Making change happen | Martin Owen | TEDxNewcastle

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Change activist promoting strategic
technologies in the pharmaceutical industry.

A joint Thinking Digital Production with Newcastle University. Sponsored by Newcastle University and supported by Newcastle Science City.

Martin Owen is fascinated by taking an idea from fragile birth until it can be transmitted to, and adopted by, others. And he should know; he has had some pretty big ideas adopted within large organisations. His pioneering work on the application of automated parallel experimentation technologies within Chemical Development - building robots to perform process chemistry - completely changed the way the pharmaceutical industry went about process development.

Are there risks risks involved in promoting such radical ideas? Sure there is! Especially with new technologies. Martin talks about the importance of people in bringing about change and introducing new technologies. He talks about his own approach to risk.

Martin started his working life as a medicinal chemist, later becoming a senior scientist in chemical development. A life-changing experience in 1993 changed Martin's attitude to risk completely, when trekking in Nepal to Kanchenjunga North and South base camps -- their group was arrested twice and one person had to be helicoptered out.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)