20.04.2015PT-DLR

Application period for Green Talents Competition 2015 Now Open

The BMBF has held the prestigious ”Green Talents – International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development” since 2009 to promote the international exchange of innovative green ideas. Take part in the Green Talents Competition 2015, promote your research in Germany and gain exclusive access to its sustainable development hotspots.

The German Federal Government recognizes global warming, energy shortages, resource scarcity, and massive environmental contamination as some of the biggest global challenges of today. When dealing with these issues, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) believes in cultural plurality and creativity to encourage the development of global solutions. This international approach is supported by the annual Green Talents competition, focusing on young outstanding minds active in the field of environmental and sustainability research. The BMBF announces the competition since 2009 to promoteGermany’s strengths as a centre of research and innovation as well as to foster and intensify the global exchange of ideas in the field of sustainable development. On the basis of their scientific excellence and innovative research potentials a high-ranking jury of German experts from academia and industry selects the 25 “Green Talents” from numerous applicants. Open to a broad spectrum of disciplines from chemistry to urban planning the competition invites young scientists to participate in a ten-day science forum in Germany. Here they visit hot spots of sustainability research and gain first hand information about the country’s renowned research landscape. These visits also lay the foundation for the establishment of international research cooperation in the future. On top of that, this matchmaking aspect is even enhanced by specifically connecting the awardees to German specialists in their respective field of interest during individual expert meetings. This furthermore allows an individual access to the German research community. The exchange of ideas as well as the discussion about potential collaborations is in the focus of these encounters. Moreover, the Green Talents are given the unique opportunity to conduct a research stay of up to three months at an institution of their choice the year following the forum. This enables the participants to learn about sustainability research inGermany while building up or strengthening their professional networks. Both the science forum and the research stay are funded by the BMBF. With already 105 awardees spread over 36 countries around the world, the Green Talents Alumni are part of a unique global network of High Potentials working in the field of sustainable development. By being awarded as a Green Talent, the young scientists get exclusive access to this growing network. To find out more about the Green Talents initiative, to watch the video documentaries and to explore the winning scientists and participating organisations, please visit www.greentalents.de.
Green Talents Awardees 2014© FONA
The award, under the patronage of Minister Professor Johanna Wanka, honours 25 young researchers each year. The winners come from numerous countries and scientific disciplines and are recognised for their outstanding achievements in making our societies more sustainable. Selected by a high-ranking jury of German experts the award-winners are granted unique access to the country’s research elite.
In the 2015 Green Talents competition and in view of 2015 being the “City of the Future” Science Year we would particularly welcome submissions relating to this topic. However, the competition is still open to all fields and offers equal chances to win. The 2015 award includes:

  • An invitation to visit Germany in 2015 to participate in the fully funded two-week science forum. While touring Germany, the award-winners will have access to top science and research institutions that will offer unique insights into their work.
  • A chance for the award-winners to present themselves and their work in person during individual appointments with experts of their choice (during the two-week science forum).
  • A fully funded research stay of up to three months at an institution of the award-winner´s choice in 2016.
  • Exclusive access to the “Green Talents Alumni Network” of 130 high-achievers in sustainable development from over 40 countries.


For more information please refer to the competition flyer on www.greentalents.de.

Deadline for submission: 2 June 2015, 12 p.m. CET.

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