TEDx event
TEDxSuzhou International Academy
This event is open to the public.
This independently organized TEDx event brings the community together to share ideas worth spreading.
Speakers
Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.
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.
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.
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.
