New Bridge to the US – die neuen Fellows!
Zehn neue Fellows reisen mit dem New Bridge Program nach Washington, DC, Philadelphia und New York City.
Iqra Adan is a recently graduated medical doctor from the University of Cologne in Germany. During her studies, she developed a strong interest in orthopedics, trauma surgery and sports medicine. Iqra has always been passionate about sports and is also a licensed basketball coach. She is particularly interested in the connection between medicine and biomechanics, an area in which she plans to conduct research in the near future. Iqra believes that innovation should benefit everyone and that access to high-quality healthcare should not depend on a person’s background or financial situation. She is excited to learn from different perspectives, expand her knowledge beyond traditional medicine and explore how we can build a more innovative and equitable healthcare system. In the future, Iqra hopes to combine these interests in her career as an orthopedic and trauma surgeon and potentially as a researcher.
Sinem Irem Arayan is an Analyst at Africa Ventures Advisory, a strategic advisory firm supporting European companies in expanding into African markets. She began her career at Mercedes-Benz AG, contributing to the company’s transition toward electric mobility within the procurement division. Driven by a commitment to social impact and entrepreneurship, Sinem expanded her work across Africa. She engaged with universities, entrepreneurs and NGOs in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania and Malawi on entrepreneurship initiatives, sustainable circular business models, women’s empowerment and quality education. Sinem is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development at Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, with academic experience in South Korea and Finland. She is the founder of the Enactus initiative at her university and serves as Student Representative.
Danayt Bokrezion is a public policy professional with experience across government, civil society and political engagement. She most recently worked as a Project and Team Manager at ProjectTogether, where she led initiatives on democratic resilience and public sector innovation. Previously, she worked at the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and in public affairs at a leading global financial institution. Danayt holds a Master of Public Policy from the Hertie School and studied at Sciences Po in Paris. Alongside her professional work, she co-founded the ADAN Politics Club, an initiative that promotes political participation, representation and cross-party dialogue among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BPoC) in Germany. She is passionate about strengthening democratic institutions, fostering constructive dialogue and building bridges between politics, public administration and civil society. Her work is driven by the belief that resilient democracies depend on trust, participation and inclusive public debate.
Narîn Şevîn Doğan is an editor and reporter based in Mainz, Germany. She works for ZDF’s “auslandsjournal”, where she oversees international reporting and editorial productions. Narîn began her career in journalism at a student radio station in Munich before gaining experience at Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Frontal and ARTE. In 2020, she began a journalistic traineeship at ZDF, Germany’s national public-service broadcaster. Today, she is responsible for the “auslandsjournal” TV program, documentaries, online articles, and the podcast “Der Trump Effekt”, and works as an editor- in-chief. Narîn studied Political Science and Communication Studies in Munich and Istanbul. She earned her Master’s degree in International Relations in London. Outside of work, Narîn enjoys music, concerts, museums and discovering cuisines from around the world.
Sara Grambs advocates for inclusive participation in policy processes, social justice and climate action. She organizes climate movements and represents young perspectives at international UN climate negotiations (the COPs). Previously, she served as the official German UN youth delegate for climate policy with the German Federal Foreign Office. Sara has professional experience working in research institutes, international organizations, grassroots NGOs, government agencies and the United Nations. Through these experiences, she has worked in multiple countries across Europe, Africa and Asia. Sara currently works as a project coordinator for international development cooperation in the public sector. Her academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in International Development Studies, along with a postgraduate degree in International Cooperation for Sustainable Development (SLE).
Sema Keleta is a public policy professional with substantial experience in German parliamentary politics. She currently serves as a Policy Advisor for Transport and Mobility in the German Bundestag, where she shapes legislative and policy work. Over the course of her career, she has developed deep expertise in policymaking and legislative processes. Sema holds a degree in Sociology and Political Science, with a focus on the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany and its institutional structures. Her work is further informed by a sustained interest in political participation and in the analysis of postcolonial legacies and colonial continuities. Alongside her professional work, Sema co-founded NEXT – Transatlantic Future Initiative, a thought factory dedicated to amplifying diverse voices and perspectives. She is passionate about creating spaces, fostering dialogue and building bridges between politics, public administration and civil society. Sema’s work is driven by the conviction that democratic decision-making is strengthened when diverse life experiences and perspectives are recognized as an asset.
Arijan Klepica is a management consultant and finance transformation expert who advises some of the world’s largest corporations on transforming and automating their finance operations across the globe. He gained experience as an entrepreneur, building an independent consulting practice and running a film production studio before joining PwC. A first-generation university graduate, he studied Information Systems at the Technical University of Munich and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Philosophy to investigate how technology is remaking culture and society. Arijan is deeply engaged in the civic life of his region, where he co-organizes an international short-film festival, has hosted and produced live shows and serves on the board of an entrepreneurs‘ association. He speaks five languages and is most at home in the worlds of finance, technology and the arts.
Ünal Yalcin Sipal is a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur of Turkish heritage based in Paderborn, Germany. He works in industrial automation research at Fraunhofer IEM and is writing his Master’s thesis in connection with his own deep-tech startup, for which he operates a custom-built test bench at Paderborn University. Ünal Yalcin is the co-founder and Research and Development Engineer at ADDITRIX, a deep- tech startup developing compact, laser-wire-based metal 3D printers. The company’s goal is to make additive manufacturing accessible and affordable for small and medium-sized enterprises with the aim of democratizing the metal 3D printing industry. Beyond his technical work, Ünal Yalcin is deeply committed to social responsibility and actively inspires the next generation by leading entrepreneurship and innovation workshops for children and youth groups.
Selim Uçar works as a Strategy Specialist at Vulcan Energy, a Karlsruhe-based company focused on sustainable lithium extraction for the European battery supply chain. In this role, he contributes to corporate strategy, governance and financing processes, working at the intersection of energy transition and long-term business planning. Selim holds a Master’s degree in Management from the University of Mannheim, complemented by an exchange semester at ESSEC Business School in France, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences, including a semester at Tunis Business School. Born in Berlin to a Turkish family and raised in the Heilbronn region, Selim speaks German, Turkish, English, French and Arabic. Outside of work, he enjoys photography as well as traveling and has a keen interest in contemporary philosophy, particularly works that examine technology and modern society.
André Wiesner is an experienced economic and public affairs professional with a strong background at the intersection of business, public policy and regional development. For the past five years, he has served as Head of a Regional Center at the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where he leads regional operations, advises businesses, represents economic interests and manages strategic stakeholder relations. Previously, he served as a Policy Advisor in the German Bundestag, supporting parliamentary work and constituency engagement. He holds degrees in European Management and Economics. He also completed a one-year Design Thinking program at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam. André’s international perspective is shaped by professional experience at the European Parliament, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the German Embassy in London, as well as academic experience gained in Brazil.
Wir danken der Joachim Herz Stiftung für die finanzielle Unterstützung für New Bridge to the US.