Call for applications

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation invites Germany-based early- and mid-career researchers in the fields of engineering and applied sciences to apply to participate in a symposium jointly organised with the National Academy of Engineering.

The symposium aims to incentivise and establish international engagement and collaboration between early career researchers working in Germany and the United States in a broad range of disciplines, thereby encouraging the exchange of ideas across disciplinary and national boundaries. Participants will gather in Karlsruhe, Germany from 10 to 13 March, 2027.

During the three days, participants will engage in cross-disciplinary discussions about the four session topics and their interlinkages. There will be considerable time for networking among all 60 researchers. All participants will have the opportunity to present their work with a poster. Part of the programme will be a guided tour at the research facilities of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

After the symposium, all participants can apply for funding through the follow-up programme CONNECT to carry out future joint research activities with participants from the partner country.

Thematic focus

Building a sustainable future is the defining challenge of our times. This symposium will explore how engineering innovations can drive both environmental sustainability and technological advancements. The symposium will explore the evolving landscape around the latest advances in materials discovery, synthetic biology, climate adaptation, and advances in AI that will underpin the pathway towards a more sustainable, equitable, and technologically advanced future.

In particular, the symposium will focus on the following topics:

• Materials discovery and manufacturing for advanced tech and the green economy
• Engineered living systems and synthetic biology
• Climate adaptation engineering and development of resilient infrastructure
• Ensuring safe and equitable implementation of AI in engineering education and practice.

The primary theme to be addressed is: How do Germany, the United States and other international collaborators anticipate, reflect and imagine sustainable futures by engineering design? Moreover, the presentations and discussions will address not only technology but also insights from biology and engineering education.

Questions and issues that will be addressed and discussed include:

• How can we accelerate the discovery, scalability, and adoption of sustainable materials that meet the performance demands of advanced technologies, while reducing environmental impact?
• What are the most promising applications of engineered living systems for addressing global challenges in health, agriculture, and sustainability?
• How can engineers design infrastructure systems that can withstand increasingly extreme and dynamic climate conditions?
• What guardrails, standards, and pedagogical approaches are necessary to integrate in to engineering curricula and practice to ensure safety and avoid bias due the rapid integration of AI across systems?

Follow-up programme CONNECT

To encourage and support long-term collaboration and networking, participants may apply for the follow-up programme CONNECT offered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. All participants are eligible to apply after the symposium. The funding is designed to facilitate collaborations that arise directly from the symposium. CONNECT provides residence allowances for short working visits up to 30 days to Germany or the United States that can be taken up at any time following the symposium.

Eligibility requirements for participants from Germany

Participants must

• work in Germany at a research institution or in the industry sector,
• have obtained a PhD no more than 12 years ago (by the time of the symposium),
• be fluent in spoken and written English.

Participants must attend the entire symposium.

Application process

Applications must be submitted online by 10 June, 2026. Only applications received by this deadline will be considered.

Applicants should submit:

• the completed application form (accessible via the link)
• link to personal scientific profile or CV
• link to list of key publications (max. one page)

Applications must be in English. Please click “submit” after completion of the online form to make sure your application will be transferred.

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Proven research interest and/or experience in at least one of the session topics of the symposium
• Commitment to and experience in interdisciplinary research activities
• Added value of the symposium to applicant’s academic career development

Applicants will be notified regarding final decision by September 2026.

Logistics

Date of symposium: 10 March, 2027 (begins in the evening) until 13 March, 2027 (ends early afternoon)

Venue: Karlsruhe, Germany

Accommodation: The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation will make hotel reservations for all participants and will cover hotel expenses for three nights from 10 to 13 March, 2027. Expenses for meals for the duration of the symposium will be covered by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Travel Expenses: The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation covers the travel expenses for outward and return journeys between the home institutes and the conference venue for all participants from Germany. The reimbursement of travel expenses is generally based on the Deutsche Bahn 2nd class fare for the shortest route between the participants' place of work and the conference venue.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the GAFOE programme coordinator, Anke Teubner via e-mail: anke.teubner[at]avh.de