Finalists 2021
The value of breakthrough research has hardly ever been more evident as it is the groundbreaking work of scientists that will allow us to overcome the pandemic. These Finalists qualify for the title of Science Breakthrough of the Year, which is awarded in all ten categories, from Life Sciences to Science Engagement.
Click on a category below to learn more about the corresponding Finalists.
Life Sciences
Alexandra Klein, University of Freiburg
Cynthia Sharma & Chase Beisel, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg / Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
David Muller, Cornell University
Daniela Kaufer, University of California, Berkeley
Eleftheria Zeggini, Helmholtz Munich
Tobias Marschall, Heinrich Heine University
Florian Ingo Schmidt, University of Bonn
Frank Buchholz, TU Dresden
Francesco Stellacci, Ecole Polytechnic Fédérale de Lausanne
Heiko Lickert, Helmholtz Munich
Hesham Sallam, American University in Cairo
Heli Skottman, Tampere University
Janis Taube & Alex Szalay, Johns Hopkins
Jordi Bascompte, University of Zurich
Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Jeremy Herren, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
José-Alain Sahel, University of Pittsburgh
Jörg Schaller, Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung
Katerina Harvati, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Kevan Shokat, University of California, San Francisco
Martin Fussenegger, ETH Zurich
Martin Wikelski, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Mario Murakami, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials
Markus Sauer, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Patrick Cramer, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
Paola Picotti, ETH Zurich
Paul Tesar, Case Western Reserve University
Pamela Ronald, University of California, Davis
Thomas Hildebrandt, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research
Yasuhiro Tsujimoto, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
You want to learn more about the Life Sciences category? Click on the button below.
Physical Sciences
Meet our Physical Sciences Finalists
Bernd Schmidt, HHU Düsseldorf
Chao-Yang Lu & Jian-Wei Pan, University of Science and Technology of China
Chris Polly, Fermilab
Christian Ospelkaus, Leibniz Universität Hannover
Daniel Müller, European Space Agency
Elham Fadaly, Eindhoven University of Technology
Hui Cao, Yale University
Immanuel Bloch, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich
Janine George, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM)
Johann Philipp Klages, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research
Juan Ignacio Cirac, Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
Karl Leo, TU Dresden
Laura Baudis, University of Zurich
Leo Gross, IBM Research – Zurich
Lydéric Bocquet, CNRS
Markus Kraft, University of Cambridge
Martina Havenith, Ruhr University Bochum
Michael Manfra, Purdue University
Pablo Alonso González, Universidad de Oviedo
Patrick Hemberger, Paul Scherrer Institute
Peter Hommelhoff, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg
Phil De Luna, National Research Council
Philipp Adelhelm, Humboldt-University Berlin
Philippe Schwaller, IBM Research – Europe
Reinhard Doerner, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main
Ron Folman, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Rony Keppens, KU Leuven
Selim Jochim, Heidelberg University
Sigurdur Gislason, University of Iceland
Yafang Cheng, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
You want to learn more about the Physical Sciences category? Click on the button below.
Engineering and Technology
Meet our Engineering and Technology Finalists
Bram Vanderborght, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and imec
Chiharu Tokoro, Waseda University
Christian Pflaum, Ceramic Data Solutions
Christopher Bahl, Institute for Protein Innovation
Daniel Hurtado, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
Daniel Ahmed, ETH Zurich
David Pointcheval, CNRS
Diego Ghezzi, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Francesca Santoro, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Geoffrey Spinks, University of Wollongong
Huanyu Cheng, The Pennsylvania State University
Huiming Bu, IBM Research
Igor Bargatin, University of Pennsylvania
Joaquin Silvestre-Albero, University of Alicante
Jiangang Li, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jose Capmany, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia
Jung-Ho Lee, Hanyang University
Laura De Laporte, DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials
Leonardo Gutierrez, Universidad Del Pacifico (Pacific University)
Maximilian Karl, Volkswagen AG
Monica Gori, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Oliver Schmidt, Leibniz IFW Dresden
Tal Ben-Nun, ETH Zurich
Thomas Maschmeyer, The University of Sydney
Siegfried Waldvogel, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Stanisa Raspopovic, ETH Zurich
Stelian Coros, ETH Zurich
Warwick Bowen, The University of Queensland
Xiaodong Chen, Nanyang Technological University
Yonggang Wen, Nanyang Technological University
You want to learn more about the Engineering and Technology category? Click on the button below.
