Embracing Discomfort
“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
— John A. Shedd
Whether it is joining an important meeting, or entering a room full of strangers, we all experience uncomfortable scenarios that invite anxiety and uncertainty into our lives. We invite you embrace this discomfort as a catalyst for personal growth, with valuable insights from our variety of speakers.
Event Details:
Date: March 5th, 2023
Time: 18:30-23:00
Location: University Hall
Meet our Speakers
Andrew Steadman
Andrew "Drew" Steadman is a leadership author, executive coach, and military officer with over two decades of experience leading teams in high-pressure environments. As the Chief of Staff to the Chair of the NATO Military Committee in Brussels, he helps shape international strategy and decision-making at the highest levels.
Throughout his career, Drew has led organizations of thousands, from frontline units to strategic-level teams while navigating unpredictable and high-stakes situations. His expertise in leadership under pressure is shaped by multiple deployments to combat zones and years of guiding leaders through moments of crisis.
Drew is the author of The Military Leader: Fundamental Insight for Developing Leaders and the host of The Military Leader Podcast, where he shares powerful lessons on leadership, decision-making, and resilience. A lifelong athlete, he has completed multiple Ironman triathlons and marathons, reinforcing his belief that mental and physical endurance are essential for strong leadership.
In his TEDx talk, Drew reveals his playbook for leading through the first ten minutes of any crisis—insights that apply to business, military, and everyday life. He and his beautiful wife Emily, who also served in the U.S. Army, live in Belgium with their two daughters, Addison and Lilah.
Carla Francome
Carla Francome spent over two decades as a TV Producer/Director, and in her spare time, built up a following of over 16,000 on social media as an award-winning cycle campaigner. She now does communications and marketing for a small tech company.
Whatever she's been working on, and whoever she's been talking to, she's always drawn on one part of her life for the skills she needs - the decade where she worked as a professional clown. Carla grew up in a family of clowns - and performed with her mum and her dad. In her talk, she will be explaining what she learnt when in a red nose and wig, and what you can learn from it too.
Emmanuel Mirus Ponon
Mirus Ponon is a dynamic 23-year-old youth changemaker and the Founder and Chairperson of the ASEAN Youth Advocates Network. His journey began at age 9 when he saw poverty first-hand while growing up in Paco, Manila. This personal encounter with adversity ignited Mirus' passion for advocacy, and he has since shared his story in numerous news and media outlets. With over 500 speaking engagements around the globe, Mirus has become a powerful voice for change.
Currently, Mirus is a postgraduate student at KU Leuven and was the youngest speaker at the United Nations Global Climate and SDG Conference. His aspirations lie in continuing to be a catalyst for positive transformation, leveraging his platform to address global challenges and empower youth to create a lasting impact. His multifaceted roles and impressive achievements underscore his dedication to making a meaningful difference.
Andrew Vande Moere
Meet Andrew Vande Moere – professor in Design Informatics at KU Leuven and pioneer at the intersection of technology and design. His research explores how emerging technologies shape the way we interact with data, buildings, robots, and each other. By blending design science with computer science, Andrew pushes the boundaries of human-computer, human-data, human-robot, and human-building interaction.
In his TEDx talk, Andrew invites us to rethink how technology can be more than just functional, how it can be designed to enrich our daily experiences in surprising and meaningful ways.
Sarah Ahannach
Sarah is a postdoctoral researcher at the Bioscience Engineering Department at the University of Antwerp, specializing in the intricate relationship between women and their microbiomes. Passionate about bridging gender data and health inequities, she believes a multidisciplinary approach fosters innovation in women's health research.
Her work extends beyond academia, actively advocating for women in STEM and using technology to enhance women's health and safety. She plays a key role in Isala, the world's first citizen science project empowering women to explore their vaginal microbiome in a groundbreaking and taboo-breaking way. At the University of Antwerp, Isala maps the vaginal microbiome, examines lifestyle and environmental influences, and pioneers new diagnostics and microbiome-based therapeutics. Since its 2020 launch, the initiative has expanded to 20 countries, addressing diverse topics such as fertility, pregnancy, menstrual health, sexual violence, and nutrition.
Committed to scientific outreach, Sarah engages in public discussions and communication on women's health and diversity in STEM. Through research, advocacy, and education, she strives to equip women with knowledge to take control of their health and contribute to lasting change in the field of women's health research.
Sarah Ahannach
Meet Robin Wydaeghe – engineering physicist, award-winning researcher, and passionate science communicator. Currently completing his Ph.D. at imec and Ghent University, Robin explores how 5G and 6G waves interact with the human body through cutting-edge simulations. His work at WAVES, the world’s leading research group on RF electromagnetic exposure, is helping to shape how we understand technology’s impact on our health.
Robin has authored 12 scientific papers, received top conference awards, and launched OUTREACH—an international initiative bridging science and society. Frustrated by the confusion around 5G, his talk will challenge what we think we know about science, statistics, and ourselves.