Falling Walls Engage Pitches – Session 3: Empowering People to Explore Earth and Beyond

Claudio was born and raised in Chile. He is a creative advisor for the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR); for the Chilean Agency for Food Safety (ACHIPIA) and Professor at the University of Valparaiso in the chair of creativity and innovation for public policy. He developed the trust generation model for risk communication, creating more than 20 educational tools including Concierto Sentido and Los Frutantes, as well as games, plays, stories and comics. With 20 years of experience in developing communication strategies, Claudio is curious by nature and a collector of rare facts and new/old music. He says he loves to create ways to communicate science, using all the elements that feed the imagination: music, art, humor, games, literature and more. Supporting and creating new tools for science communication anywhere in the world is not only a wonderful challenge for him, but also one of his passions.

Kelly Achenbach is the communication officer for the COESO (Collaborative Engagement on Societal Issues) project at Germany’s Max Weber Foundation, which promotes humanities research at 11 institutes around the globe. After years of advocating for at-risk populations through projects at NGOs and educational institutions (mostly in California), Kelly is convinced of the need for community leaders and researchers to navigate complex societal issues together. She loves applying knowledge from her studies in Communications (BA) and Linguistics (MA) to support synergizing for the greater good.

I am a marine ecologist and Professor in Marine Conservation Biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. My research focuses on the causes and consequences of changes in marine biodiversity and conservation on a global scale, particularly regarding fishing, climate change, and ocean ecosystems. I also work on solutions for rebuilding marine life and advancing policies to prevent further loss of marine biodiversity worldwide. With over 25 years of science communication experience, I am the Founder and Scientific Director of Ocean School, an online learning resource for teachers and students in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada. I am also the Ambassador for Ocean Literacy at the Ocean Frontier Institute and teach a class on science communication and leadership.

Kelechi Ezeudensi is a Clinical Neurophysiologist and an Academic staff at the College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nnewi Campus, Nigeria. She holds a B.Sc in Human Physiology and an M.Sc in Neuroimaging. With years of clinical practice and research experience in Neuroscience, Ezeudensi is dedicated to her goal of healing people without conventional drugs, rooting in her personal experience as a victim of misconception around childhood convulsions/seizures and the emotional trauma associated with it.
She leads the Neuro-G project, an initiative from Ganop Community Outreach, advocating against neurological disorders like Seizures/Epilepsy in rural communities. Her mission emphasizes proper diagnosis, understanding, and preventive measures for overall wellness.

Andrew Mills is a passionate science communicator with a PhD in Psychology from the University of Otago. Currently part of Tūhura Otago Museum’s Science Engagement Team, Andrew helps coordinate science outreach efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand and into the Pacific.

In his role, Andrew strives to make complex concepts in science, research, and technology more accessible through hands-on demonstrations and interactives. He collaborates with indigenous experts, industry professionals, and science researchers—weaving together specialised knowledge for audiences of all ages.

Smart Israel is a social innovator and United Nations Millennium fellow. He is the founder of One-Child Africa, a leading STEAM organization offering informal science education to children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in Rwanda using board games as a framework. Smart is enthusiastic about using innovative approaches to transform the world while empowering the next generation by closing the gender gap in S.T.E.M. and reducing inequity among children in rural areas. Smart is an internationally recognized, award-winning innovator. He has also been recognized as a Top 3% Global Talent in Innovation by Hult. Smart has a background in Software Engineering and is passionate about using his skills and experience to drive positive change in his community and beyond.

Anna Voelker (they/them) is the founder and Executive Director of SciAccess, Inc., an international nonprofit promoting disability inclusion in STEM education and research. Through SciAccess, Anna leads programs like AstroAccess, focused on disability inclusion in space exploration. AstroAccess Ambassadors have conducted research on five Zero-G flights, breaking barriers for Disabled astronauts in space. Anna specializes in accessible science outreach and public speaking, delivering presentations on space science accessibility across continents. They were named a 2018 Brooke Owens Fellow and 2021 Future Space Leader, and Held positions at various renowned institutions, including NASA centers, leading universities, and influential astronomical organizations.