Social Sciences and Humanities
Meet our social Sciences and humanities Finalists
Albena Azmanova, University of Kent
Andrea Büchler, University of Zurich
Andrea Nanetti, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Anna Lembke, Stanford University
Bo Rothstein, University of Gothenburg
Chris Bail, Duke University
Dan Breznitz, University of Toronto
David Rand, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dilip Menon, University of Witwatersrand
Dina Pomeranz, University of Zurich
Elena Esposito, Bielefeld University
Felix Ekardt, Research Unit Sustainability and Climate Policy
Gabor Simonovits, Central European University
Janina Steinert, Technical University of Munich
Johannes Preiser-Kapeller, Austrian Academy of Sciences
Koray Caliskan, The New School
Lyle Fearnley, Singapore University of Technology and Design
Mark Graham, University of Oxford
Markus Schläpfer, ETH Zurich
Mette High, University of St Andrews
Michela Massimi, University of Edinburgh
Michele Lamont, Harvard University
Mihaly Fazekas, Central European University
Naomi Oreskes, Harvard University
Peter Katzenstein, Cornell
Peter Turchin, University of Connecticut
Philip Howard, University of Oxford
Sabina Leonelli, University of Exeter
Stefan Bouzarovski, University of Manchester
Sven Beckert, Harvard University
You want to learn more about the Social Sciences and Humanities category? Click on the button below.
Art and Science
Meet our Art and Science Finalists
Anna Dumitriu, University of Hertfordshire and Brighton / Sussex Medical School
David Ibbett, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Derek Curry & Jennifer Gradecki, Northeastern University
Doris Sung, University of Southern California / DOSU Studio Architecture
Gerhard Widmer, Johannes Kepler University Linz
Gjino Šutić & Maja Smrekar, Universal Research Institute
Gloria Benedikt, Institute for Human Sciences (IWM)
Haseeb Ahmed, Harlan Levey Projects
Jiabao Li, Harvard University / Apple
Julie Dorsey, Yale University / Mental Canvas, Inc.
Masaaki Miyasako, Tokyo University of the Arts
Melissa Dubbin & Aaron S. Davidson, Pratt Institute / The New School
Michael Schultheis, Michael Schultheis Art, LLC
Michael Sedbon, Studio Michael Sedbon
Paul Vanouse, University at Buffalo
Pei-Ying Lin, Garden of Forking Paths
Rasa Smite & Raitis Smits, RIXC Art Science Center
Robert Lisek, Institute of Advanced Study CEU
Theodore Spyropoulos, Minimaforms
Ursula Damm, Bauhaus Universität Weimar
Xin Liu, slow immediate LLC / MIY Media Lab
You want to learn more about the Art and Science category? Click on the button below.
Future Learning
Meet our Future Learning Finalists
Alfred Senesie, Sierra World Of Experience
Alina Loth, University of Cambridge / Berlin School of Public Engagement and Open Science
Ana Maria Londoño, Rivera EAFIT Children’s University
Andrea Giovani, OKPROF
Andrea Carolina Castillo Piedra, Amankai
Antonio Canchola, Repositorio Latinoamericano de Convocatorias Educativas
Apurva Ashok, The Rebus Foundation
Armen Kroyan, intelino
Aurea Bonitez, San Mateo National High School
Beatriz Burg Viana, Independent
Bill Thompson, Young Storytellers
Brad Turner, Benetech (Beneficent Technology Inc)
Catherine Gladwell, Jigsaw Consult
Chinaza Nwanekezie, Mater Amabilis Sec Sch Umuoji Anambra state Nigeria
Chris Richmond Nzi, Mygrants S.r.l. S.B.
