TEDxSuzhou International Academy

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Haoyang Du

  A high school student

  I’m a high school student buried in A-Level chemistry and maths problems most of the time. When I’m not stuck in tricky calculation questions, I love observing little moments hidden in ordinary daily life. One day, I saw a restaurant aunt at a toll station learning gesture dances from Douyin in her spare time. That small scene amazed me. It made me realise passion doesn’t need fancy settings to shine. I enjoy stepping out of fixed thinking patterns and looking at things from fresh angles. I believe there are always new stories and insights waiting for us to discover in simple moments. It’s such a great honour to stand on this TED stage today. I’m excited to share my thoughts on how different perspectives can change the way we see our world. I hope my talk can bring you a little inspiration and make you look at daily life with new eyes.

• Jintian Xu

  A high school student

  Hi, I'm Flora. I am a high school student with a long-standing passion for communication and sociology. I've always been fascinated by how societies operate and how media shapes our perceptions, a curiosity that began at a very young age. Today, I am no longer satisfied with single-perspective answers. Instead, I strive to analyze social and communicative phenomena through an interdisciplinary lens. In my talk, I will use a fascinating piece of physiology—the 'retinal blind spot'—to explain how our brains are lazy and automatically 'Photoshop' details away. By connecting this scientific phenomenon to our daily lives, I want to show everyone that true insight is about breaking our 'mental blind spots'—seeing everything from a different perspective, and replacing prejudice with empathy.

• Tianyu Shen

  A high school student

  I’m a Grade 10 student with a long love for stage hosting and public speaking. In my early school years, I regularly hosted various campus activities and felt completely at ease performing in front of audiences. However, after stepping away from the stage for several years, I unexpectedly faced intense nervousness and self‑doubt when I returned to public speaking. This personal shift made me deeply reflect on confidence, fear, and growth. In my talk, Confidence Is Not the Absence of Fear, I share my unique experience and challenge people’s usual understanding of true confidence. I explore how fear and nervousness exist in everyone’s journey and what it truly means to be courageous. It’s my great honour to speak on this TEDx stage. I hope my sharing can bring new perspectives and inspiration to every audience member.

• Xiangjie Zhang

  A high school student

  Xiangjie Zhang is a student deeply interested in history, geography, and international relations. From tracing shifting borders on maps to exploring how global events shape individual lives, he has always been fascinated by the relationship between the world’s grand narratives and ordinary people. Had a full-length novel published and dramas directed been displayed ,he continues to question how we understand the world—and our place within it.

• Yangyuyan Zhu

  High School student

  Hi, I’m Jess. I’m a high school student, a materials engineering researcher, and someone who believes engineering should serve the vulnerable — including the animals we share our homes with. I’ve spent years studying materials: how they behave, how they fail, and how they can be redesigned. That work led me to publish on linking material properties to consumer needs — including cat litter products — and to ask a bigger question:What if the same engineering thinking we use for cars and smartphones could help stray cats and dogs live safer, healthier lives? I also performed in Thunderstorm to raise funds for community stray animals. That experience reminded me that science is not only about data. It is about care. So today, I want to show you how engineers can help the pets in our homes — and the stray animals outside them. If you’ve ever wondered how materials science can protect the ones who cannot speak for themselves, stay with me.

• Yinuo Xia

  A High School Student

  I'm Nori, a high school student who developed a passion for social sciences from a very young age. I found early on that I possess greater sensitivity and empathy toward social issues than most people around me. With a keen focus on inequality and learning processes involving conditioning, I was captivated when I first explored the subject Psychology — this rigorous, experiment-based discipline turns abstract human behaviors into structured, testable explanations. I deeply value its strict experimental standards and I am sure that exploring the mechanisms linking human emotions, thoughts and behaviors, how social environments shape human psychology and how psychological theories can function within educational settings are exactly what I want to pursue in my future research. In my speech, I will talk about the evolution of my understanding of the word insight, and unpack its meaning within a psychological context by introducing a classical Psychology experiment.

