Falling Walls Female Science Talents Falling Walls Science Summit 2023

Women leaders in science, business and society came together at the International Fall Gathering 2023

The second edition of the International Fall Gathering took place on 7-10 November 2023 in Berlin as part of the Falling Walls Science Summit. On this occasion, we invited our 20 Intensive Track Champions 2023 and 4 Women Breakthrough Award Winners to a dynamic week of events, workshops and networking activities with partners, female leaders, role models and young researchers from the Zia network (Zeit für X) and Körber Stiftung.

On 7 November, our flagship event put a spotlight on Gender Parity and Diversity as Accelerators for Social Progress and took place on 7 November at Palais Populaire, with the support of the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft. This was a wonderful opportunity gather our vibrant and interdisciplinary community to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and delve into crucial discussions on gender equality in science, technologies, leadership and diplomacy.

Discover the full programme here.

In the evening, we hosted the inaugural ceremony for the Women Breakthrough Award 2023, a joined initiative of Female Science Talents and the Elsevier Foundation. Together, we celebrated four Women Breakthrough Award Winners for their outstanding research and contributions to gender equality.

Find out more about the award winners’ projects here.

On 8 November, we invited our Intensive Track participants, Zia fellows and other researchers to a Female Science Talents Meet-Up with Siemens. In an intimate setting, early-career talents and distinguished guests had the unique opportunity to network and gain insights into a leading tech-driven company.

More information about the Meet-Up here.

We thank all our participants, speakers, guests and partners for a very successful International Fall Gathering 2023.

Our Speakers

Our Participants

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Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Insights on a Journey into Science

In her keynote, Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Science, outlines the theme of the day – “Gender Parity and Diversity as Catalysts for Social Progress” – combining her experience as a passionate soil scientist with her vision as a female leader in politics. She shares insights into the significant work of the Office of Science, as well as her inspirational journey into science, spanning from her family’s immigration history in the U.S. to her involvement in renowned academic and policy institutions.

How to Lift the Potential of New (Digital) Technologies?

In this panel discussion, we brought together experts Dr. Isabel Skierka (ESMT Berlin), Juliane Beck (University of St. Gallen), and Cat Allman (Digital Science) to explore the theme: “Empowering Social Innovation through Entrepreneurial Research and Bold Female Perspectives: How to Harness the Potential of New (Digital) Technologies?”. Esteemed panelists delve into the current challenges surrounding the design, use, and regulation of emerging technologies, drawing insights from political science, cybersecurity, human rights research, open science as well as industry practices. They emphasize the critical importance of promoting diversity in the tech sector while sharing best practices from their respective domains. The discussion is moderated by Intensive Track Champion 2023 Serena Giardino from the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics.

Mirit Eldor, Gender Equity in Academic Publishing and Health

In her keynote, Mirit Eldor, Chief Strategy Officer at the Elsevier Foundation, showcases the important work of Elsevier for promoting gender equity in academic publishing and health.

International Collaboration & Female Leadership in Science Diplomacy

This panel discussion features distinguished guests Kathryn Boyd (British Embassy Berlin), Dr. Effrosyni Chelioti (Helmholtz Association), Prof. Rana Dajani (Hashemite University), and Prof. Geraldine Rauch (Technical University Berlin). The discussion explores the impact of female leadership in science diplomacy, the importance of infrastructures for international collaboration, and the role of diaspora science networks. This panel is moderated by Intensive Track Champion 2023 Justine Germo Nzweundji from the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies.

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