YCIS Puxi hosts inaugural Innovation Expo and visionary TEDx Youth event

It was a stunning showcase of innovation and technology recently at Yew Chung International School of Shanghai (YCIS Shanghai) Puxi Secondary, as the school held its first-ever groundbreaking Innovation Expo and TEDx event on April 13.

The expo showcased the advanced technology and innovative products and projects from a wide range of companies and organizations, as well as STEM-related and high-level innovation projects across multiple disciplines from YCIS Puxi Secondary and Primary students. Furthermore, the event included a TEDx talk featuring three talented YCIS Puxi Secondary student groups as well as three world-renowned speakers who shared their ideas on various aspects of innovation.

The event was organized by Dr Christopher Hurley, innovation coordinator at YCIS Shanghai Puxi Secondary, along with several students and staff members, and the objective was to introduce and spark inspiration surrounding many innovative ideas, concepts, products and services for the school community and beyond. The theme of the day was “Building a Better World” and encompassed a broad range of pertinent topics and subject fields aimed at improving both lives and communities both locally and internationally.

A thought-provoking exposition

The Innovation Expo showcased projects from locally based startups, companies and universities that displayed their cutting-edge products, services and concepts, alongside advanced projects from YCIS Shanghai students with innovative and entrepreneurial aspects. The expo provided plenty of discussion opportunities, with many exhibits and short workshops designed to inspire creativity, ingenuity and innovation.

TEDx Youth at YCIS Shanghai event

Following the lively expo, the auditorium was full to the rafters for the TEDx talk, an internationally recognized program, which showcased YCIS faculty, students and keynote speakers, including:

• Mr Will Marcus, principal and managing director of ARGO Architects + Engineers and Blue Ring, an award-winning architectural firm focused on the restoration of extremely damaged landscapes, who spoke about finding innovative solutions to economic hardships for locals living in the low-income Patayas region of the Philippines;

• Ms Yanyue Yuan, visiting assistant Arts professor at NYU Shanghai, who spoke about adjusting perspectives on things when they go wrong and reframing to find the good and the opportunity in adversity;

• Dr Clarence Tan, university professor and ambassador for a number of organizations, who spoke about the development of various fields of employment which are growing exponentially, as well as societal concerns about the future of work. Tan highlighted the positive aspects in the development of artificial intelligence, noting that computers may be able to do the more mundane tasks in workplaces, allowing people to have an enhanced professional experience by enabling them to focus on more creative work.

Additionally, three YCIS Puxi Secondary student groups presented their own ideas and projects as follows:

• A “Water Saving Project,” which highlighted an innovative approach to reducing water use and plastic waste;

• A “Happiness Project,” which presented the idea of an app which focuses on boosting and tracking happiness and supporting people during times of stress;

• A “New Thinking in Diabetes Project,” which focused on pharmacology and the impact of diet on medicine; in particular, how Oolong tea negatively affects the efficacy of Metformin, a diabetes medicine, which has since garnered interest from members of the medical industry.

Dr Hurley was thrilled with the event, saying “The extraordinary success of the Innovation Expo and the TEDx Youth event didn’t happen by magic, but rather, from the hard work of many who quietly supported the planning team in bringing their ideas to reality. The feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive with delight registered from our guests about the quality and level of innovation that is occurring on both the YCIS Shanghai Puxi Primary and Secondary campuses.”

This event is just one of the many ways YCIS Puxi supports innovational excellence among its students. In addition to providing the students with a prominent platform to showcase their work in the area of innovation and how they are harnessing its power, events like these provide YCIS students with a distinct advantage in their university applications and future careers. Plans are already being put in place for next year’s event, with a new batch of forward-thinking leaders readying themselves to drive continued dialogue about this incredibly important topic.