Everything on the International Space Station arrives from Earth. Astronauts can't just pop out to the store for supplies. A Mars mission would entail a trip of three to five years, with no on-demand resupply. One key to unlocking long-haul space missions is to disrupt this reliance on supply chains as we know them and create self-sustaining life support systems. Researcher Jessica Snyder looks for answers to this challenge in a surprising place: a tide pool in Antarctica, where organisms sustain a full food web from local sunlight and resources alone. She's applying the same principle to systems design for deep space, building up from the microbes and turning cargo into code. Step into a future "astropharmacy" where bioengineering innovation allows astronauts to download and produce medicine on demand. Jessica Snyder is a scientist at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science and a researcher affiliated with NASA Ames Research Center, where she has served as Synthetic Biology Task Lead on the NASA Academic Mission Services contract. She holds a PhD in biofabrication from Drexel University, where her doctoral research focused on 3D-printed liver tissue models for space medicine applications in collaboration with NASA Johnson Space Center. She co-founded Odyssey SpaceWorks, which built and launched an automated biological research facility in low Earth orbit in 2023, and she is a core contributor to the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts-funded Astropharmacy project. She has published in Frontiers in Space Technologies and the NASA Technical Reports Server, and has conducted fieldwork with Quixote Expeditions in Antarctica's South Shetland Islands. She is an Adjunct Lecturer at Santa Clara University. 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

What do allergies, insurance rates, and Boston Marathon qualifying times have in common? It turns out, these are all climate stories. While the effects of climate change are already being felt, fewer than a third of Americans report hearing about climate change in the media in any given week. After 25 years of observing rapid ocean warming, Andrew Pershing saw the disconnect between measurable realities and public discourse. He left his research career to focus fully on science communications built around a simple insight: people will engage with climate change when it shows up in something they already care about. By quantifying effects as local and personal, it starts conversations. The central obstacle between the solutions we have and the scale we need is public will, so let's talk about it. Andrew Pershing is Chief Program Officer and Director of Attribution Science at Climate Central, where he develops tools to quantify how climate change affects daily weather conditions. He holds a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University and a BS in aquatic biology from Brown University. He previously served as Chief Scientific Officer of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, where he headed the Climate Change Ecology Lab and led one of the first scientific investigations of a marine heat wave in US waters. His work has been published in Science, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Runner's 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

Regina warns that self-criticism undermines confidence. She encourages meeting awkward moments with humor, not harshness. By moving past embarrassment without self-blame, she shows that self-compassion builds real confidence and a healthier self-image. Regina Bartlett is the author of the book Food, Sweat, & Fears about losing 250lbs with RNY Gastric Bypass and a lot of faith going on to live her dream of running the NYC Marathon. She’s a blogger and speaker from the gorgeous Rhode Island coastline where she spends her days with her amazing husband Jeff. They filled their empty nest from their combined family of six adult children with two very tiny, adorable Chihuahuas named Sid Vicious and Starling Estrella Betances. 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

In his TEDxEnsley Avenue ED talk, “Brave Day: Why Settling Is More Dangerous Than Failure,” Michael Barham explores the quiet pattern that holds many people back, not through failure but through the silence of settling. He challenges the idea that safety and comfort shouldn’t guide our decisions, revealing how true transformation begins when we deliberately choose growth even when the outcome is uncertain. Courage, he argues, is not recklessness but an intentional decision to move forward without waiting for perfect readiness or permission. When we stop settling and embrace the possibility of failure, we open the door to the kind of bold action that leads to real change and personal breakthrough. Michael Barham, widely known as Coach Mike, is a Bessemer, Alabama native who has spent more than a decade empowering athletes and coaches to succeed beyond the game. A former high school basketball coach, he understands firsthand the challenges athletes face when the final buzzer sounds. Now an entrepreneur, consultant, and NIL strategist, Coach Mike helps athletes build influence, create sustainable income streams, and discover purpose after sports. His work spans from collegiate standouts to professional athletes nationwide, all seeking to maximize their NIL potential while making an impact beyond the court. 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

Beyond the ecological component of assessing plastic and microplastic pollution in estuarine and marine areas and in the aquatic species that inhabit these areas, this talk shows how technology is already impacting this area, particularly in the development of innovative methodologies for mapping plastics on beaches and extensive coastal areas, using drones and artificial intelligence. This type of technology has great potential to monitor and understand the distribution of plastic pollution more effectively and on a large scale. Beyond the ecological component of assessing plastic and microplastic pollution in estuarine and marine areas and in the aquatic species that inhabit these areas, this talk shows how technology is already impacting this area, particularly in the development of innovative methodologies for mapping plastics on beaches and extensive coastal areas, using drones and artificial intelligence. This type of technology has great potential to monitor and understand the distribution of plastic pollution more effectively and on a large scale. 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

