No. 112/2021

4 HUMBOLDT KOSMOS 112/2021 06 EDITORIAL Dear readers, Mixed teams are more productive and more cre- ative – not least in research. In the end, differ- ences and diverse perspectives often generate the best ideas. Why am I stating the obvious? Because although diversity is a major talking point, the higher you go up the academic career levels in Germany – and in many other countries, too – the less diverse it becomes. And because diversity is important to us at the Humboldt Foundation, we have devoted this entire issue of Kosmos to the topic. If you take a look around the world you discover that diversity often means different things in different countries. Are we discussing gender, social background, subjects, ethnicities, disabilities or age? The challenges of diversity are just as mani- fold as the definitions. This is not only illustrated by the analyses in this magazine but also by per- sonal stories from within our network. We want to take this topic beyond the limits of our magazine and are launching a campaign on Twitter. Let’s talk about it! We look forward to sharing your thoughts or your own experiences on #ProgressDiversity. For the first time in the German version of this issue, we have used the so-called “gender asterisk” to address all genders. We should also be interested in your opinion on this point. Happy reading and stay safe! CONTENTS Photo: Henning Mack GEORG SCHOLL Editor in Chief 03 HUMBOLDTIANS IN PRIVATE In the USA, nobody asks where I come from 06 BRIEF ENQUIRIES Humboldtians tell their own stories COVER PHOTO Getty Images /Flaming Pumpkin