so I have a question how many girls does it take to change the continent of
it take to change the continent of
it take to change the continent of Africa my answer is one one girl with a
Africa my answer is one one girl with a
Africa my answer is one one girl with a passion for science can change the
passion for science can change the
passion for science can change the entire continent because if you have a
entire continent because if you have a
entire continent because if you have a passion for science you can really
passion for science you can really
passion for science you can really really shift things you can make things
really shift things you can make things
really shift things you can make things change fundamentally and that’s what I’m
change fundamentally and that’s what I’m
change fundamentally and that’s what I’m interested in now a passion for science
interested in now a passion for science
interested in now a passion for science in the right hands can have that impact
in the right hands can have that impact
in the right hands can have that impact a passion for science in the wrong hands
a passion for science in the wrong hands
a passion for science in the wrong hands can cause a bit of a problem as I
can cause a bit of a problem as I
can cause a bit of a problem as I discovered myself about 25 years ago
discovered myself about 25 years ago
discovered myself about 25 years ago when I was getting married I was I only
when I was getting married I was I only
when I was getting married I was I only had one job to do and my job was to
had one job to do and my job was to
had one job to do and my job was to organize the honeymoon
organize the honeymoon
organize the honeymoon I have a passion for science so I
I have a passion for science so I
I have a passion for science so I obviously chose that we should visit a
obviously chose that we should visit a
obviously chose that we should visit a mathematical Institute in New Mexico
mathematical Institute in New Mexico
mathematical Institute in New Mexico what I discovered quite early on in my
what I discovered quite early on in my
what I discovered quite early on in my marriage in fact what I discovered on
marriage in fact what I discovered on
marriage in fact what I discovered on day one of my marriage is that and this
day one of my marriage is that and this
day one of my marriage is that and this may come as a surprise to some of you
may come as a surprise to some of you
may come as a surprise to some of you that apparently a visit to a science
that apparently a visit to a science
that apparently a visit to a science Research Institute is not considered a
Research Institute is not considered a
Research Institute is not considered a romantic destination or for a honeymoon
romantic destination or for a honeymoon
romantic destination or for a honeymoon and so it’s worth just keeping that in
and so it’s worth just keeping that in
and so it’s worth just keeping that in mind and I’ll certainly keep it in mind
mind and I’ll certainly keep it in mind
mind and I’ll certainly keep it in mind for any sort of future actually no there
for any sort of future actually no there
for any sort of future actually no there won’t be any future events the reason
won’t be any future events the reason
won’t be any future events the reason why I was attracted to the Santa Fe
why I was attracted to the Santa Fe
why I was attracted to the Santa Fe Institute is that it is the place where
Institute is that it is the place where
Institute is that it is the place where you study complexity science and chaos
you study complexity science and chaos
you study complexity science and chaos theory and I’m particularly interested
theory and I’m particularly interested
theory and I’m particularly interested in those areas and particularly
in those areas and particularly
in those areas and particularly interested in the way they talk about
interested in the way they talk about
interested in the way they talk about change in the way they drive change and
change in the way they drive change and
change in the way they drive change and how small changes can result in
how small changes can result in
how small changes can result in massively different outcomes Lawrence
massively different outcomes Lawrence
massively different outcomes Lawrence the mathematician put it beautifully
the mathematician put it beautifully
the mathematician put it beautifully when he said does the flap of a
when he said does the flap of a
when he said does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil calls at
butterfly’s wings in Brazil calls at
butterfly’s wings in Brazil calls at nado in texas or to put it another way
nado in texas or to put it another way
nado in texas or to put it another way does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in
does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in
does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Benin cause a tornado in Tanzania and
Benin cause a tornado in Tanzania and
Benin cause a tornado in Tanzania and that’s what I’m really interested in the
that’s what I’m really interested in the
that’s what I’m really interested in the idea that slight changes in the initial
idea that slight changes in the initial
idea that slight changes in the initial conditions can drive massive changes at
conditions can drive massive changes at
conditions can drive massive changes at the end and the outcome particularly the
the end and the outcome particularly the
the end and the outcome particularly the context of change in Africa there’s this
context of change in Africa there’s this
context of change in Africa there’s this underlying thinking and change in Africa
underlying thinking and change in Africa
underlying thinking and change in Africa that the way that it works is that if
that the way that it works is that if
that the way that it works is that if you want to create massive change you
you want to create massive change you
you want to create massive change you have to put in massive inputs you have
have to put in massive inputs you have
have to put in massive inputs you have to have huge projects you have to have
to have huge projects you have to have
to have huge projects you have to have huge amounts of money you have to have
huge amounts of money you have to have
huge amounts of money you have to have huge numbers of people in order to drive
