Falling Walls Foundation – Female Science Talents program

The Falling Walls Foundation aims to pool its unique resources, such as the interdisciplinary and inter-institutional network and the international platform, to enable women in science to take a step forward on their career path during their PhD and Postdoc phases. Its goal is to inspire and empower women to make their next career step, help them to pursue flexible career paths, support them in building an international network, and promote female leadership in science, business and society.

What we do  

The program aims to close gaps in the promotion of women in Germany and difficulties in making the transition from science to industry. 

The Falling Walls Female Science Talents Programme’s Intensive Track helps young talented women to make the transition from science to industry, offering them an international stage at the Berlin Science Week in November each year, and providing networks to help them to be visible beyond Germany’s borders. The Intensive Track increases the visibility of exceptional talents providing close support for the participants to achieve a personal breakthrough in their career. The selected champions meet outstanding female leaders and are matched with high-profile mentors, participate in intensive trainings and are encouraged to build an international success team for peer learning, peer coaching, and mutual support. 

How we deliver

The design of the Program is based on a two-speeds approach:

• The Talents Track provides a monthly series of online trainings designed to empower women to set themselves ambitious goals and develop their own leadership strategies. The series brings the talents into contact with top-class trainers, high-profile role models, and peers to model a possible next stepping stone.
  
• The Intensive Track increases the visibility of exceptional talents providing close support for the participants to achieve a personal breakthrough in their career. The selected champions meet outstanding female leaders and are matched with high-profile mentors, participate in intensive trainings and are encouraged to build an international success team for peer learning, peer coaching, and mutual support.

“The partnership with Elsevier Foundation was a game changer to the strategic development of Female Science Talents Programme. Being our Strategic Partner, the Elsevier Foundation and especially Ylann Schemm recognized and acknowledged the importance of promoting the “rising stars” of academic and scientific community in pushing for gender equality in science and industry.”

Dr. Zarifa Mamedova, Head of Females Science Talents  

“Joining the program was something I truly wanted. I feel blessed to be a part of this network. Intensive Track will certainly be remembered as one of the turning points in my career journey. Your support is and will be memorable!”

Dr. Ezgi Kayhan-Wagner, Intensive Track Participant