Addie Esposito is a senior at Harvard College from Raleigh, North Carolina. Particularly interested in refugee issues and democratic backsliding, she is studying Government, German, and European History, Politics, and Societies (EHPS). Addie is Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard International Review, and she is also involved with the Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative and Citizenship Tutoring through the Institute of Politics. She is currently working on her senior thesis, which examines Bundestag members' understandings of German national identity, with a particular focus on East/West and generational differences.

Alex is currently a trainee at the European Commission in Brussels, where he focuses on the Better Regulation agenda for health policies. He recently graduated with a Master’s in Engineering and Policy Analysis from Delft University of Technology, including research at Erasmus MC on health systems, in the Netherlands. In addition, he runs mymun, the world’s largest platform for Model United Nations (MUN) conferences, with a mission to encourage every student to participate in at least one MUN conference during their student life. In his free time, you can find him cycling and running.

Arian is a master’s student in Computational Biology at the University of Cologne. He has previously worked at the Federal Ministry of Health, the Cardiovascular Research Laboratory at Düsseldorf University Hospital, and in Strategy Consulting at Accenture.

Béla is a medical doctor with approximately 1.5 years of experience at the Perioperative Outcomes Lab at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. As a postdoctoral researcher, he conducts both prospective and retrospective studies and mentors students exploring ICU and perioperative research. At GAC, Béla is part of the Communications and Goodie Bags team, engaging with potential sponsors, attendees, and speakers.

Bendix is a German MD student in his fifth year who is currently spending his research year at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in the laboratory of Prof. Benjamin Ebert. His research focus is on leukemia and its origins in stem cells. Apart from academia, Bendix is a passionate sailor (two-times German Champion) and surfer. At the German-American Conference, Bendix will work in the heart of the Events Team to ensure great panels, workshops and keynotes.

Borui is a PhD student in Economics at Harvard University. His research interests are in macroeconomics, finance, and trade. Whenever he is not looking at macro-finance models, he'll be on the volleyball pitch or playing violin, the bagpipes, and his bugle - in ascending order of excitement and descending order of competence. Borui further is a reserve officer candidate in the German Armed Forces, hoping to join these different roles by bringing people together at the GAC.

Caleb is pursuing a master’s in public policy (MPP) at Harvard Kennedy School and a juris doctor (JD) degree at Harvard Law School. Before coming to Harvard, he spent two years working as a bank examiner with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Originally from Los Angeles, he received his bachelor's from University of California, Berkeley.

Colin is a medical student from Hamburg. He enjoys rowing and reading. At the GAC, Colin mostly works on making plans to ensure that both materials and people are exactly where they are needed to ensure an uncomplicated and pleasant experience for the participants.

Denys is a fourth-year PhD Candidate in Population Health Sciences in the Epidemiology Department and CAUSALab at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a Research Associate at the Center for Anesthesia Research Excellence at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and a Research Trainee in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics at Mass General Brigham. Prior to that, he studied medicine at the University of Münster and the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin with a scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. His research interests lie in the fields of onco-pharmacoepidemiology and perioperative medicine. He joined the GAC family in 2018.

"Yannick Sillmann is an aspiring Surgeon-Scientist in in the field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Passionate about evidence-based medicine, he is currently holding a position as Research Fellow at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Skeletal Biology Research Center of the Massachusetts General Hospital.
After graduating Dental School, he enrolled in a second degree in medicine at Ulm University where he is expected to graduate in 2026. He gained clinical experience as a general dentist at a private dental practice and taught as a lecturer for the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Ulm University.
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Florian Schibber is a consultant, entrepreneur, and the founder of Schibber Consulting and the Tech-ed-StartUp, Career Starter. With a rich background in M&A, Asset Management, Consulting & Global Strategy, and Venture Capital & Startups, he has developed a robust portfolio of experiences at prestigious firms such as DWS Group (asset management arm of Dt. Bank) and KPMG, as well as in key account management roles. Currently pursuing a B.Sc. in International Business Administration at WHU, Florian is deeply invested in integrating AI and sustainability into financial strategies to foster innovation across sectors. Beyond his professional endeavors, he enjoys travelling, hiking, and empowering others to achieve their potential.

Henri is a Bachelor student in Management and Technology in Munich, focusing on entrepreneurial enterprises in the biotech industry. He helps plan and build labs for research groups and startups. Henri also contributes to Germany’s first student-run VC, focusing on consulting early-stage startups. In his free time, he enjoys bouldering and functional fitness.

Isabel Podolski is a Doctoral Candidate and medical student from Düsseldorf, Germany. She is currently conducting clinical research at the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. Her research focuses on provider workload and its impact on perioperative outcomes and workforce resilience. Isabel’s commitment to community and Public Health began with her training as a paramedic and instructor with the Red Cross, where she specialized in civil protection and disaster control. A dedicated advocate for women’s empowerment, she served as the founding president of ZONTA International’s Golden Z Club Bonn City and was awarded the Young Woman in Public Affairs Award.

Johanna Kriegel is a Master of International Affairs candidate at the Hertie School in Berlin, specializing in International Security and Climate Policy. She worked as a Junior Program Manager at Allianz Foundation in partnership with Climate Imperative during her Professional Year. Currently, she is an exchange student at George Washington University, working with the German American Conference at Harvard and the Washington, D.C., office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation. She holds an LL.B. from Leuphana University and is the Founder of True Cost Economy e.V.

