(06/10/22) Her itinerary began in New York, where she engaged in stimulating talks with the co-director of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at Mount Sinai and later exchanged views on the interplay between science, culture and politics at an evening gathering with 1014 Fifth Avenue, the German Historical Institute (DHI) and the American Council on Germany (ACG). Ms. Ahrens’ stay in New York concluded with a meeting with representatives of the “academia floors” in the German House: Campus OWL, Heidelberg University Association, UAS7, University Alliance Ruhr, University of Cologne, University of Freiburg, the DAAD, and the German Center for Research and Innovation (Deutsches Wissenschafts- und Innovationshaus, or DWIH) New York. Ms. Ahrens thanked the participants for their productive local collaboration in organizing joint events, which with the unique set-up of the "German House" create considerable synergies. This was followed by a meeting with the Flatiron Institute, where one of the issues discussed was potential collaboration in the area of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI).

Ms. Ahrens then travelled on to the US federal capital of Washington, DC where she visited another branch of the DFG Office North America. A dinner was held in the Secretary General’s honor at the home of Dr. René Haak, head of the science branch of the German Embassy, where a pleasant time was had by all discussing current North American activities. In general, it was noted that activities from before the pandemic were gradually being resumed and that everyone was optimistic about being able to continue to pursue their productive collaboration. Before continuing on to the west coast, Ms. Ahrens met the office managers of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) at the German Suite. This was followed by talks with representatives of the Goethe Institute and the DHI.

Ms. Ahrens concluded her visit by taking part in the two-day DWIH delegation trip to San Francisco, which was attended by members of various intermediary and funding organizations and universities as well as political representatives. The program, combining university visits to UC Berkeley and Stanford University, gave an impressive insight into the Bay Area’s unique culture of innovation. The DFG Secretary General cited “the importance of the West Coast as a hub for science and industry […] as a key reason for us to open a third DFG office in San Francisco under the umbrella of the DWIH.” The DFG and the DFG Office North America – now with three branches in the U.S. – greatly look forward to their future collaboration in representing and supporting the interests of science as part of the DWIH San Francisco portfolio.

DFG press release:

• Press Release No. 13 I 29 April - Third DFG Office in the USA

To the website of the new DWIH in San Francisco:

• www.dwih-sanfrancisco.org/en/