Theme: Double Take

To have to look twice to make sure that one really saw correctly.

New, shocking, surprising, or significant ideas can, at times, take us a few moments to comprehend. We may not react instantly, that is, until the realisation that something significant or different from the norm has transpired.

CONTENT WARNING. We want to advise you that some talks do cover sensitive content including suicide, sexual assault and rape. This may not be suitable for a younger audience. If you are affected by any content, we encourage you to reach out to mental health professionals in your area.

QUT Gardens Theatre
X Block, Queensland University of Technology
2 George St
Brisbane, Queensland, 4000
Australia

Cat White

Vegan Educator

Cat White, originally a meat-loving Aussie, underwent a remarkable personal transformation. Her journey reflects the power of change, transitioning from a traditional diet to a plant-based lifestyle. Author of “The Imperfect Vegan,” Cat believes the world needs a multitude of imperfect vegans taking collective action to combat climate change and animal suffering. Her inspirational message encourages us to reflect on our daily food choices and consider small, impactful changes that can have a positive impact for our planet and well-being.

Diana Tolmie

Woodwind Performing Artist & Lecturer

Diana is passionate about all things music, truly believing musicians are the superheros of our society. Chair of the Juror Council for the Australian Women in Music Awards, D’Addario International Artist, and Churchill Fellow, Diana is an advocate for women in the arts. Through her pursuits as an artistic talent consultant, she advocates for gender parity in the workplace. As Senior Lecturer at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Diana has been awarded the 2021 Australian Universities Award for Teaching Excellence (Creative Arts).

Ella Pringle

Performer | Poetry Reading

Ella is a creative and professional writer traversing different written forms to articulate her brand of social commentary. She currently enjoys expressing herself through short stories, and poetry that has been published in ScratchThat Magazine as well as read aloud at QUT’s Literary Salon. Ella hopes to become a recognisable Australian voice in the ruckus of a rapidly revolving world and is excited to keep examining the individual’s experience living on at the edge of the future.

Elle De Flower

Performer | Drag Queen

Elle de Flower is one of Brisbane’s most iconic drag queens. Not only is she an incredible performer, but she is a proud champion of the queer community. You can expect incredible dance moves, unparalleled costumes, and of course, an overall scene of fabulousness.

Hope Ferris-Green

MC

Hope is a performance poet and writer currently in her first year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Creative Writing. She is passionate about people and expression, and as a co-MC, is excited to be bringing big ideas to those that want to hear them. Hope has performed for Queensland Poetry as a part of VOLTA, was a youth ambassador for the Brisbane Writers Festival, and has organised youth poetry slams with Ruckus. She loves weird clothes and weird art, and in her spare time, searches for the perfect iced chai.

Jaime Colley

Performer | Poetry Reading

Jaime Colley is a Creative Writing and Law student at QUT. She has been published in Voiceworks Magazine, Scratch That, QUT Glass, The Luna Collective, and others. Her writing often swings wildly between the dark potential of thrillers, the subtle delicacy of relationships, and if she’s feeling especially game, both.

Kelsey Adams

Justice PhD Candidate

Kelsey Adams is a PhD candidate and multidisciplinary researcher, drawing on theory and practice from both psychology and criminology. Her PhD project aims to better understand sexual violence survivors’ experiences, especially in the aftermath of assault. Kelsey knows that the journey after trauma is often hidden from public discourse and wants to bring it into the light, to normalise the difficulties that come with it and help survivors access the support and justice they deserve.

Lauren Fell

Director at Lunaria One & Associate Lecturer

Lauren's journey from psychology to the space industry began with her success in several NASA engineering design challenges. As co-founder of Lunaria One, a space start-up project that aims put plants on the moon, Lauren embodies a unique fusion of psychology, inventiveness, and entrepreneurial spirit. Currently an Associate Lecturer at QUT, Lauren's passion for pushing the boundaries of space exploration and education is evident in her PhD research, creating a quantum cognitive theory of intuitive trust, and integrating physics, psychology, and technology.

Megan Pozzi

Peri-Natal Mental Health Advocate

Megan is an educator, researcher, social entrepreneur and mother. Her approach to life and work has seen her move from classroom teacher to IT Project Manager, to researcher, to Higher Education Leadership, to small business owner. She believes in the transformative power of education, and passion for making a difference in the lives of others. Following the birth of her first child, Megan was hospitalised for severe post-natal mental illness – an experience which she has now grown to be thankful for and is passionate about sharing in a pursuit to normalise conversations about mental health.

QUT Asian Pop Society

Performer | Dance Troupe

QUT Asian Pop Society, or QUTAPS, aims to spread their love of Asian culture through music, fun, and especially dance. As the winners of the 2022 QUT Club of the Year Award, this club has been growing exponentially and gained much love for their events, including their QUTAPS Dance Showcase.

Rhea Creado

Art and Education PhD Candidate

Rhea is an artist, educator and researcher, and earlier this year, submitted her PhD on art activism, art education and children’s pedagogy. Rhea grew up in Dubai and Sydney, and has since lived in Los Angeles, New York and Brisbane. After graduating with a Master’s from New York University, Rhea remained motivated to explore the value of art-making as a tool for learning and social change. Rhea is currently a Sessional Academic at QUT’s School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education.

Sameel Deoji

MC

Management and Journalism student Sameel loves to bring people together. Whether it is through his work as Assistant Producer at 7NEWS or his own Pita Chip business, Chipita – the reason why he enjoys doing what he does is because they are people-centric. He has brought this enjoyment to hosting gigs ever since he was 10 years old when he MC’d his sister’s 21st birthday party. Sameel is looking forward to bringing charisma to his MC role at TEDxQUT 2023 by championing the extraordinary line-up of speakers to drive conversation, connection and community.

Tamara Zurvas

Ballet Dancer and Educator

Tamara was a professional dancer for over a decade with the Queensland Ballet and internationally. Based in Meanjin/Brisbane, Australia, Tamara now works closely with Queensland Ballet to deliver programs across broader community ballet and arts health contexts. She is completing her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree with Queensland University of Technology exploring how ballet teachers can use embodied methodologies to foster more constructive ways of striving among students. Tamara is an advocate for the powerful impacts of ballet and she envisions a future that includes more expansive outreach and participation in dance across diverse communities.

Tara McCarthy

Aspiring Sex Tech Designer

Tara is excited to bring innovative ideas to life at the intersection of her study fields in Marketing and Industrial Design. Her love for fitness, DIYing, and cooking – along with her university travels in Europe and Asia – reflect her creative, adventurous, and ambitious nature. Unafraid to challenge the status quo and spark meaningful change, Tara aspires to empower sexual wellness and elevate the sex-tech conversation globally, and ultimately, design a more inclusive future of intimacy.

Yash Jayachandran

Provisional Psychologist

Yash is in her final semester of a Master of Psychology (Education and Developmental) and currently works as a provisional psychologist. Growing up in a low-income household, Yash is passionate about highlighting and dismantling institutional inequities that exist within our society. She has further interests in behavioural science and improving financial literacy.

Yasha Makkoth

Poetry Aficionado

Yasha is a first-year Master of Information Technology (Computer Science) student. She had previously completed a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) before a brief stint in medical school, where she ultimately realised that medicine was not the path for her. Yashaswini now spends her days debugging code, tutoring, writing poetry, and learning guitar; creative pursuits have always been important. She wants to share her passion for poetry with others so that they also find the stillness and beauty that poetry offers.