huge numbers of people in order to drive
huge numbers of people in order to drive any sort of change and what I’m
any sort of change and what I’m
any sort of change and what I’m wondering is whether the ideas that come
wondering is whether the ideas that come
wondering is whether the ideas that come out of the butterfly effect tell us that
out of the butterfly effect tell us that
out of the butterfly effect tell us that there may be different ways to do this
there may be different ways to do this
there may be different ways to do this there may be ways to do this
there may be ways to do this
there may be ways to do this we’re actually slight changes can ripple
we’re actually slight changes can ripple
we’re actually slight changes can ripple through these systems and cause massive
through these systems and cause massive
through these systems and cause massive outcomes and that’s what I’m really
outcomes and that’s what I’m really
outcomes and that’s what I’m really interested in if we take a step back and
interested in if we take a step back and
interested in if we take a step back and just think about the scale of Africa 1.2
just think about the scale of Africa 1.2
just think about the scale of Africa 1.2 billion people live on the continent and
billion people live on the continent and
billion people live on the continent and 40% of them are under the age of 50 so
40% of them are under the age of 50 so
40% of them are under the age of 50 so it’s about 500 million people under the
it’s about 500 million people under the
it’s about 500 million people under the age of 15 it’s a staggering number and
age of 15 it’s a staggering number and
age of 15 it’s a staggering number and if we think about intelligence and
if we think about intelligence and
if we think about intelligence and assume as we should do that Africa has
assume as we should do that Africa has
assume as we should do that Africa has the same normal distribution of
the same normal distribution of
the same normal distribution of intelligence as any other continent
intelligence as any other continent
intelligence as any other continent around the world so we’re looking for
around the world so we’re looking for
around the world so we’re looking for geniuses one in a thousand people has
geniuses one in a thousand people has
geniuses one in a thousand people has that level of intelligence that you
that level of intelligence that you
that level of intelligence that you might call a genius in the African
might call a genius in the African
might call a genius in the African context that means that there are
context that means that there are
context that means that there are 500,000 young people who were there
500,000 young people who were there
500,000 young people who were there anywhere in the world would be
anywhere in the world would be
anywhere in the world would be classified as genius and there are
classified as genius and there are
classified as genius and there are 500,000 of them in spread across the
500,000 of them in spread across the
500,000 of them in spread across the African continent I’m not feeling the
African continent I’m not feeling the
African continent I’m not feeling the presence of 500,000 geniuses across the
presence of 500,000 geniuses across the
presence of 500,000 geniuses across the continent I don’t know where they are
continent I don’t know where they are
continent I don’t know where they are and I don’t know what they’re doing and
and I don’t know what they’re doing and
and I don’t know what they’re doing and how they’re being leveraged and if we
how they’re being leveraged and if we
how they’re being leveraged and if we push it even further up to iearn Stein
push it even further up to iearn Stein
push it even further up to iearn Stein level of intelligence someone told me
level of intelligence someone told me
level of intelligence someone told me that you would have to look for one
that you would have to look for one
that you would have to look for one person in 25,000 in order to find
person in 25,000 in order to find
person in 25,000 in order to find someone with that level of intelligence
someone with that level of intelligence
someone with that level of intelligence that means in Africa there are 20,000
that means in Africa there are 20,000
that means in Africa there are 20,000 children today across the continent with
children today across the continent with
children today across the continent with Einstein level of intelligence do you
Einstein level of intelligence do you
Einstein level of intelligence do you know their names do you know where they
know their names do you know where they
know their names do you know where they are what they’re doing with that
are what they’re doing with that
are what they’re doing with that astonishing level of intelligence
astonishing level of intelligence
astonishing level of intelligence imagine being born in a village in a
imagine being born in a village in a
imagine being born in a village in a Township on the edge of a city and you
Township on the edge of a city and you
Township on the edge of a city and you have that sort of brain power but you
have that sort of brain power but you
have that sort of brain power but you don’t have the resources you don’t have
don’t have the resources you don’t have
don’t have the resources you don’t have the opportunity to use it how must that
the opportunity to use it how must that
the opportunity to use it how must that feel you know somebody needs to be
feel you know somebody needs to be
feel you know somebody needs to be looking for those young people and needs
looking for those young people and needs
looking for those young people and needs to be developing them and that is what
to be developing them and that is what
to be developing them and that is what I’m doing I am looking for those young
I’m doing I am looking for those young
I’m doing I am looking for those young people with that astonishing level of
people with that astonishing level of
people with that astonishing level of intelligence and I’m trying to give them
intelligence and I’m trying to give them
intelligence and I’m trying to give them the opportunities to use that to make
the opportunities to use that to make
the opportunities to use that to make changes across the continent those young
changes across the continent those young