Christian Franck, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich)
Claire Mongeau, M-Shule
David Blair, University of Western Australia
David Berg, ImBlaze (Big Picture Learning)
Despoina Korentini, Hellenic Mensa
Eric Vondee, My Home Teacher
Gabriella Holm, Kognity
George Cowell, Rising Academy Network
Gilson Schwartz, University of São Paulo
Ginie Servant-Miklos, Erasmus University College
Heike Wendt, Institute of Education Research and Teacher Education
Hussam Elbehiery, Vanrige University
Iris Grze, Technische Universität Wien
Jaap Versfelt, Stichting leerKRACHT
Janine Geijsen, SpaceBuzz Foundation
Jean Greyling, Nelson Mandela University
Jigyasa Labroo, Slam Out Loud
Jim Stigler, CourseKata / UCLA
Jimmy Masagca, PACIFICTECH RTIC CESSE, Inc. / BIOME
Josh Schachter, CommunityShare
Jovanna Nathalie Cervantes Guzman, Universidad de Guadalajara / Atellier Organic
Kari Jordan, The Carpentries
Karl Rectanus, Learn Platform
Katanga Lidaou Ambroise, PEA 3.0
Kenji Suzuki, University of Tsukuba
Kgomotso Phatsima, Dare to Dream Foundation
Lee Chazen, Glider Cell
Lennart Moheit, Technical University Munich / Deutsche Bahn AG
Lindsey Hendricks-Franco, Newton Room gGmbH
Luciano Zickler Paz, SaveDopamine
Marco Winzker, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
Mariia Plotkina, Geek Teachers
Max Louwerse, Tilburg University
Maxie Großmann, Andreas Vogl, Waya Shirkan, Freie Universität Berlin
Melanie van Halteren, CoVince Innovations B.V.
Mohammed Abagissa, Jimma University Institute of Technology
Moses Osabutey, Ghana Communications Technology University
Nuru Luhindi, Little Innovators School
Pierre Dillenbourg, EPFL
Pihla Meskanen, Arkki International Ltd
Ravi Sreenath, Accelerated Learning
Remy Gakwaya, Technology Learning And Building Solutions (takenoLAB)
Rob Houben, Agora Roermond
Rosakebia Liliana Estela Mendoza, Nona 911
Sabrina Konzok, Kiron Digital Learning Solutions GmbH
Shahid Rehman, Gojri Language and Culture Society
Shogo Fukushima, The University of Tokyo
Sunny Yang, International City Wanderer Education Association
Tariq Fancy, The Rumie Initiative
Tatsuya Honda, Fujitsu Limited
Trace Pickering, Iowa BIG
Tshering Nidup, The Royal Academy
Vaishali Sharma, Young Tinker Academy
Vanessa Domingues Silva, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz
Wayne Mackintosh, OER Foundation
Willy Dumaz, Büro für Sinn und Unsinn GbR
You want to learn more about the Future Learning category? Click on the button below.
Science and Innovation Management
Meet our Science and innovation Management Finalists
Alexander Newman, Deakin University
Alexandra Negoescu, i²c STARTacademy
Alexandre Nussem, EIRMA – European Industrial Research Management Association
Anita Schjøll Brede, Iris.ai
Barbara Gray, Pennsylvania State University
Benjamin Miles, Spin Up Science
Clement Lim, Roche Pharma
Dashun Wang, Northwestern University
David Hart, University of Maine
Evrim Bunn, U.S Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate
Fernando Ariel Garcia Terron, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
Gisbert Schneider, ETH Zurich
Gordon McBean, Western University / Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction
Jennifer Smith, City of Guelph
Johan Schot, Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium (TIPC)
Jonathan Wareham, ESADE
Jörg Becker, University of Muenster
Joyce Ngugo, Eider Africa
Ludovic Thilly, University of Poitiers
Nir Hindi, The Artian
Norbert Francois Tchouaffe Tchiadje, University of Dschang
Run-Wei Li, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
Sebastien Charles, PosterLab
Shamima Lasker, Shahabuddin Medical College (SMC)
Thomas Lemberger, EMBO
Thomas Schildhauer, Alexander von Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft
Wendy Smith, University of Delaware
Xiaolan Fu, University of Oxford
You want to learn more about the Science and Innovation Management category? Click on the button below.
