Falling Walls Science Summit 2023: Falling Walls Circle topics and speakers

  • Falling Walls Circle debates and symposia on 8 November from 9 am to 6 pm, Livestream available at falling-walls.com/science-summit/
  • Speakers include Alena Buyx, Akiko Iwasaki, Johan Rockström, Benoit Schillings, Young-Kee Kim, Nicola Blackwood, Darja Isaksson, Tom Kalil, Jodi Halpern, and others.
  • The 2nd Scienceprenership Forum on Founding from Science together with Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation.
  • Download the overview of all Falling Walls Circle topics and speakers below.

Berlin, Germany, 16 October 2023 – Which are the next walls to fall in science and society? On 8 November, at the Falling Walls Science Summit, international decision-makers from science, politics, and business will discuss how interdisciplinary action can help solve the challenges of our time.

In the discussion "Implications of AI for Science: Friend or Foe?" participants will explore the conditions and guidelines under which AI systems can be used in the scientific environment. The director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Johan Rockström will join Lars Peter Riishøjgaard (World Meteorological Organization), Massamba Thioye (UNFCCC) and other experts to explore how climate policy of the future can be made more effective and flexible, and how Open Science can support political action and social mobilization in the process.

At the panel discussion "Precision Prevention in Health: The Power of Genomics", organised by Helmholtz Munich, experts will discuss how genomics and modern technological developments can help to overcome the major challenges of modern healthcare.

The solar energy transition discussion with Rutger Schlatmann (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin), Walburga Hemetsberger (SolarPower Europe), Seth Marder (University of Colorado Boulder, NREL) will explore how the broad-based PV industry can be effective in managing the risks of technology development and overcoming potential barriers to its future competitiveness. The Plenary Table on international scientific collaboration will examine the contribution of transatlantic partnership in vital scientific and technological advancements and explore the complexities and prospects of combined partnerships in various fields, such as quantum computing or semiconductors.

During the discussion dedicated to the development of quantum technologies, the leading experts from academia and industry such as Juan Ignacio Cirac (Max-Planck-Institute for Quantum Optics), Sabrina Maniscalco (Algorithmiq Ltd.), Andreas Wallraff (ETH Zürich) will discuss the current state of quantum computing and provide a realistic assessment of emerging applications.

The Round Table programme streak will include debates on population aging, breakthrough cell research, potential of AI for education, ocean-centered climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions, advances in planetary boundary science, the role of Turkey on the international arena after the last elections and others. Among the speakers are Henry Marx (Berlin Senate), Katja Matthes (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel), Zainab Kidwai (University of York), Wendy Broadgate (Earth Commission), Ayse Bingol̈ Demir (Turkey Human Rights Litigation Support Project), Jodi Halpern (University of California, Berkeley).

The Circle programme also includes four scientific symposia: Symposium for Breakthroughs in Life Sciences, Volkswagen Foundation Symposium for Breakthroughs in Social Science and Humanities, Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Symposium for Breakthroughs in Physical Sciences and SPRIND Symposium Sciencepreneurship.

PRESS CONTACT

Olena Taran
Press Officer Falling Walls Foundation

Tel: +49 30 60 988 39-750
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About the Falling Walls Science Summit
Falling Walls Science Summit is a leading international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral forum for scientific breakthroughs and science dialogue between global science leaders and society. The event takes place every year from 7–9 November in Berlin, commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall. With formats Falling Walls Pitches (7 November), Falling Walls Circle (8 November) and Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year (9 November), the Falling Walls Science Summit is the leading forum for global science leaders from academia, business, politics, the media, and civil society to debate the potential of scientific breakthroughs to solve grand challenges and shape a sustainable future. The Falling Walls Science Summit is organised by the non-profit Falling Walls Foundation. More: falling-walls.com/science-summit/

About the Falling Walls Foundation
The Falling Walls Foundation was inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 and the dawn of a new era of freedom. The NGO promotes breakthrough thinking and builds a growing network of leaders from academia, business, and the public sector to tackle grand challenges and bring groundbreaking ideas to society. More: falling-walls.com/