by Christopher Benson
Meet Ross Langdon and Elif Yavuz
This is a story about two of the most inspiring people I have ever heard about. Malaria in Africa may have finally met its match in Dr Elif Yavuz (pronounced ell-EEF yah-VOOZ). Her partner Ross Langdon is the eco-friendliest architect and most uncorporate corporate leader ... you'll see, as you watch his TEDx talk below.
And please don't forget to "Continue with the story ..." below.
Elif Yavuz was born in 1980 in the Netherlands on the Belgian border near Eindhoven. Her parents are Turkish. She graduated in Political Science at Nijmegen, where she was described as the best student her teachers had ever had. She moved to the USA for post-graduate studies at Harvard's School of Public Health. Her research was primarily about treating malaria. The field work for her Harvard research was based in Uganda, where she met and fell in love with Ross Langdon. Colleagues from her time at Harvard call her absolutely brilliant, and is considered one of the brightest students the school had ever had.
After earning a Doctor of Science in Public Health from Harvard in May 2013, she was immediately hired as Senior Vaccine Researcher for the Clinton Foundation in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. She's driven by an intellctual brilliance and a work ethic that seems tireless, striving across many levels in her fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS.
The photo of her above with former President Bill Clinton is from August 2013, providing visual confirmation of her pregnancy: Ross and Elif's first child, due in the second week of October 2013.
Ross Langdon was born on 19 July 1980 in Nubeena, close to the southern tip of Tasmania, holding both Australian and British citizenship. His childhood in rural south-east Tasmania was perhaps a little unusual. Along with his brother and his parents, the Langdon family was self-sufficient, living off the land. At times the family home was no more than a tent. When the time came for him to venture out into the world, he ventured far. Initially studying at the University of Tasmania, he transferred to the University of Sydney. In 2004, he graduated with a Bachelor of Design in Architecture with first class honours and a university medal. He worked for several renowned architects before co-founding two distinct architecture firms, Langdon Reis Architects in London, and Regional Associates, winner of multiple international awards, with offices in Melbourne, London, and Uganda. Alongside his many African community projects, Ross travels widely on the conference circuit. Last February and March for example, in just the space of ten days, he was invited to present a guest lecture at New York's incorrectly named New School on the panel at the 2013 Harvard African Development Conference, and gave a presentation "From Help to Self-Help: Social Engagement through Architecture. On 21 September 2012 he presented a talk at TEDxKrakow in Poland (video below). He shows some aspects of recent projects in Tanzania, Rwnda, and Uganda, and how they have benefited from his chameleon-like paradigm of taking cues and learning from the surroundings. The immense responsibility he carries as an architect shines through in this talk. That responsibility only hints at the true extent and benefit of his work. Ross received the Young Alumni Award for 2010 from the Univrsity of Sydney for his contribution to a new AIDS hospital in Uganda. His contribution was not small. The whole hospital was designed by Ross. He provided his services free of charge.
Watching that TED talk by Ross Langdon had a profound effect on me. I couldn't help thinking we should all aspire to be like Ross. Please at least take a short peek at the video below before continuing with this story.