FALLING WALLS ENGAGE SUCCESS STORIES

At Falling Walls Engage we build and support a global network of Science Engagement practitioners who are committed to sharing knowledge, elevating impact, and sharing best practices for engaging the public in and with science. We aim to foster exchange, co-learning, and co-production that can lead to more effective engagement practices, inspiration, and societal impact in the long term.

We see the value in connecting practitioners from different fields and regions around the world. We consider it a great success to see community members engaging, supporting and even shaping new projects and the development in professional work and project, or visibility, after their involvement with Falling Walls Engage. Some of these stories we would like to tell.

FRONTIERS FOR YOUNG MINDS: "OUR COLLABORATION WITH ENGAGE HAD BROUGHT US, AND WOULD TAKE US, FURTHER THAN WE COULD HAVE EXPECTED"

Science is a Drag: "Our performers share research in ways we can't forget!"

Science Engagement Team-Up – Paving the Way for the Science Engagers of Tomorrow! Lara Elena Kadegge, Katharina Schmidt, Niklas Marzinek, Miléna Salci

Pint of Science: "The network was a big source of inspiration"

Falling Walls Engage Hub Argentina: "Advancing the development of the field"

Science Fuse: "Be inspired by Science Engagement practitioners from around the world"

Native Scientists: "A rare and unique opportunity"

Falling Walls Engage Hub Sweden: "A platform to exchange ideas and best practices"

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here: "It is an opportunity for anybody"

Science-me a Story: "It was a boost of confidence"

Museo del Hongo: "I encountered this hopeful communitarian force that wanted to make the world a better place"

Diamonds on the Soles of their Feet “We have been on a global stage”

FALLING WALLS ENGAGE IMPACT

Since November 2018, the mission of Falling Walls Engage has been to promote Science Engagement initiatives around the world to foster long-lasting exchange and the co-production of transferrable science-based knowledge in order to bridge the gap between science and society.

We have created and highly expanded our Science Engagement global platform with worldwide practitioners, projects and organisations through onboarding and community activities, the Falling Walls Engage Pitches and Hubs, as well as the recently launched World Engagement Map.

“It was really important that Diamonds on the Soles of their Feet was invited to pitch [at the Falling Walls Engage Pitches] as it indicates to donors that we have been on a global stage.”, Jaqui Goldin – Falling Walls Engage Winner 2021

FALLING WALLS ENGAGE REPORTS

Falling Walls Engage Recap 2022

With many impressions, new Engage community members and inputs for the new year, we close the year 2022.

Our Engage community has grown again and thrives as various networks are formed, and multiple barriers to Science Engagement and innovation are broken through collaboration.

In 2022, one of the areas we have focused on at Falling Walls Engage is the challenges of Planetary Health – especially with the formats Falling Walls Engage Hubs and Cascading Debates.

Read the recap of Falling Walls Engage activities and achievements from 2022 here. The main aspects are:

Falling Walls Engage 2022 Achievements & Journey
Project Scouting
Cascading Debates
Falling Walls Engage Hubs
Falling Walls Engage Pitches
Communications
Outlook 2023

Download the Recap here

Evaluation Report 2021

After three years of existence, we have published our first Evaluation Report reflecting on achievements, lessons learned and possible ways forward (October 2021).

Evaluation Report: November 2018 - June 2021

KEY RESULTS

In almost three years of existence, close to 1300 Science Engagement practitioners, projects and organisations were included in our global platform.
We gave visibility to over 500 Science Engagement projects and more than 250 Science Engagement practitioners, as well as over 450 organisations.
In total, four initiatives received the prestigious international “Falling Walls Breakthrough of the Year” award at the Falling Walls Engage Finale. A total of 382 applications from 138 countries have been submitted as part this annual pitch competition.
5 Falling Walls Engage Hubs were launched on 5 continents, with the aim of connecting regional Science Engagement communities with the global Falling Walls Engage platform.
We have been able to foster and empower a growing community of Science Engagement practitioners through more than 30 activities of community building and Science Engagement promotion.
The networking promoted by the Hubs and the Falling Walls Engage Finale led to 32 collaborations established among community members, on the development of existing/new Science Engagement initiatives and exchange of ideas.

Impact of COVID-19 on Science Engagement

Thinking about the impact of COVID-19 in Science Engagement, in order to derive better support approaches to Science Engagement practitioners

The COVID-19 pandemic further increased the relevance of the dialogue between science and society. On one hand, both mistrust in scientific evidence and vaccine hesitancy are obvious reasons why scientific literacy and trust in science are needed. On the other hand, the pandemic also deepened inequalities worldwide, making it crucial to further develop Science Engagement programs that can help educate and empower communities worldwide.

However, also due to the pandemic, the majority of Science Engagement initiatives were forced to shift from physical to online formats, as well as to adapt tools and content to the virtual reality. To have a better insight into the impact of the pandemic in the Science Engagement landscape, as well as to foster the field according to the current challenges and needs, we prepared an open survey that was answered by Science Engagement practitioners from all corners of the world, from diverse Science Engagement areas.

These are the outstanding findings of the survey:

Practitioners identified more interest from the public in science topics in general, but mostly in pandemic-related topics. They observed an increased involvement from doctors and scientists of all career levels in Science Engagement activities.
The pandemic made very clear, for scientists, the relevance and need of speaking about science to the public.
Online initiatives led to worldwide reach, connectivity and collaboration.
Science Engagement practitioners gained more knowledge on interactive media tools.
Online work led to the creation of new Science Engagement initiatives and formats, and enabled reaching out to new target groups.

If we want to know more about the detailed results of the survey, as well as lessons learned and its integration into future activities, click on the button below.

Impact of COVID-19 on Science Engagement