Keynote Speaker
Johanna Lukate
Dr.
MPI for Human Development
Dr. Johanna Lukate is a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, heading the Minerva Fast Track Research Group “Migration, Identity and Blackness in Europe,” where she studies social identity formation, migration, embodiment, and belonging in European societies. Her current work includes interview-based research on African migration biographies and identity formation in Germany, contributing empirical insights into experiences of diversity and exclusion. Johanna completed her PhD in psychology at the University of Cambridge, was a fellow of the German National Academic Foundation and the Fox International Fellowship at Yale University, and her work spans social psychology and migration studies with publications in leading journals, edited volumes, and public scholarship including her TEDx talk “The Psychology of Black Hair” and her popular science book “(Dis)entangled. Why Black hair can’t be just hair” (Coronet Books, 2025).
Don't Call Me Black: The Psychology of Being Categorised and Why It Matters
When a Nigerian professional in a German workplace is consistently described as "Black" or "African" in diversity reports and team introductions, there’s a risk that something precise and important is being lost, namely, a part of their personal identity. This talk draws on research findings from my work with African migrants in Europe to examine the critical distinction between the identities people choose for themselves – Nigerian, Kenyan, Yoruba – and the broad, externally imposed, homogenising categories institutions use in their place. Grounded in Social Identity and Categorisation Theory, the talk discusses how repeated mis-categorisation functions as a form of identity threat. With this talk, I hope to challenge you to examine your own habits of categorising others. I will conclude with concrete actions you can take to move from assumed (or imposed) categories to self-determined ones.
Daniela Macari
PhD
MPI for Intelligent Systems
Daniela Macari is a PhD researcher in the Robotic Materials Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and a Doctoral Fellow of the Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems. Her research focuses on developing novel materials for high-performance artificial muscles with applications in robotics, wearable technologies, and healthcare devices. Alongside her scientific work, Daniela is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusive leadership in robotics, most recently as lead author of a Science Robotics viewpoint on how diversity can accelerate innovation, and she has served on gender equality initiatives, received the Institute’s Gender Equality Prize, and was selected as a Young Scientist for the 75th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. Daniela completed studies in mechanical engineering at the Technical Universities of Munich and Berlin as well as Centrale Supélec in Paris.
Alyson van Raalte
MPI for Demographic Research
Alyson van Raalte is a demographer at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, where she leads the Mortality Inequalities research group focused on describing and understanding mortality disparities within and between populations. Her research is published in leading journals such as Science, International Journal of Epidemiology, and Demography, showing that standard methods can underestimate or obscure growing lifespan inequality, particularly among disadvantaged socioeconomic groups, with important implications for policy and life courses. She holds a PhD in public health from Erasmus Medical Center and is alumnus of the European Doctoral School of Demography, the London School of Economics, and Queen’s University Canada, Her research group is funded by the European Research Council and the Max Planck Society.
A short abstract of my talk:
Inequality in length of life is the most fundamental of all inequalities; every other type of inequality is conditional upon being alive. In this talk I have two main objectives. First, I will show that traditional methods of monitoring survival inequalities are overly reliant on mean outcomes. This measurement failure has obscured growing health heterogeneity, what I call lifespan inequality, within disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. Second, I will discuss the implications this growing heterogeneity has on the predictability of key life outcomes of individuals, and on the design of equitable social policies.
Panelists
Eva Reichwein
Eva Reichwein is Deputy Head of the “Research Culture” group and leads the “Equal Opportunities” team at the German Research Foundation (DFG), where she is responsible for developing and implementing research-oriented equity and diversity standards. Since 2009, she has worked in various roles at the DFG, focusing on fostering fair and inclusive research environments and integrating equity and diversity into research funding and policy. She holds a PhD in social and economic history from Marburg University on child poverty in Germany and previously worked at the Max Weber Foundation on gender equality planning; she is also engaged in international EDI initiatives, including the Global Research Council.
To her “Unified in Perspective – Beyond One Voice" implies that a variety of voices and viewpoints are united in their belief that diversity is a valuable asset that should be protected and actively promoted.
Lena Knappert
Lena Knappert is Professor and Head of the Institute for Gender and Diversity in Organizations at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, trained psychologist with a PhD in international human resource management from ESCP Berlin, and previously worked in management consultancy in Germany and Singapore as well as Assistant Professor at VU Amsterdam, Tilburg University, and Ozyegin University in Istanbul. Her research examines (in)equalities, diversity, and inclusion at work through multi-actor and cross-level perspectives, focusing on migrant and refugee employment, inclusive leadership, organizational practices, and (in)equalities in new forms of organizing, with publications in leading journals and editorial roles including Academy of Management Discoveries. She has held guest professorships and research visits at Cornell University, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Haifa University, and Monash University.
To her, “Unified in Perspective – Beyond One Voice” means recognizing that transformation does not come from a singular perspective, but from many voices organizing difference into collective power and shared vision into change.
Asifa Akhtar
Asifa Akhtar was born in Pakistan, went to school in Paris, and completed her PhD in London. After her time as a postdoctoral researcher and group leader in Heidelberg, she moved to the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg, where she was appointed Director of the Department of Chromatin Regulation in 2013. In 2020, Asifa Akhtar became the first international female Vice President of the Biology and Medicine Section of the Max Planck Society. She received the Leibniz Prize in 2020, the FEBS|EMBO Women in Science Award in 2025, and Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg in 2026.
“To me Unified in Perspectives represents the power of collaboration across cultures, backgrounds, and ideas, showing that we grow stronger by listening, learning, and moving forward together“.
Kateřina Svíčková
In her role as Head of Sector for Gender in the Commission’s Directorate General for Research and Innovation, she steers the development and implementation of policies aiming to advance inclusive gender equality in research and innovation in the European Research Area. She has more than 15 years of experience in the European Commission where she has worked on policy development, implementation, analysis and design in various areas such as security, knowledge for policy, rule of law and gender equality.
"Unified in perspective doesn't mean we all think alike — it means we've chosen to think together, bringing our differences to the table as strengths, not obstacles."
Londa Schiebinger
+++ through video message +++
Londa Schiebinger is the John L. Hinds Professor of History of Science at Stanford University, and Founding Director of Gendered Innovations in Science, Health & Medicine, Engineering, and Environment. Schiebinger is a leading international expert on gender in science and technology and has addressed the United Nations, the European Parliament, and the Korean National Assembly on that topic. Schiebinger received her Ph.D. from Harvard University and is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Research Prize, the Harvard Centennial Medal, and Guggenheim Fellowship.