Jonas is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Computer Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Prior to this, he studied Computer Science at RWTH Aachen, the University of Waterloo, and the Technical University of Munich. During his Bachelor’s degree he was actively involved in TUM.ai and a longtime member of the UNICEF student groups in both Aachen and Munich. In his free time, Jonas enjoys exploring the surroundings of Vancouver, hiking, and running.

Karim is a final year MD candidate at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. He is pursuing his medical thesis in radiation oncology in the field of multimodal lung cancer treatment. Currently he is at Harvard Medical School for a research stay in tumor biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, focusing on the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer. His academic pursuits are driven by a passion for developing novel therapeutic approaches for solid tumors, particularly leveraging immunotherapies to improve patient outcomes. Beyond his professional interests, Karim loves to bake delicious cakes in his free time. He is also deeply committed to social justice causes, particularly advocating against educational injustice and volunteering efforts to combat food waste. His goal is a world with medical access for everybody and with less global hunger.

Laura is a Master's student in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University. She received her medical degree from Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and conducted research in cardiology and immunobiology in Berlin and at Yale. She was a scholarship holder at the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung throughout her studies. Before coming to Columbia, she worked in internal medicine and emergency medicine in Switzerland for two years. In her free time, she enjoys going to theater performances, reading, and ballet.

Laura Sophie is a 2nd-year Bachelor student in Global Responsibility and Leadership at the University of Groningen. Besides her studies she works as a Sustainability Consultant for the IT and Public Sector at Capgemini. She holds an Industrial Management degree from Volkswagen and is an advocate for the German Apprenticeship System. As an Alumni of the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Programme she studied in Washington State, worked in Congress and for RGIT in Washington DC. Since 2017 she has been an Anne Frank Ambassador leading Events about Anne’s story, the 2nd world war and anti-semitism. Passionate about politics, art and dancing!

Luis recently graduated from a franco-german Master's program with a degree in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of Freiburg, Germany, and a degree in Biophysical Chemistry from the University of Strasbourg, France. He concluded his studies for his thesis with research on hematopoietic stem cell development Boston Children's Hospital. For the GAC 2024, he coordinated contacts to universities and foundations in the German-speaking area and leads the accommodation and coordination of the GAC's supporters on-site of the conference. In his free time, he enjoys playing table tennis, reading, and hiking.

Lydia is a graduate student pursing her Master in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, focusing on climate finance. Before joining HKS, she worked four years at KfW Development Bank where she managed renewable energy projects in the Western Balkans. In addition, she gained experience in the energy sector working for the European Commission and the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Action.

Max is a final year medical student at Barts and The London School of Medicine and a clinical research student at the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. His research focuses on lung-protective ventilation and the impact of intra-operative medications on clinical outcomes. Outside of the lab, Max enjoys rowing and road cycling through the Boston suburbs.

Merih is a final-year MD candidate from the University of Cologne. Currently, he is conducting research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School for his doctoral thesis. There, his research mainly focuses on transplantation immunology, alloimmunity, and immunosuppressive therapy.
In his free time, Merih enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, watching movies, and lifting weights. He is also a soccer enthusiast and a passionate supporter of Fenerbahce Istanbul, regularly enjoying watching their games on weekends.

Nandita Suri is a research intern at the American-German Institute in Washington, D.C. and is pursuing undergraduate degrees in Global Studies and German. Her research focuses on cultural integration, European ethnic minorities, and how German rap reflects social identity and cultural patterns. Nandita’s interest in German-American relations began with her involvement at Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta and grew during her time in Germany as a recipient of the Congress-Bundestag Vocational Youth Exchange (CBYX Vocational) scholarship from 2022 to 2023. After attending GAC 2023 as a Halle Foundation Scholar, she now contributes to the conference’s transatlantic mission on the American Outreach team.

Philip is a senior Computer Engineering and Physics major at Tufts University. Coming from Chicago, Philip seeks to understand the cultural and political differences between the United States and Germany. Previously he interned at Telefónica Germany and did research at the Technical University of Munich. In his free time, Philip enjoys sailing and alpine touring.

René is a news journalist with a special interest in sustainable innovation in the media industry as well as strategies to combat fake news. In the past, he has reported on the impact of climate change in India, portrayed a young American Jewish woman in Jerusalem on Israel's 70th anniversary, and talked to Jordanian plumbers about the women's rights movement in Amman. His studies have taken him to Münster, Pristina, Hamburg and Boston. He holds a master's degree in digital journalism and was named one of the "Top 30 under 30" young talents in journalism by Medium Magazine. René is curator of the Global Shapers Hamburg Hub and fellow of Think Tank 30, the young think tank of the Club of Rome Germany.

Sandrina holds a BA in Political Science / Governance & Public Policy, providing her with a solid foundation in governance and a keen understanding of security policy and its challenges. Her interest in security policy is evident in her professional experience, having gained practical insights into foreign and security policy in the defense sector. These experiences have provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced at both national and international levels.
Sandrina now works in the defense & security sector and is set to begin her Masters studies this upcoming winter. Outside of work, she enjoys playing basketball, traveling and reading anything she can get her hands on.

Thomas is an Assistant Professor at the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS) at the University of Münster, where he studies digital innovation and digital sustainability practices of small and large firms. He's also a lecturer and research affiliate at the Hasso Plattner Institute and has a research affiliation with MIT's Center for Information Systems Research. He has been a member of the GAC team since 2023, serving as the budget lead this year.