Physical Sciences

The Falling Walls Global Call is an international competition format that brings together science enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds. We are looking for the most recent and innovative Breakthroughs of the Year! We encourage and invite nominations and applications from all over the world. To help make the Falling Walls Science Summit 2023 the celebration that excellent science deserves, we launch the Falling Walls Global Call each year.

Nominations open 1 March and close 15 May 2023 (extended from 1 May).

Nominations for the Science Breakthrough of the Year may be initiated by leading academics and academic institutions, universities, research organizations, companies, private and public research centres, academies, research funders, foundations, and individuals to nominate the latest breakthroughs in Physical Sciences. Self-nominations are accepted. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email. We are happy to help.

In the Physical Sciences category, we are looking for internationally recognised, established academics, and leaders in the observation and understanding of natural phenomena of the earth, atmosphere and space (e.g. chemistry, physics, astronomy), whose groundbreaking work contributes towards solving the world’s biggest challenges.

We are looking for individual scientists as well as research groups of outstanding quality who

• have made excellent, ground-breaking, recent achievements in their respective fields, nationally and internationally, and who stand out for their innovative strength;

• promise to have a significant long-term impact on the research landscape and to contribute towards solving global challenges, such as having a positive effect on nature and humanity, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals;

• translate scientific topics and their complexities in a way that makes them accessible and attractive to large sections of society.

Nominations will be considered and evaluated within the category, but their potential for interdisciplinary problem-solving will also be assessed.

Self-nominations are accepted. To submit your own project, please run through the nomination process on our online platform. You will receive an email to confirm your nomination in order to give detailed information on your project.

Please note that submissions must be completed in English.

• Your work will be presented to a distinguished Jury and will get international visibility.

• Be a part of the Falling Walls network and interact with a wide range of decision-makers, innovators and emerging talents from all over the world. Join an interdisciplinary community that is committed to bringing down barriers to address common challenges.

• If chosen as one of the 10 winners in Physical Sciences, you will have the opportunity to participate in the Physical Sciences Symposium at the Falling Walls Science Summit on 8 November 2023. 

• Get the opportunity to enjoy the Falling Walls Science Summit 2023, a three-day conference with inspiring keynotes, discussions, and exciting pitches. Be part of a community of the most important researchers and thinkers of our time and discuss breakthroughs with global leaders in science, politics, business, and the media.

• Take your chance to become the Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year in Physical Sciences and present your breakthrough work to a global audience on 9 November 2023 on our stage at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin.

We will use our expertise and years of experience in science communication to help make your research accessible and engaging to a wide audience, and to highlight its impact on society.

STEP 1 – NOMINATION

Leading actors in science and academia worldwide nominate individual scientists or research groups by submitting a nomination form via our online platform by 15 May 2023. Nominated candidates will be contacted directly and asked to submit further details. Self-nomination is accepted.

STEP 2 – 30 FINALISTS

Submissions that meet the standard requirements will be evaluated by a shortlisting jury and the jury chair using our selection criteria (see below) to agree on a list of 30 finalists, who will be officially announced on our website in mid-June. 

STEP 3 – 10 WINNERS

Our distinguished jury for Physical Sciences, chaired by Ian Walmsley, will evaluate all finalist applications based on the selection criteria and choose ten winners. The ten winners will be released in mid-August.

STEP 4  THE FALLING WALLS SCIENCE BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR

The respective juries will select the Science Breakthroughs of the Year from the winners of each category. On 9 November, the anniversary of the peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall, the Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2023 will take up the stage at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin.

We are specifically looking for projects that address global challenges and represent scientific knowledge in an innovative way. Falling Walls always encourages interdisciplinary approaches to science and seeks outstanding scientists as well as research groups. The four selection criteria are:

• Breakthrough Potential: How much of a paradigm shift does the research represent? Are there excellent, ground-breaking, recent achievements in their respective fields, nationally and internationally?

• Level of Innovation: How new and original is this idea?

• Societal Relevance: How significant is the research for society today and in the future? Is there a positive effect on nature and humanity, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals?

• Academic Excellence: Is the research of outstanding quality and is it likely to have a significant long-term impact on the research landscape and to contribute towards solving global challenges? Is the research able to translate scientific topics and their complexities in a way that makes them accessible and attractive to large sections of society?

Each evaluation criterion is considered proportionally. Nominations and Self-nominations will be considered and evaluated within the category, but their potential for interdisciplinary problem-solving will also be assessed.

The Falling Walls Science Summit takes place in Berlin.

Save the date: 7 – 9 November 2023.

7 November

FALLING WALLS PITCHES

A day of live pitches in the following categories: 

• Emerging Talents (Falling Walls Lab) for the next generation of outstanding innovators; 
• Science Engagement (Falling Walls Engage) for inspiring science engagers; Science Start-Ups (Falling Walls Venture) for the science start-up community.

8 November

FALLING WALLS CIRCLE

Our format to connect science and society. Researchers, policymakers, business leaders, and society discuss the biggest challenges we face and the foresight that scientific breakthroughs can offer.

9 November 

BREAKTHROUGH DAY

On 9 November, the anniversary of the peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall, the Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2023 will take up the stage at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin.

If you have any questions about the Nomination and the Self-nomination process, please contact us via email.