Dr. Elizabeth Fassman-Beck, the first speaker of Stevens’ first TED Talk, delivered a thought-provoking speech titled, “Looking Up the Downspout: Green Infrastructure for Roof Runoff.” Her speech focused on the problem of excess water buildup experienced during heavy rain in city settings, and a few solutions that she has been working on to combat this overly common issue. She displayed concepts to counter major flooding experienced in cities, including a garden designed to survive on the top of buildings located in the flood-prone cities. These gardens would absorb some of the excess water experienced during heavy rainfall, slowing down the rate at which the water enters the environment below it.
Dr. Fassman-Beck has worked tremendously hard on turning this project from concept to reality. When asked about the amount of time and effort she devoted, she described it as taking “more time than preparing for my “Ph.D.” At 16 years old, she experienced an area of living where people did not have open access to a clean water source. This left a lasting impression on her and inspired her to pursue her career in water treatment, and led her to complete the work and research she was able to showcase.
From Dr. Fassman-Beck’s perspective, she described this speech as a “life changing experience.” Although at first she admittedly felt nervous, she was able to overcome these feelings through the help and support of the audience, who she described as being “mostly familiar faces.” Even when the device used to control the slide transitions malfunctioned, she remained focused and continued on with her segment. Dr. Fassman-Beck stated she felt “exhilarated” and said she could “still hear my speech like a song stuck in your head.” Dr. Fassman-Beck has put an extreme amount of effort into the work that she has conducted and said that she has “taken a lot away from the experience” and hopes that she inspired those who listened.
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