Description: The German Government recognizes global warming, energy shortages, resource scarcity, and massive environmental contamination as some of the biggest challenges of today. When dealing with these issues, the Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) believes in cultural plurality to encourage the development of global solutions. This approach is supported by the annual Green Talents competition, focusing on young outstanding minds active in the field of environmental and sustainability research. How can we stay mobile without running into trouble? How to heal sickened soil? How to make energy cleaner? The 21st century confronts humanity with big challenges. These include climate change, secure energy supply and health care, and the question of how to ensure a fair distribution of resources. Germany as a frontrunner in sustainable development is assuming the task and the obligation to create a future worth living both for us and for future generations. The country strongly believes in international cooperation to achieve this goal. Following this approach, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) invites young researchers from all over the world every year to take part in the "Green Talents - International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development". The winners are awarded for their creative and intelligent solutions to the pressing questions of our time. The BMBF seeks to intensify the global exchange between young researchers in the field of environmental and sustainability research with this programme. Since its launch in 2009, the competition has become part of the ministry’s framework programme on "Research on Sustainable Development", which draws the attention of science, business and politics in Germany to these issues. Achieving sustainability, however, is a global undertaking. Schemes like Green Talents help to promote the cultural plurality and creativity which encourage the development of global solutions. Aims: The programme strives to intensify international R&D cooperation in sustainable development, especially with threshold and developing countries. Despite its role as a frontrunner in environmental technologies, Germany is aware that no single country and no single discipline alone can come up with a holistic solution to the challenges ahead. Believing in the creativity of young minds, the BMBF therefore seeks to foster the mobility of promising scientists and to connect them to each other in a unique global network. The Award - What's in it for you 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 two-week 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 near 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 in Germany while building up or strengthening their professional networks. Both the science forum and the research stay are funded by the BMBF. With already 157 awardees spread over 46 countries from Argentina to Zimbabwe, 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. Green Talents is an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The competition is organized and conducted by the Project Management Agency of the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
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