How to Future Proof Small Towns with Innovation | Wei Li | TEDxTAMU

Dr. Wei Li presents fascinating statistics regarding small towns. He discusses bringing innovation to small towns through a repeating cycle. Dr. Wei Li is an Associate Professor of Urban Planning at Texas A&M University. He is committed to research, education, and service activities that lead to smart solutions for challenges faced by underserved communities and underprivileged populations. In 2019, he received the Distinguished Achievement Award from Texas A&M University and the Association of Former Students. Since 1955, the Distinguished Achievement Awards have been awarded to those who exhibit the highest standards of excellence at Texas A&M. Since 2019, funded by the W.M. Keck Foundation, Dr. Li's pedagogical model called ENDEAVR has trained over 200 Texas A&M students from 10 different majors. Dr. Li is also an inspirational social entrepreneur. In 2020, he founded ENDEAVR Institute, a 501c3 public charity dedicated to bringing smart-city technologies to small communities and underprivileged populations. In November 2020, Dr. Li launched ENDEAVRide, a novel “Transport + Telemedicine 2-in-1” service delivered on a self-driving van. The program has become an inspirational model for solving small-town transportation and healthcare problems. Dr. Li's work received the 2021 Smart 50 Award, the 2021 W.K. Kellogg Award for Exemplary Community Engagement, and the 2022 American Planning Association TX Implementation Award. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx