20 INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS, 5 MINUTES EACH
For the 6th time, Falling Walls Engage and the Robert Bosch Stiftung put a spotlight on the most inspiring Science Engagement projects worldwide. The 20 Winners in the Science Engagement category are invited to present their 5-minute project to an international audience and a distinguished jury. Join us to discover the most inspiring initiatives breaking the walls between science and society, including vaccine engagement, art of movement, student solutions to SDGs, citizen water and soil monitoring, STEM initiatives and collaboration projects for children and adults with disabilities.
On 7 November in a joint Award Ceremony with Falling Walls Lab (Emerging Talents) and Falling Walls Venture (Science Start-Ups), the title of “Falling Walls 2023 Breakthrough of the Year in the Science Engagement category” will be awarded to the best initiative. On 9 November, this Awardee and the other 9 Awardees of Science Breakthroughs of the Year will present on the grand stage of the Falling Walls Science Summit.
As the global platform for Science Engagement, Falling Walls Engage is hosted by the Falling Walls Foundation in cooperation with the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
In 5-minute pitches, each of the 20 international Falling Walls Engage winners will present their inspiring initiatives breaking the walls between science and society.
Sharon Unsworth is a language scientist at Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, where she researches the language development of bilingual children. She is the Scientific Director of Kletskoppen, an initiative which she set up in 2017 together with colleagues at Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. Sharon feels a strong sense of responsibility to share the insights obtained through scientific research with a broader public, and as a first-generation student herself she is keen to encourage all children to engage with science, no matter their background. Sharon is also the host and maker of the podcast Kletsheads, a spin-off project from Kletskoppen. Kletsheads is a podcast about bilingual children for parents, teachers, and speech language therapists, and is available in both English and Dutch.
Archie Forpoh is a social entrepreneur and STEM Education Advocate. He is the founder of Innoignite, a youth network advancing STEM Education in underserved communities, to diversify the next generation of change-makers innovating for social good. He holds a STEM credential as a Master STEM Trainer from STEM.org. He is also the Transfer Multisort Elektronik – TME Education and the Next Einstein Forum – NEF Ambassador in Liberia, promoting electronics and STEM-related activities. Archie has received several awards, including being voted as one of the top ten finalists of the “Momo Heroes of Change” in 2023. He is passionate about education, innovation, technology, community volunteerism, inclusion, and advocacy.
Julián Amorín, Director and Founder of Ciencia Sin Fronteras, an organization that creatively teaches science via engaging demonstrations. With a background in Biological Chemistry and certification in Biomedical Engineering, he is passionate about spreading scientific knowledge. Transitioning from conventional lectures, he identified the need for a more captivating approach to stimulate STEM interest,so he initiated “Dr. Demo’s Laboratory-Science Show” 25 years ago. Through captivating scientific demonstrations, he became the pioneer of science communication in Guatemala, impacting thousands of children, youth, and adults across the region through in-person, virtual, and televised presentations.
Yamilée Toussaint is the Founder & CEO of STEM From Dance, which empowers girls with the skills, experiences, and confidence to pursue careers in STEM through the transformative power of dance. Combining her background in engineering, education, and a lifelong passion for dance, she started the program in 2012 to inspire girls of color to pursue STEM careers. Yamilée holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a M.S. in Teaching from Pace University. She has earned her numerous accolades, including Teach For America’s Social Innovation Award and AnitaB.org’s Educational Innovation Award.
Nkosana is an accomplished educator and visionary leader in STEM education. With a passion for transforming the lives of young learners, he founded Sciency, a groundbreaking company that aims to revolutionize STEM education and empower students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the modern world, particularly in underserved communities. As a qualified teacher, he understands the challenges faced by science students and educators. Sciency offers practical STEM and Robotics education for students as young as 6 years old, aiming to empower them with skills and confidence. Nkosana was honored with the Global Citizen/Cisco Youth Leadership award in 2023, recognizing his outstanding contributions to STEM education and commitment to addressing educational inequalities.
Bob Christer is the Programme Manager for SENsory Atelier, a theatre maker, educator and project manager with an interest in developing others through creative practice. Bob is constantly curious about the synergies between different methodologies in arts, education and beyond, and how they can be best utilised to provide equitable access for all. Bob’s practice spans 20 years of arts in education work, as well as producing the 14/48 Theatre Festivals in the UK.
