Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation PhD candidate Pratyush Ravichander was a finalist in Falling Walls Lab Australia, finishing in the top three. As a result, he was invited to present at the Berlin summit in November 2024, one of just 100 emerging scientists from 58 countries to pitch their research. The Falling Walls Science Summit is an international three-day conference held in Berlin each year inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. The conference fosters discussion on research and innovation and promotes the latest scientific findings among a broad audience from all parts of society. The goal of the Falling Walls Lab is to advance scientific and entrepreneurial visions, and to initiate and promote exchange between outstanding talents and innovative thinkers across disciplines.
Here is an account of Pratyush's trip:
Day 1
As I was about to land, I realised that I would probably not see the sunshine for the next week or so. It was only 4:00 pm on the tarmac and it was as dark as night. But the excitement finally began to kick in. After freshening up at the hotel, I went out for a small walk.
Coming from sunny Brisbane, I needed time to acclimatise to Berlin’s gloomy,cold weather. The city, though, was beautiful — an incredible mix of history and modernization. Soon enough though, the jet lag caught up with me, and I knew I needed sleep. Before heading back to my accommodation for some rest, I couldn’t resist grabbing Berlin’s infamous currywurst and doner for dinner. I was a solid way to end the day after the long journey and prepare for what was ahead.
Day 2
The schedule was packed today! I had to get ready to get to the Italian Embassy for a lunch and workshops organised by the Falling Walls Foundation. After gearing up to brace the cold weather, I decided to take a walk to the embassy. Although the city was nearing winter, the trees still had shades of the autumn colour, and it was beautiful walk. I was able to cross a couple of historical sites on my way to the embassy. The embassy was spectacular, with its neo-classical charm. 
I met some of the other participants from around the world. It was a little nerve-racking in the beginning but as the day got on, I started to feel like I belonged. The foundation fed us an amazing lunch before we began with workshops on pitch delivery and improvement. Workshops on inclusion & diversity, along with science communication and ethical importance in publication were also provided by Springer Nature. To later end the day, they took us out for a hearty German dinner, where I got to meet a few more participants and made some amazing friends.
Day 3
Today was all about a science excursion! They took us to the Freie Universität where we initially had a workshop on the wonders of German Research. It was provided by the different research agencies in Germany. We were then split into 5 groups, where Natasha (other Australian participant) and I ended up visiting the university’s Profund Villa.
The Profund Villa is an initiative provided to German Students with Start-up ideas and how they could be supported. It was amazing to see the support provided to turn these research ideas into ventures.
Day 4
I did not get much sleep -- I am pretty sure I was dreaming about messing up my live pitch!!
After a good breakfast to get the energy rolling, we made sure to register ahead of what promised to be a very long day. It was finally time for the Falling Walls Science Summit 2024 and also the day where all the 100 participants pitched their wonderful ideas! And I am one of them.
It initially felt very nerve-wracking but when I started to speak, I felt confidence and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to showcase our research to world. I felt proud and honoured to be part of this occasion. Usually when I present, I tend to be my own worst critic. I always feel like I could have done better. But after speaking to some of the other participants and friends and family who watched me, I felt it was extremely positive.
I was fortunate to get a lot of positive feedback from the audience and also the judges.
And even better, a number of people came up to me after the event asking questions about BioClay and RNAi.
It was also very exciting to listen to the other participants. The research and ideas were so diverse that it opened so many questions and ideas within me! Everyone did so well and I felt very honoured to be a part of this wonderful bunch. Everyone was so supportive of their peers, and during the day, all 100 participants became friends.
After a long day, almost 30-40 of us went out for some dinner. It was a fantastic end to a brilliant day.
Day 5
It was day 2 of the Falling Walls Science Summit and there were some intriguing sessions in store. With the presure off, I was looking forward to the session hosted by Bayer on “Feeding the World in 2050”. It was such an interesting panel discussion which I am so glad I could attend.But by this time, I think the cold started to affect me. My sinuses gave me a bit of grief, but luckily a few painkillers did the trick!
The evening sessions were focused on the intersection of science and politics, how the current political climate affects global research. Talks from policy makers, politicians and scientists were captivating. It was eye-opening to see how deeply intertwined these fields can be.
Day 6
I managed to attend one session, but my body was giving up on me. I decided to take it easy. But before I left the venue, I managed to say goodbye to the amazing friends I made on this journey.
I went back to my room and it was time to leave Berlin after six brilliant days. Berlin was incredible — cold, yes, but filled with vibrant experiences and inspiring people. This week has been one for the books! The Falling Walls Science Summit has been such a wonderful event, and I would definitely recommend that early career researchers and students participate if possible. This experience is something I will carry with me throughout my professional career
I would like to thank all my supervisors for their support and encouragement. I would also like to thank Study Queensland and the Australian Academy of Sciences for providing me with the funding and the opportunity to travel and take part in the Falling Walls Australia and the Falling Walls Science Summit 2024.
Media: QAAFI communications, Natalie MacGregor, n.macgregor@uq.edu.au, +61 409 135 651.
The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation is a research institute at The University of Queensland established with and supported by the Department of Primary Industries.