changes across the continent those young people are my butterflies those are the
people are my butterflies those are the
people are my butterflies those are the ones that I am determined to find and
ones that I am determined to find and
ones that I am determined to find and I’m determined to take them into
I’m determined to take them into
I’m determined to take them into programs to develop them and I’m
programs to develop them and I’m
programs to develop them and I’m determined that they will just have the
determined that they will just have the
determined that they will just have the opportunity I can unleash them and
opportunity I can unleash them and
opportunity I can unleash them and they’ll have the opportunity to flap
they’ll have the opportunity to flap
they’ll have the opportunity to flap their wings and cause a ripple of change
their wings and cause a ripple of change
their wings and cause a ripple of change across the continent I am not really a
across the continent I am not really a
across the continent I am not really a theoretical guy I’m someone who has an
theoretical guy I’m someone who has an
theoretical guy I’m someone who has an idea and then tries to put it into
idea and then tries to put it into
idea and then tries to put it into action so I have created a school the
action so I have created a school the
action so I have created a school the Africa Science Academy for girls to
Africa Science Academy for girls to
Africa Science Academy for girls to study science and maths we opened it
study science and maths we opened it
study science and maths we opened it last year the school is designed
last year the school is designed
last year the school is designed specifically for young women from across
specifically for young women from across
specifically for young women from across the continent to come to the school and
the continent to come to the school and
the continent to come to the school and focus their attention on their passion
focus their attention on their passion
focus their attention on their passion for science and maths the school is in
for science and maths the school is in
for science and maths the school is in Ghana but we have young people young
Ghana but we have young people young
Ghana but we have young people young women they’re from across the continent
women they’re from across the continent
women they’re from across the continent from Ghana from Nigeria from Sierra
from Ghana from Nigeria from Sierra
from Ghana from Nigeria from Sierra Leone from Cameroon Ethiopia Uganda and
Leone from Cameroon Ethiopia Uganda and
Leone from Cameroon Ethiopia Uganda and we’re scouring the continent for other
we’re scouring the continent for other
we’re scouring the continent for other young women like this and these are
young women like this and these are
young women like this and these are brilliant young women they come to our
brilliant young women they come to our
brilliant young women they come to our College they don’t have to worry about
College they don’t have to worry about
College they don’t have to worry about fees we take care of all the fees so
fees we take care of all the fees so
fees we take care of all the fees so they have nothing to think about from a
they have nothing to think about from a
they have nothing to think about from a financial point of view they just focus
financial point of view they just focus
financial point of view they just focus on the educational opportunity and they
on the educational opportunity and they
on the educational opportunity and they study hard sciences they come to study
study hard sciences they come to study
study hard sciences they come to study maths further maths and physics at
maths further maths and physics at
maths further maths and physics at a-level standard and they do maths
a-level standard and they do maths
a-level standard and they do maths further maths physics at a-level in one
further maths physics at a-level in one
further maths physics at a-level in one year instead of the usual two
year instead of the usual two
year instead of the usual two is because they are extremely bright
is because they are extremely bright
is because they are extremely bright extremely impressive young women and
extremely impressive young women and
extremely impressive young women and outside of their core subjects they
outside of their core subjects they
outside of their core subjects they study a whole range of other things as
study a whole range of other things as
study a whole range of other things as well from computing to Chinese they read
well from computing to Chinese they read
well from computing to Chinese they read fiction to feminism we develop them as
fiction to feminism we develop them as
fiction to feminism we develop them as young women how to express themselves
young women how to express themselves
young women how to express themselves how to think how to argue how to explore
how to think how to argue how to explore
how to think how to argue how to explore and then our aim is to unleash them on
and then our aim is to unleash them on
and then our aim is to unleash them on the world and let’s see the ripples that
the world and let’s see the ripples that
the world and let’s see the ripples that they caused back to the question how
they caused back to the question how
they caused back to the question how many girls does it take to change the
many girls does it take to change the
many girls does it take to change the African continent
African continent
African continent one one girl with a passion for science
one one girl with a passion for science
one one girl with a passion for science and with the opportunities and the
and with the opportunities and the
and with the opportunities and the resources to really make use of that
resources to really make use of that
resources to really make use of that passion unleash it on the world flap
passion unleash it on the world flap
passion unleash it on the world flap their wings and cause ripples across the
their wings and cause ripples across the
their wings and cause ripples across the continent and this is what she looks
continent and this is what she looks
continent and this is what she looks like
like
like thank you very much
thank you very much
thank you very much [Applause]
”
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