Theme: Earth

Our theme EARTH will see pupils, teachers and esteemed subject experts explore the Blue Planet’s place in the universe, the beauty and power of our world, the landscapes and environments that shape our daily lives, the nations and tribes that label and define us, and solutions to some of the problems facing humanity.

John Lyon School
Middle Road
London, London, City of, HA2 0HN
United Kingdom

Ashil Shah

Lower Sixth Pupil, John Lyon School

Ashil Shah studies Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology at A-Level. Born the youngest of three, he possesses a curious mind and gained a keen interest in science having visited the National Science Museum for the first time at the age of 12. Ashil is fascinated by engineering, and how everyday conditions have a big impact on our lives. After finishing school Ashil aspires to go to university to study engineering.

Chris Crowe

Head of Astronomy, Harrow School

Chris Crowe is an astrophysicist, teacher, and public lecturer. A Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, he works as Head of Astronomy at Harrow School, teaching Astronomy, Physics, Engineering and Computer Science. Chris received Masters’ degrees in both Theoretical Physics and Mathematics before completing a PhD in Astrophysics, affording him the opportunity to be part of a research team studying relic radiation from the big bang, and work in the same department as the late Professor Stephen Hawking.

Dhiren Mahajan

Year 10 Pupil, John Lyon School

Dhiren Mahajan has just started his GCSE studies and will take exams in Mathematics, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Geography and Spanish. Dhiren is a passionate and hardworking student and strives to achieve in everything he does. Dhiren is still yet to decide what he would like to do in the future but hopes that whatever he does will impact the Earth in a positive way.

Husain Abedi

Head boy and pupil of John Lyon School

Husain Abedi studies A-Level History, Economics and English Literature. With a rich heritage – an Indian-born Muslim raised in Hong Kong – Husain is especially interested in international relations, having already seen and heard many different beliefs and perceptions of the world that have all gone some way to creating the person he is today. Beyond his studies, Husain hopes to become a diplomat or emissary, to serve the wider world in some way.

Jai Davison

Year 8 Pupil, John Lyon School

Jai Davison is our youngest TEDx speaker at just 12. Having been head boy at his previous school Jai is no stranger to public speaking and in his first year at John Lyon he has participated in debate competitions, played an integral part in the lower school drama production of Emil and the Detectives, and helped his form to win the coveted Year 7 Drama Festival trophy. Jai’s TEDx Talk is inspired by his own experiences, and his passion for comic books and space. Having witnessed a rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center this summer, and fulfilled his aspiration to meet an astronaut, he has been inspired to reflect on how humans can use technology for good.

Joshua Carr

Chemistry teacher, John Lyon School

Joshua Carr studied Chemistry at Imperial College London and is now in his second year in the Chemistry Department at John Lyon. His specialism is catalysis, specifically turning renewable resources into commercially useful substances. His interests include writing and exploring historical developments of the world around us.

Maria Trafford

English teacher, Excellnce Programme Team Leader, John Lyon School

Maria Trafford is an English teacher, Excellence Team Leader, EPQ Co-ordinator and Oxbridge lead in the Sixth Form at John Lyon. She has a Master’s degree in Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Theology and spent several years running childhood bereavement programmes for the NHS. Originally from Scotland, she is a fan of the highlands, islands and mountains. She has co-organised this TEDx event and hopes it will help young people to put the Earth’s interests at the centre of all their decisions.

Matt Dickinson

Author and Explorer

Matt Dickinson is an explorer, mountaineer, filmmaker and author, best known for filming and writing about the world’s most famous mountain, Everest. During his filmmaking career he has worked as a director/cameraman for National Geographic television, the Discovery Channel, the BBC and Channel 4. His film projects have taken him to Antarctica, Africa and the Himalaya, often in the company of the world’s leading climbers and expeditioners. Matt also writes fiction for teenage readers, including The Everest Files, a dramatic and popular trilogy.

Morgan White

Head of Economics, John Lyon School

Morgan White is the author of Towards a Political Theory of the University (2017) and was a tutor in Philosophy of Education at the University of Cambridge and a lecturer in Education at Liverpool Hope University. He received his PhD in political theory and public policy from the University of Manchester and has a particular interest in the public role of education, social justice, deliberative democracy and tensions with instrumental learning. He now teaches Economics at John Lyon.

Rishi Luthra

Upper Sixth Pupil, John Lyon School

Rishi Luthra studies Economics, English and French at A-Level and is a Charity Prefect. He has a keen interest in property development, especially residential real estate and wishes to pursue a career in this field after graduating university by joining his family business.

Tanvir Handa

Year 9 Pupil, John Lyon School

Tanvir Handa is a Year 9 pupil who has a great interest in architecture and cricket. An Indian-born Hindu raised in London, he is particularly passionate about cricket, a sport he has grown up watching and now plays to a high level in the School team. Tanvir loves to engage in numerous School events and is a member of the Excellence Society. In the future Tanvir hope to enter the real estate industry, his family’s profession

Varun Valentine

Year 10 Pupil, John Lyon School

Varun Valentine is in his first Year of GCSE studies at John Lyon. From the age of seven, Varun developed his interest in engineering, maths and medicine and he also has a passion for music, singing and playing the piano, cello and drums. TEDxJohnLyonSchool gives Varun the opportunity to talk about the important issue of pollinators, as he strongly believes that we should save the pollinators because their potential extinction could have terrible effects on our living planet.

Zaki Cooper

Communications Professional

Zaki Cooper is active in inter-faith relations in the UK. He is a Trustee of the Council of Christians and Jews as well as Co-Chair of the Indian Jewish Association. He has written widely on faith and inter-faith for the national media. His work involves advising leaders on philanthropy and communications. Previously he has worked as an Assistant Press Secretary at Buckingham Palace, for former Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and in a range of corporate environments.