Philipp Wintersberger, a researcher specializing in Human-AI Interaction and Human-Centered AI (HCAI), focuses on ensuring that as autonomous systems become more prevalent—particularly in transportation—human autonomy, trust, and meaning are maintained. His talk emphasizes designing AI that empowers users rather than replacing or undermining them. Philipp Wintersberger é professor de Intelligent User Interfaces na IT:U – Interdisciplinary Transformation University (Linz, Áustria), uma das primeiras universidades púbicas europeias a dedicar-se à digitalização e transformação digital. Lidera uma equipa interdisciplinar de cientistas que trabalham em projetos de investigação financiados pelo Fundo Austríaco de Ciência (FWF), pela Agência Austríaca de Promoção da Investigação (FFG) e por parceiros da indústria. O seu trabalho centra-se na cooperação human-machine em ambientes críticos para a segurança, incluindo veículos automatizados, sistemas robotizados e industriais, e ambientes de trabalho com suporte de IA. É (co)autor de inúmeros trabalhos publicados em importantes revistas e conferências, como a ACM CHI, ACM IUI, AutomotiveUI e Human Factors, e os seus contributos valeram-lhe inúmeros prémios internacionais. É membro fundador do SIGCHI Áustria e faz parte do comité diretivo do ACM AutomotiveUI. 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

In this talk, the speaker explains what it takes to follow your heart and realize the life you envision. She recounts her family’s journey—one sibling even competed in the Winter Olympics—and describes how she carved a niche for herself in the fashion industry as a designer, earning recognition and an award from Vogue. Born in Addis Ababa and raised in New York, Mahlet returned to Ethiopia in 2008 with a lifelong passion for fashion. She began her career as a fashion editor at Tadias Magazine in the USA. In 2009, she co-founded Hub of Africa Addis Fashion Week, inspired by major global fashion events. HAFW aims to unify the African fashion industry, addressing the need for an annual platform that promotes sustainable development while providing visibility for African designers in the international market. The event not only showcases fashion but also includes workshops, seminars, and discussions to foster growth within the industry. 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

The speaker discusses AI’s growing presence in everyday life and the need to use it ethically. She warns that publishing AI-generated news without careful scrutiny can cause misinterpretation and panic. Newsrooms’ heavy reliance on AI, she argues, threatens the creativity and critical thinking that are central to journalism. Munir S. Mohammed is a journalist, writer, and researcher based in Ethiopia. With hundreds of articles published in the country’s leading outlets, he has built a reputation for curiosity, rigor, and a data-driven approach to storytelling. Trained in economics, Munir brings analytical depth to his work, blending insight with narrative clarity. An autodidact across multiple fields, he has also produced compelling personal stories on mental health, women’s rights, and labor issues. In addition to his reporting, Munir is an accomplished editor with versatile experience across a wide range of article types and formats, combining editorial precision with a keen understanding of audience engagement. 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

In this talk, the speaker emphasizes that treating garbage responsibly does more than clean a city — it creates jobs and restores dignity to those employed. By involving people in an environmental effort, you make them active participants in safeguarding the environment and enable them to make a meaningful contribution to society.Kidus Asfaw is the founder and CEO of Kubik, an environmental technology company turning hard-to-recycle plastic waste into low-carbon, affordable building materials. His work sits at the intersection of climate, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. Before founding Kubik, Kidus led global technology and innovation initiatives at UNICEF and worked with institutions including the World Bank, Accenture, and Google. Across these roles, he saw firsthand that lasting impact comes not from good intentions alone, but from building solutions that work at scale in the real economy. That insight drives his work today: building practical systems that reduce waste, lower costs, and expand access to safe, dignified living. 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

Through this talk, speaker shows how stories can bring different worlds together and bridge divides. She emphasizes the essential elements that create beautiful, soul-stirring stories. Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fasika Adefris is an accomplished author and educator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and a Master of Arts in Teaching Amharic from Addis Ababa University, along with a teaching certification from Moreland University. Fasika has published 11 books, including "The Amusing Gift," recognized by former President Girma Wolde Giorgis for promoting tree planting, and "The Picnic in the Jungle" and "The Wise Bee," featured in UNICEF's "One Book for One Child" program. Her series featuring 'Yeshiharedg' and her dog 'Butich' highlights Ethiopian culture across various titles. A passionate volunteer with Open Hearts Big Dreams (OHBD), Fasika promotes literacy by donating stories like "The Greedy Bird" and "The Butterfly" to children in Ethiopia. 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