To create this powerhouse speaker lineup, we reached out to the TED community and asked: who do you want to see return to TED2014? From there, we invited speakers to appear in these special sessions. Some will give updates; others will reveal new ideas. And there will be a few surprises along the way. Below, read which speakers will appear in our All-Star sessions. In case you want to study up, you’ll also find a link to each of these speaker’s most-watched TED Talk. Enjoy.
Session 1, “Planet Dearth,” hosted by Kathryn Schulz
- Wade Davis, anthropologist and ethnobotanist, who shared “Dreams from endangered cultures” at TED2003
. - Sylvia Earle, oceanographer, who won the TED Prize in 2009 and wished to “Protect our oceans”
. - Stewart Brand, environmentalist and futurist, who at TED2013 ushered in “The dawn of de-extinction”
. - George Dyson, science historian, who told “The story of Project Orion” at TED2002
. - Bonnie Bassler, molecular biologist, who revealed “How bacteria ‘talk’” at TED2009
. - Amory Lovins, physicist and energy guru, who gave “A 40-year plan for energy” at the TEDSalon NY2012
. - Edward Burtynsky, photographer, who won the TED Prize in 2005 and made a wish related to “Manufactured landscapes and green education”
. - David Gallo, oceanographer, whose “Underwater astonishments” dazzled at TED2007
. - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, economist, who gave a bold idea at TED2007: “Want to help Africa? Do business here”
. - Robert Full, biologist, who revealed “The sticky wonder of gecko feet” at TED2005
. - Imogen Heap, musician, who played “Wait It Out” at TEDGlobal 2009
Session 2, “Beauty and the Brain,” hosted by Guy Raz
- Tierney Thys, marine biologist, who showed how one can “Swim with the giant sunfish” at TED2003
. - Dan Gilbert, psychologist, who revealed the “Surprising science of happiness” at TED2004
. - Emily Levine, philosopher-critic who gave her “Theory of everything” at TED2002
. - David Brooks, columnist, who at TED2011 explained why we are “The social animal”
. - Neil Turok, physicist and education activist, who won the TED Prize in 2008 and wished to “Find the next Einstein in Africa”
.. - Philip Zimbardo, psychologist, who talked about “The psychology of evil” at TED2008
. - Taylor Wilson, teenage nuclear scientist, who gave the talk “Yup, I built a nuclear fusion reactor” at TED2012
. - Jill Bolte Taylor, neuroanatomist, who shared “My stroke of insight” at TED2008
. - Jane McGonigal, game designer, who shared “The game that can give you 10 extra years of life” at TEDGlobal 2012
. - William Kamkwamba, inventor, who gave the talk “How I harnessed the wind” at TEDGlobal 2009
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Session 3, “Where are We Now?,” hosted by Chris Anderson
- Salman Khan, educator, who at TED2011 showed how to “Use video to reinvent education”
. - Tim Berners-Lee, inventor, who revealed “The next web” at TED2009
. - Amy Cuddy, social psychologist, who spoke at TEDGlobal 2012 on how “Your body language shapes who you are”
. - Allan Savory, grassland ecosystem pioneer, who shared “How to fight desertification” at TED2013
. - Bjorn Lomborg, economist, who talked on “Global priorities bigger than climate change” at TED2005
. - Amanda Palmer, musician, who meditated on “The art of asking” at TED2013
. - Clay Shirky, social media theorist, who spoke at TED@State on “How social media can make history
. - Barry Schwartz, psychologist, who revealed “The paradox of choice” at TEDGlobal 2005
. - Bryan Stevenson, public-interest lawyer, who shared why “We need to talk about an injustice” at TED2012
Session 4, “I Heart Design,” hosted by Chee Pearlman.
- John Maeda, artist, who spoke on “Designing for simplicity” at TED2007
. - Stefan Sagmeister, graphic designer, who shared “The power of time off” at TEDGlobal 2009
. - Moshe Safdie, architect, who talked about “Building uniqueness” at TED2002
. - Sarah Kay, poet, who pondered “If I should have a daughter” at TED2011
. - Pattie Maes, researcher, who introduced us to “SixthSense interaction” at TED2009
. - Juan Enriquez, futurist, who shared “The next species of human,” also at TED2009
. - JR, street artist, who won the TED Prize in 2011 and wished to “Use art to turn the world inside out”
. - Aimee Mullins, athlete and actor, who spoke on “My 12 pairs of legs” at TED2009
Session 5, “The Future is Ours,” hosted by Helen Walters
- Stanley McChrystal, military leader, who asked us to “Listen, learn … then lead” at TED2011
. - Dan Dennett, philosopher and cognitive scientist, who shared how we parse “Cute, sexy, sweet, funny” at TED2009
. - Susan Cain, quiet revolutionary, who spoke on “The power of introverts” at TED2012
. - Rodney Brooks, roboticist, who explained “Why we will rely on robots” at TED2013
. - Elizabeth Pisani, epidemiologist, who asked us to get rational on “Sex, drugs and HIV” at TED2010
. - Michael Shermer, skeptic, who spoke on “Why people believe weird things” at TED2006
. - Jimmy Wales, technologist, who gave a talk about “The birth of Wikipedia” at TEDGlobal 2005
. - John Hunter, educator, who spoke on “Teaching with the World Peace Game” at TED2011
. - Helen Fisher, anthropologist and love expert, who revealed “Why we love, why we cheat” at TED2006
. - Martin Rees, astrophysicist, who asked “Is this our final century?” at TEDGlobal 2005
. - Steven Johnson, writer, who showed “Where good ideas come from” at TEDGlobal 2010
. - Ken Robinson, author/educator, who explained “How schools kill creativity” at TED2006, our most-watched talk of all time
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