Advancing Resilience in Science, Health, and Technology
The 2026 Sino-German Frontiers of Science and Technology (SINGFOST) Symposium will unite global experts to build resilience through innovation, focusing on systemic preparedness for interconnected crises. The symposium will explore how cutting-edge technologies and ethical frameworks can mitigate risks in energy systems, biotechnology, disaster response, and scientific practice. Attendees are invited to foster interdisciplinary solutions that balance innovation with societal safety, ensuring robustness against unknown disruptions. The symposium is structured around four critical themes:
Using Batteries & Energy Storage for a Sustainable Future
This session will examine next-generation energy storage systems as cornerstones of resilient power grids and low-carbon mobility solutions. Topics include resilient supply chains for scalable battery technologies, off-grid and emergency power solutions, new AI-driven load management strategies, and fail-safe and fire-resistant battery designs.
Responsible Innovation in Synthetic Biology
This session will explore cutting-edge synthetic biology to build resilience across multiple sectors. Discussions will address the responsible development of engineered biological systems for pandemic response, synthetic food, and sustainable biomanufacturing. The session will emphasize both the transformative potential of synthetic biology and the governance structures needed to ensure its safe and ethical deployment.
Natural Disasters: Prediction, Preparation, and Mitigation
This session will focus on the inevitable risks posed by natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, typhoons, and extreme heat waves. It will explore scientific advances in prediction and projection. Presentations will discuss early-warning systems, adaptation strategies in the built environment, and the application of information technology in catastrophe management.
Ethics in Scientific Work: Resilience and Responsibility
This session will address research integrity during crises, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with scientific progress. Topics include risk-management strategies in AI and robotics engineering, drug research, and emerging technologies, focusing on avoiding unintended consequences of research.
About the SINOGFOST Symposia Series
The SINOGFOST symposia are part of the interdisciplinary Frontiers of Research Program of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Since 2008, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) have jointly organized these Symposia. Frontiers of Research symposia challenge young scientists to rethink the boundaries of their disciplines. Together, they strive to reach new frontiers of understanding as they discuss cutting edge research and budding opportunities across disciplinary lines. At the same time, the symposia serve to establish and strengthen ties among future leaders of partnering countries. The symposia create avenues for an exchange of knowledge that is both international and interdisciplinary. The goal is to bring together the best young researchers – the next generation of leaders – from China and Germany and to allow them to establish new collaborations with each other.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation supports collaborations between Germany-based and China-based participants with its dedicated follow-up program CONNECT which grants residence allowances for working visits in the partner country for up to 30 days.