TEDxZHAW: Rethinking Progress

Thomas Sauter-Servaes
Professor of Mobility Science
Autonomous Vehicles - More than faster horses?
Thomas Sauter-Servaes is a professor and researcher specializing in innovative mobility services, user-centric transport systems, and emerging business models in the mobility sector. In addition to heading the Mobility Science degree programme at the ZHAW School of Engineering, he contributes his expertise to practice as the founder of the consultancy mobilecular.

Albena Björck
Head Global Business Lab & Purpose Inside Lab Initiative
The Purpose of Purpose
Albena Björck is Head of Global Business Lab and Head of Purpose Inside Lab Initiative at ZHAW School of Management and Law. Her research focuses on global purpose-driven organizations and the domains of strategic management, renewal, crisis readiness, and longevity and has been published in leading journals such as Long Range Planning, MIT Sloan Management Review, Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management etc. Furthermore, she is the leading lecturer in the flagship program, MSc International Business (Financial Times Top 50). She is affiliated with Stanford University Center for Design Research and holds a PhD from the University of St. Gallen in Strategic Management.

Daniela Reimer
Professor of Social Work 
Listening to children in vulnerable situations
Daniela Reimer works at the ZHAW Institute of Childhood, Youth and Family. A social worker and educational scientist by training, her research focuses on foster care, biographies of children and young people, and growing up under challenging circumstances. Her work explores how children and families experience child welfare services and how professional practice can better respond to their needs, perspectives and everyday realities. Daniela Reimer combines academic research with a strong commitment to improving social work practice and child welfare systems.

Sven Hirsch
Professor for Computational Health
Meet Your Digital Twin 
Sven Hirsch is a thought leader and innovator in the field of digital transformation in healthcare. As a professor of Computational Health his work focuses on biomedical simulation, medical image and signal processing, statistical data modeling, and digital health solutions. As a recognized expert and principal investigator, he leads research projects on digital twins, digital biomarkers, health AI, and digital health innovations. He is founding director of the ZHAW Digital Health Lab and holds a Ph.D. in laser physics, has experience in corporate foresight, and has completed postgraduate studies in audiovisual media.

Pernille Haaland
Comedian
Special Guest from Norway
Pernille Haaland is a Norwegian comedian, writer, and actress known for her sharp observational humor, self-deprecating style, and engaging social media presence. Based in the UK for much of her career, she has performed stand-up internationally, appeared at major comedy festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe, and contributed as a writer and performer to various comedy projects. Her material often draws on cultural differences, modern life, relationships, and everyday awkward situations.