebeldía?En esta charla, Andrés Couve —neurocientífico y exministro de Ciencia— nos invita a repensar el rol de la ciencia en los grandes desafíos de nuestra época: cambio climático, productividad, democracia. Para él, conocer es transgredir; es atreverse a unir técnica e intuición, academia y política, datos y sentido común.Desde la pandemia hasta el futuro de la colaboración público-privada, Couve traza una hoja de ruta donde la ciencia deja de ser neutra y se vuelve protagonista de las transformaciones sociales. Una charla para científicos, emprendedores y líderes que ya no quieren jugar con el freno de mano puesto.Esta charla fue grabada en TEDxUANDES 2025, un evento producido por la Dirección de Innovación de la Universidad de los Andes junto al equipo organizador de TEDxUANDES.A neuroscience researcher, he served as Director of the Millennium Institute of Biomedical Neuroscience (BNI). He was the first Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation in Chile (2018–2022).Couve received the Andrés Concha Award from SOFOFA in 2017. Over his career, he has led more than 20 research projects, supervised over 25 graduate students, and published more than 50 articles in international journals. He is the author of La Liebre y el Compás, an essay on the value of science and its transformative power. He currently serves as a scientific advisor at IDEMAX. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Annalese Smith discusses how stereotypes connect to the various "Isms" such as Racism, Sexism, Classism, etc. Annalese Smith is a student at Neocity Academy in the Biodesign pathway. She has recently been accepted as a LEDA Scholar and is excited to start her college journey. She enjoys musicals, books, trying new foods, and spending time with her family. She currently plans on studying medical anthropology and changing the world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

¿Y si sentirse incómodo no fuera un error, sino una señal de crecimiento?En esta charla íntima y provocadora, Rosario Navarro —referente en liderazgo empresarial — reflexiona sobre el agotamiento, la incomodidad y la necesidad urgente de cambiar. Frente a un mundo incierto, plantea una verdad poderosa: quien se atreve a transformarse, sobrevive.Con historias personales, imágenes evocadoras y un llamado honesto al propósito, Navarro invita a ver el cambio no como amenaza, sino como oportunidad. Porque a veces, las mariposas solo vuelan después de atravesar el caos de ser oruga.Esta charla fue grabada en TEDxUANDES 2025, un evento producido por la Dirección de Innovación de la Universidad de los Andes junto al equipo organizador de TEDxUANDES.Chilean businesswoman who, in May 2023, was elected president of SOFOFA (the Federation of Chilean Industry), becoming the first woman to hold this position since the organization's founding in 1883.She holds a degree in Aesthetics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Her professional career began at the A+D art gallery, followed by a role on the social life team at Cosas magazine. She later joined the communications and marketing department at Universidad Andrés Bello, where she worked for a decade.In 2013, she joined the board of Sonda, becoming the youngest board member among IPSA-listed companies. In 2017, SOFOFA president Bernardo Larraín Matte invited her to run for the organization’s business council. In that role, she led the implementation of the executive committee and the so-called Business Evolution Committee.In August 2024, she was named one of the 50 most powerful women in Chile by Forbes magazine. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Andrew Phillip discusses the beginnings of AI in the classroom, common perceptions, and how the true root of the cause behind students cheating with AI actually lies in how we foster rote knowledge instead of true learning. "Andrew Philip is a junior at NeoCity Academy in the BioDesign pathway. He has a heart for service and a passion for the medical field which he wishes to pursue down the road. As someone deeply invested in caring for others, Andrew brings empathy, curiosity, and leadership to every opportunity. He's a firm believe in the power of reflection, collaboration, and growth through failure- no solution is perfect and no problem is too far gone.His TedX talk address the urgent conversation about generative Ai in education, not as a threat as much of the media portrays, but rather as a mirror reflecting much deeper systemic issues which prioritize creating students over learners. Through his insights, Andrew hopes not to pretend the solution is easy l but rather, spart a conversation on reimaging education that values curiosity, meaningful learning, and student well-being over mere performance. He believes world changers grow in the classroom, so that's where we should start " This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx