Dr Kerry Kirwan is an Associate Professor at WMG, University of Warwick. He specialises in sustainable materials and was recently involved in building Eco One, an environmentally friendly racing car made from recycled materials and fuelled by biodiesel derived from waste food products, including chocolate and beef fat. Eco One was featured as one of TIME Magazine's Top 50 Global Inventions of 2009. He has developed the biodegradable "Sunflower Phone" that allows mobile phone users to grow plants from their discarded mobile phone cases through the encapsulation of a small seed in a visible window, subsequently prompting them to dispose of electronics in a responsible manner.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)