• Yiyi Wu

  A high school student

  Hi, I’m Elina, a high school student drawn to physics and electrical and electronic engineering. Physics satisfies my need to understand why things behave as they do—from electron motion to grid-scale energy flow—while engineering lets me translate that understanding into circuits, signals, and working devices. I enjoy the iterative part of design: building a prototype, locating faults, and refining it with teammates. I’m especially intrigued by low-carbon energy and clean technology, where performance, reliability, cost, and safety must be weighed together. Outside class, I value exchanging perspectives with classmates and learning how technical work connects to real needs. I also enjoy explaining technical ideas clearly to people outside engineering. I hope to keep developing these interests and contribute thoughtfully to problems that matter.

• Yuanrong Xu

  A high school stuudent

  I’m a high school student buried in A-Level physics and maths problems most of the time. When I’m not working through complex derivations and equations, I keep reflecting on how we truly learn. I used to rush through my studies, trying to grasp knowledge as quickly as I could. One day I paused and asked myself: what were you trying to achieve in the first place? I realized quick, superficial progress creates hidden gaps in understanding. Whether exploring physical laws or mastering any subject, real mastery needs quiet focus and steady accumulation. This thought shaped my talk’s core message: slowing down is the fastest way forward. It is such an incredible honour for me to stand on this TEDx stage today. I’m excited to share why slowing down and staying grounded helps us learn better, and I hope my talk can bring you some inspiration for your own study journey.

• Zhangtong Shao

  A high school student

  I’m Zhangtong Shao, a high school student interested in environmental issues. My interest began with Lake Taihu, which I grew up seeing in Suzhou, where recurring algal blooms gradually turned a familiar landscape into a question. When conducitng a Taihu's documentary, I realized that environmental problems are rarely purely ecological. Nutrient pollution, climate conditions, economic activity, and governance all interact to shape outcomes. This also sparked my interest in economics and public policy, being fascinated by how incentives, institutions, and policy choices can shape the way societies respond to environmental challenges. Through my works, I have become especially interested in approaching environmental problems across disciplines—not only asking what is happening to an ecosystem, but also why it happens and how human systems can respond effectively. I hope to share this insight with my peers，contributing to a broader awareness to shape a more sustainable society.

• Zhixun Cai

  A high school student

  Hi, I’m Zhixun. I’m a Grade 10 student from Suzhou International Academy, someone captivated by the inner logic of economics. To me, economics extends well beyond professional knowledge: it equips me with versatile frameworks for problem‑solving and nurtures my ability to think critically about the world around me. Outside the classroom, I am one of the member of our schools fottball team, where team sports have shown me the true essence of collaboration and sharpened my capacity for open, honest communication. I also play in a band called Heart alongside some close friends — the name springs from the initial letter of each of our names. Inside this group, music becomes our genuine refuge, where we can unwind freely and reconnect with ourselves.

• Zichen Feng

  A high school student

  My name is Zichen Feng. I have a strong passion for physics and maths. I love figuring out theories and solving challenging problems. In my spare time, I like playing football. It not only keeps me fit but also teaches me the importance of cooperation. I hope I can deepen my study of physics and gain more relevant knowledge at university.

• Zihao Liu

  a high school junior

  I’m Zihao Liu, junior at Suzhou International Academy. Two years ago, I’d have summed up as biology kid, student council, musical lover—but I’ve never kept passions in boxes. Biomedicine began in a Cold Spring Harbor dissection lab; anatomy as stories of form, fail, heal. Theater drew me to watch people discover light and rely on each other, teaching leadership and empathy. Rehearsals made me think of biology, labs of storytelling. Pressured character mirrors stressed body; rhythm echoes heartbeat; cast works like organs. Science and theater ask: What is human? Then found drama therapy—performance heals trauma, builds confidence, reconnects. That’s where my worlds meet. As VP and dance leader, I’m intense yet warm, organized yet unpredictable, caring. I won’t choose. I want medicine more human, theater more healing—helping others understand stories. I seek the crossing and build there.