The Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin has for more than 25 years fostered a learning community of internationally recognized scholars, excellent young scientists and personalities of intellectual and cultural life. Most of all, it offers a space free of the usual constraints of academia to think and reflect on a project of one’s own choice. Scholars join a year class (October – July) of around 30 – 40 fellows selected from a diversity of disciplines. Sitting amidst a splendid living area of Berlin (Grunewald) with the city’s cultural diversity at its doorsteps, the Wissenschaftskolleg provides an ideal breeding ground for exchange and discussions among the fellows.
The Life Sciences program of the Wissenschaftskolleg is open to a diversity of subjects and attracts scholars that especially benefit from the atmosphere provided by the institution. Scientists are invited based on merit, either individually or as part of a focus group, during the respective year class. Furthermore, each year class welcomes junior fellows; promising younger scientists are therefore especially encouraged to apply and will find a highly rewarding environment with the opportunity to interact closely with their peers and with outstanding personalities from the different disciplines. A stay at the Wissenschaftskolleg does not need to result in the usual activities that characterize standard academic life of today, nor does it need to result in the usual kind of reporting. Instead, the goal is to achieve what normally cannot be achieved in the everyday routine of one’s own lab. Ample rewards for one’s own future work are therefore certain given a willingness to interact with other fellows and a readiness to reflect on and exchange own ideas. The opportunity to work free of constraints in a stimulating environment not only helps focusing on one’s standing questions but has, more often than not, fostered important new research directions and insights – a benefit that more than outweighs the loss in laboratory time. The track record of successful stays by leading researchers at the Wissenschaftskolleg testifies to this unique concept.