America’s education system hasn’t fundamentally changed in over a century, but the world dramatically has. In this talk, Andy Bell shares how a life-changing diagnosis ignited his urgent call for an education revolution. Drawing from his experience as an innovation leader at LEGO Education and CEO at Thinkery, he reveals three essential elements — engaging environments, AI-powered personalization, and the transformative power of joy — to create an education system that truly prepares students to thrive today and in a future of limitless possibilities. Andy Bell is driven to create a meaningful impact in the world by reimagining education to bring a lifelong love of learning to ALL kids. As a cancer survivor, engineer, educator, father, public speaker, and executive leader, his relentless focus is finding the potential in all things and collaboratively building innovative solutions to ensure today's youth thrive. As Director of Innovation & Ecosystems at LEGO Education, he helped bring groundbreaking STEM learning solutions that inspire creativity to millions of students across the globe through the LEGO MINDSTORMS and WeDo product lines. As the CEO of Thinkery, he is equitably expanding access to joyful learning experiences through new educational models including a first-of-its-kind neighborhood museum embedded in a Title 1 public school. He passionately works as an advocate and thought leader serving on the Advisory Board for SXSW EDU, the Champions Board for the Greater Austin STEM Ecosystem, and the Board of Directors for the Center for Engineering and Education Outreach at Tufts 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

Failure is a great teacher, providing valuable lessons that lead to success. When we fail, we learn what does not work and can adjust our strategies, become more resilient, and become stronger. These failures can also teach us critical problem-solving skills and creativity, as we learn how to tackle problems from different directions. Ultimately, failure is not a termination, but an integral component of the learning process that defines the trajectory toward attaining our objectives. Naisha Shashidhar is a passionate writer, runner, and stand-up comedian who believes in learning from failure. In her TEDxYouth talk, The Impact of Failure: How Failures Can Be Valuable Lessons on the Path to Success, she explores how setbacks can help people grow. Sharing personal experiences, Naisha talks about how failure can teach important lessons and build resilience. With humor and honesty, she shares the five lessons failure has taught her and encourages others to see failure as a stepping stone rather than a setback. 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

As an educator teaching, controlling the class, the narrative, the learning outcomes, is often done by disallowing the mistakes, the failure, the journey. How can students know what’s correct if they have no incorrect to reflect it off? How can a teacher know what a student’s individual wrong, incorrect, fail, is in every moment? Let them find the path to understanding through the field of failures and mistakes. Let go and let learn. Dr. Zachary Thomas completed his doctorate at Texas State University in the School Improvement program in 2023. His research focuses on creativity and imagination’s value in traditional school systems, and how divergent thinking can transform learning. Zach holds a Master of Arts in Education (Emphasis: Psychology) from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Indiana University. Currently teaching in Austin, Texas, Zach continues to cultivate his unique educational praxis. 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

STEM careers offer incredible opportunities, but not everyone has equal access to them. This talk explores ways to bridge that gap—while reaffirming higher education’s purpose to the public. Dr. Omar Lopez, a Professor in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies, is a STEM Higher Education Reformer. A proud native of south Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, his passion lies in using transdisciplinary methodologies to solve some of the thorniest problems confronting society's most vulnerable populations. His recent research examines the nexus between higher education preparation and STEM workforce readiness. 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

La metà dei bambini nati dopo la pandemia nei paesi occidentali è destinata a superare i cent'anni di età. L'allungamento della vita comporta la necessità , fin da giovani, di acquisire consapevolezza sui comportamenti che permettono di vivere a lungo in buona salute mentale e fisica. Solo in questo modo è anche possibile lavorare bene e più a lungo, mantenendo la curiosità, la motivazione e la produttività. Mantenersi attivi non ha età così come la condizione mentale dipende sempre meno dall'età anagrafica e sempre di più dalla capacità di avere l'atteggiamento giusto verso se stessi ed il mondo. Romano Benini è un esperto di sociologia, politiche del lavoro e welfare aziendale, con una carriera accademica che lo ha visto insegnare presso l'Università La Sapienza di Roma e la Link Campus University. È stato consulente per la Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri e il Ministero del Lavoro, occupandosi di politiche sociali e occupazionali, ed è stato coinvolto in progetti europei come il programma Garanzia Giovani. Benini ricopre il ruolo di esperto per la Presidenza italiana del G7 Active Ageing, un'iniziativa internazionale volta a promuovere politiche per un invecchiamento attivo e sostenibile. Autore di numerosi saggi, tra cui “Saper fare” e “Italia cortigiana”, Benini ha esplorato in profondità la cultura del Made in Italy. È stato protagonista in programmi televisivi su RAI, dove ha trattato temi legati all'occupazione, al lavoro e al welfare. Le sue riflessioni mettono in evidenza la resilienza dell'Italia e il valore di politiche culturali e sociali mirate. 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 viaggio alla scoperta di come scienza e spirito possano collaborare, non solo per vivere più a lungo, ma per vivere meglio: con energia, curiosità e significato. Lo sapevate che ogni giorno il DNA di ciascuna delle nostre cellule subisce migliaia, se non milioni, di danni? L’invecchiamento non è solo caratterizzato dal trascorrere degli anni; è una danza intricata di biologia e chimica, scritta nei nostri geni. Se potessimo riparare quei danni? E se le nostre cellule potessero non solo invecchiare più lentamente, ma addirittura ringiovanire? La scienza ci offre la straordinaria possibilità di vivere più a lungo. Ma ecco la vera domanda: cosa faremo con il tempo che guadagneremo? La Professoressa Elisabetta Mantuano è una neuroscienziata italo-americana e leader internazionale nel campo della ricerca medica e biotecnologica. Dal 2007 lavora presso l'Università della California di San Diego, dove ha contribuito allo sviluppo di strategie innovative in ambito preclinico. Dal 2024 è Delegata del Rettore alla Ricerca e Professoressa presso l’Università degli Studi Link. Ha dato contributi nello studio dei recettori cellulari e del loro ruolo in processi come la neuroinfiammazione, l’immunità innata, l’angiogenesi tumorale e le malattie neurodegenerative. Autrice di pubblicazioni e titolare di brevetti internazionali, ha progettato farmaci innovativi per il trattamento di patologie infiammatorie e degenerative. La sua carriera si distingue per una visione multidisciplinare che integra ricerca traslazionale, innovazione tecnologica e strategie avanzate volte al rallentamento dei processi di invecchiamento e al miglioramento della qualità della vita. 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