Science Start-Ups / Falling Walls Venture
Meet our Science Start-Ups / Falling Walls Venture Finalists
You want to learn more about the Science Start-Ups category / Falling Walls Venture? Click on the button below.
Science Engagement / Falling Walls Engage
Meet our Science Engagement / Falling Walls Engage Finalists
Aris Larroder, Pagwaragwag: A Community-Based Science Research Presentation, Philippines
Aditi Chandra, Nisaba Education, India
Anastasia Koch, EH!WOZA, South Africa
Ana Karen Ramirez, Epic Queen, Mexico
Attila Szantner, Massively Multiplayer Online Science (MMOS), Switzerland
Alexandra Borisova, ‘People of Science’: Russian National Citizen Science Platform, Russia
Asha Wijegunawardana, Community-Based Leishmaniasis Research, Sri Lanka
Antonio Mendoza, Tecnonautas, Bolivia
AnnMarie Thomas, OK Go Sandbox, United States
Bob Christer, Little Inventors in Space, United Kingdom
Bentley Crudgington, Vector, United Kingdom
Chris Manion, The Ideas Fund, United Kingdom
Doreen Agaba, Cultural Astronomy in Uganda’s Refugee Settlements, Uganda
Demian Nahuel Goos, Intercultural Science-Art Project, Argentina
Francesca Gale, Genome Decoders, United Kingdom
Fatemeh Bonyadi, Soha, Iran
Gabriela de la Torre, Programa Adopte un Talento (PAUTA), Mexico
Gintė Jokubaitienė, Alice in the Wonderland of Science, Lithuania
Ilídio André Costa, CoAstro, Portugal
Ily Iskandar, Virus Hunter, Malaysia
Jacqueline Goldin, Diamonds on the Soles of Their Feet, South Africa
Jahnavi Phalkey, CONTAGION, India
Judy Baariu, Difu Simo – A Mental Health Campaign in Kilify County, Kenya
Joana Moscoso, Native Scientist, United Kingdom
Kyerewaa Boateng, Docu-Drama to Engage Deaf Students, Ghana
Lala Rukh Fazal-Ur-Rahman, Science Fuse, Pakistan
Lindsay Keith, SMASHfestUK, United Kingdom
Madelaine Rojas, Innovation in Space Science Learning Project, Panama
Mark Ivan Roblas, Pinoy Science on TikTok, Philippines
Michael Kasumovic, Arludo, Australia
Mohammed Zaid, LYBOTICS, Libya
Mónica Feliú-Mójer, Aquí Nos Cuidamos, Puerto Rico
Muriel Grenon, Cell Explorers, Ireland
Nathalie Pettorelli, Soapbox Science, United Kingdom
Noema Gajdoš Kmecová, Mačkast – The first Slovak Podast about the Science of Cats, Slovakia
Oscar Contreras-Villarroel, ConCiencia Mobile Labs, Chile
Raphaela Kaisler, Ideenbox (Ideas Box), Austria
Rolando Alberto Rodriguez Fonseca, Disease-Hunters: Digital Theater and Citizen Conversatory, Mexico
Rodrigo de Abreu, Lab in a Box – Future with Science, Portugal
Sarah Bannister, Third Sock from the Sun, Canada
Sara Niksic, Canticum Megapterae – Song of the Humpback Whale, Croatia
Sakiratou Karimou M., Youths in Renewable Energy (VERT-MONDE ONG), Benin
Servan Luciano Grüninger, The Franxini Project, Switzerland
Stanley Anigbogu, Stem4Her, Nigeria
Stephane Kenmoe, MAKING SCIENCE THE STAR, Cameroon
Salma Newegy, AAST Robotics Club, Egypt
Thomas Tagoe, Evolution of Science, Ghana
Tomas Mejzlik, FabLab Experience, Czech Republic
Theo Anagnostopoulos, Celebrity Science, Greece
Yisalemush Asefa, 10+10+30 Radio Project for the Promotion of Childhood Vaccination, Ethiopia
You want to learn more about the Science Engagement category / Falling Walls Engage? Click on the button below.