Canadians sometimes bemoan the lack of innovative spirit in this country. Every once in a while we see a talented individual that proves the exception.
Ben Gulak, a native of Milton just outside Toronto, is such a young man. Ben’s the inventor of the UNO electric bicycle shown on the right.
Fired by a p
assion to provide more eco-friendly urban transportation, he created the ever-so-cool UNO electric bike. He survived trial by fire on Canada’s Dragon’s Den TV program to gain investment from the curmudgeon investors there. He hit the front page of Popular Science as one of the Top 10 Inventions of the year. His prowess has led him to be chosen three times to represent Canada at the International Science and Engineering Fair and he’s a winner of the prestigious National Collegiate of Inventors and Innovators Alliance Award. In other words, he was off to a good start as an inventor.
But Ben doesn’t rest on his laurels. His next invention is the Shredder all terrain vehicle, described on Ben’s site as “an adrenaline pumpin’, mean lookin’ board that takes off-road riding experience into a whole new realm”. Not only is it usable as a platform for extreme sports, it is also offered as a first response vehicle for soldiers in crisis situations.
Somehow Ben finds time within all this invention stuff to pursue his studies at MIT, where he’s a sophomore. And a few other interesting activities here and there. When I talked to this charming young man he was just leaving to visit the Singularity University, an interdisciplinary university working to stimulate groundbreaking, disruptive thinking and solutions aimed at solving some of the planet’s most pressing challenges. Sounds as if that’s a great place for Ben to be!
I just know Ben is going to inspire the attendees at TEDx. Ben will also be offering a chance for attendees to test-ride both the UNO and the Shredder. We’ll open up registration for this bonus experience shortly before the conference and I know that will be one of the hottest tickets in town!
1 comment:
Hi Lib!
I’m a TED speaker from right here in Toronto.
I’ve been invited to speak at TEDxHomer in Alaska in August and thought I’d offer you my talk for when I return home.
I’m a polar explorer, documentary filmmaker and journalist.
I write for Canadian Geographic (http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/blog/author.asp?author=Mark%20Terry) and The Mark News (http://tiny.cc/TheMarkNews)
I speak about my expedition in Antarctica, my film The Antarctica Challenge and my recent participation in the International Polar Year Science Conference in Oslo, Norway.
The film I made last year was the only film invited by the United Nations to screen to world leaders attending COP15, the climate change conference in Copenhagen:
http://tiny.cc/UNEP
In my TED talk, I address the little-known environmental changes happening in Antarctica that will impact on the world in a few short years.
I also report on the new findings announced last month at the IPY Science Conference in Oslo.
I will also give a sneak preview to my newest expedition – the crossing of the Northwest Passage in October.
Let me know if you’d like to add some local talent to this year’s TEDxToronto event.
I’ve provided some further links below for your reference.
Thanks guys and best of luck with your event!
Mark
Links:
TED Profile: http://www.ted.com/profiles/view/id/526495
Website: http://www.theantarcticachallenge.com/
United Nations Trailer: http://tiny.cc/UNTrailer
DOC: http://docspace.ca/membersearch?filter0=Mark&filter1=Terry&filter5=
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856040/
IDA: http://www.documentary.org/users/polarproducer
Explorers Club: http://www.explorers.org/index.php/member_area/bioPhoto
Biography: http://www.theantarcticachallenge.com/docs/mark_biography.htm
Facebook (The Antarctica Challenge): http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Antarctica-Challenge/61414159588?ref=mf
Facebook (The Polar Explorer): http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Polar-Explorer/121142917910865
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/polarcapproductions
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AntarcticaFilm
Blog: http://antarcticafilm.wordpress.com/
Print Media Coverage: http://www.theantarcticachallenge.com/docs/press_kits.htm
TV Media Coverage: http://www.theantarcticachallenge.com/docs/television_coverage.htm
Speaking Tour Endorsements: http://www.theantarcticachallenge.com/docs/endorsements.htm
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