In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ms. Le brings the inspiring life story of a Vietnamese refugee and “boat person” who arrived in Australia at the age of four with her mother and sister. Her remarkable journey from a squalid refugee camp to being named “Young Australian of the Year” for her community work and having her portrait added to the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia, is told in her 1.4 M+ views TED Talk, “My Immigration Story.” Now based in San Francisco, Ms. Le continues to champion causes close to her heart, including STEM education, women in technology, and technology for mental health. She was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Technology for Mental Health and a director of Plan International Australia, one of the world’s largest community development organizations focused on ending childhood poverty. She has been an Ambassador for the Status of Women since 2001.
One of the Most Influential Pioneers in the Emerging Field of Brain-Computer Interface & CEO of EMOTIV, Award Winning Inventor and Author
Tan Le
Speaking Fee: $30,000 to $50,000
Travels From:
Primary Topic Category: Science (STEM / STEAM)
Secondary Topic Category: Creativity and Innovation
Tan Le At A Glance:
Tan Le is a top innovation and business keynote speaker, technology entrepreneur, author, and founder and CEO of EMOTIV. She is one of the most influential pioneers in the emerging field of brain-computer interface. She has won numerous awards, including Young Australian of the Year in 1998, Australia’s 30 Most Successful Women Under 30, Most Influential Women in Technology by Fast Company in 2010, and Forbes 50 Names You Need to Know in 2011.
A technology pioneer and thought leader who takes audiences on an incredible journey into the future of humankind, Tan Le is the founder and CEO of EMOTIV, the leader in EEG – Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology. Her company’s cutting edge “brainwear,” or wearable neurotechnology, allows humans to interface with computers in almost miraculous ways. It has already enabled a quadriplegic to drive a race car with his mind, powered bionic limbs, created the technology to optimize work environments, and given ordinary people the tools to understand and harness their brains’ limitless potential.
A three-time TED speaker who has spoken to audiences around the world, Ms. Le has been named as one of Fast Company’s Most Influential Women in Technology and Forbes’ 50 Names You Need to Know. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Neurotechnologies and Brain Science and the Forbes Technology Council, where she is a contributing writer on business and workplace-related subjects. Ms. Le is the author of The NeuroGeneration: The New Era in Brain Enhancement That Is Revolutionizing How We Think, Work & Heal, in which she explores exciting advances in brain science and neurotechnology, including emerging technologies that do everything from help us learn faster to enabling the colorblind to “hear” colors. Ms. Le is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Innovation Research Interchange (IRI) Achievement Award, the G’Day USA Global Innovation Award, the Advance Global Australian Award for ICT, and the AutoVision Innovation Award.
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EMBRACING YOUR INNER OUTSIDER
How do successful entrepreneurs come up with ideas that change the world? Tan Le, chosen by Fast Company as one of the Most Influential Women in Technology in 2010, credits her success in innovation to her early struggles growing up as a Vietnamese refugee and Australian immigrant.
In this moving presentation, Le talks about the moment she realized her outsider status provided a freedom to think differently and helped her succeed as a woman working in biotechnology and engineering—where the challenge is to constantly push the boundaries of what is possible. Le will show audiences how to free themselves from the norms that get people stuck, to look at things with a fresh perspective, and to never stop asking questions. -
THE NEUROGENERATION: HOW THE NEW ERA IN BRAIN AUGMENTATION IS REVOLUTIONIZING THE WAY YOU THINK, WORK, AND LEAD
Due to rapid technological innovations in automation, A.I., and brain augmentation, there will be a dramatic disruption in social systems, political norms, and popular expectations. Society will be forced to rethink the nature of work, the way we interact with each other, and the principles on which we organize our societies. Advances in integrating humans and machines that combine analytical processing powers of computers with the creativity that is uniquely human will change how we think and lead.
In this talk, Tan Le will show automation and A.I. are not the threats they appear to be, but rather our allies as they become part of the new extended, augmented human organism. -
MODERATED FIRESIDE CHAT WITH TAN LE
In this experience, the moderator can interact with Tan on a combination of her topics, listed here. This allows a more unique and customized experience for the audience and how her tools and practical takeaways can be applied.
