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© ECDF/PR/Felix Noak

ide3a Smart City Hackathon 2022 concluded
ide3a Smart City Hackathon 2022 concluded 2470 1475 ide3a

The ide3a Smart City Hackathon 2022 took place at the ECDF from the 30th of November to the 2nd of December, 2022. The in-person event concluded the Smart Sensing and Smart Cities schools, which were held online during this Winter Semester. The two schools focused on the digitisation of urban critical infrastructure across the water, mobility, and IT sectors and are taught by experts from different faculties of the TU Berlin and international guest speakers from some of the ide3a partner universities NTNU, DCU, PoliMi, PK, and Hasso-Plattner-Institut (HPI). This year also featured guest speakers from the University of Western Australia, the University of Hong Kong, Friedrich Alexander University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and companies such as Ramboll and Form Follows You. The program included lectures and practical trainings on topics related to digital sensors, open data, distributed IT systems are explored, as well as how they relate to governance and relevant stakeholders.

During the hackathon, 50 students from TU Berlin (TUB), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Politecnico Di Milano (PoliMi), who attended the two Smart Schools, joint forces to solve one of four challenges related to the different sectors introduced over the past weeks. Challenges for this year included blue-green infrastructure placement, privacy of smart meter data, resilient edge computing, and urban mobility monitoring. ide3a was pleased to have Dr. Aurel von Richthofen – Cities Team Leader, Arup (Semantic data for the next generation of Universal Digital Twins) and Ana Chubinidze – Founder and CEO, Adalan AI (AI Governance and ethics) on board as keynote speakers. The Jury members were Sangyoung Park (Assistant Professor of Smart Mobility Systems, TU Berlin), Betül Özdemir (Open Data Officer, Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Inneres, Digitalisierung und Sport), Morgan Geldenhuys (Entrepreneur in the digital health sector), and David Steffelbauer (Hydroinformatics Group Leader, Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin).

For the students, it was a great opportunity to come together in Berlin to unleash their creativity in finding solutions to smart city challenges, while leveraging the knowledge acquired with our online courses. The goal was to put their new knowledge and tools into action, build some viable prototypes and most importantly work together in international and multidisciplinary teams. In addition to the work, ide3a also offered a social programme, for example yoga classes in the morning, a visit to a typical Christmas market at the banks of the Spree river and a sightseeing tour. At the end of the ide3a Hackathon, all groups presented their work to the assembled participants and received detailed feedback from the jury. Finally, the best team with the name “404” who worked on the challenge BGI (blue green infrastructure) placement was awarded an Arduino board and prototyping kit.

Copywrite all pictures: © ECDF/PR/Felix Noak

© Lisa Westphal

Update on the ide3a scholarship holders
Update on the ide3a scholarship holders 2560 1920 ide3a

ide3a is very happy to announce that several of its scholarship holders have started their stay abroad at the host universities. Some of them have been there for a while, some have just recently started. All students receive funding to work on their thesis projects at the respective host university and are supervised by two ide3a supervisors, at home and at the host university.

Topics range from data mining and machine learning, leak detection, urban water demand modeling, model-based risk assessment to the exploration of blue-green infrastructure and a comparative approach of water sensitive city jouneys. The scholarship recipients come from a variety of disciplines and operate in an interdisciplinary context that is in line with ide3a’s understanding of mobility and research.

At the moment, three TU Berlin students are at NTNU in Trondheim, Norway. Three students from Politecnico di Milano are at TU Berlin and we are already looking forward to welcoming another scholarship holder in Berlin in December.

ide3a at LNDW 2022
ide3a at LNDW 2022 2560 1920 ide3a

ide3a was represented with a booth at the Long Night of Science (German: Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften, LNDW) at TU Berlin on July 2nd 2022. The LNDW is an established annual event where scientific institutions present themselves to the public. Also this year, many interested people of all ages came to see what is being researched and worked on at the university.

The contribution of ide3a was to present its serious game “ConnectiCity”. The game is a multi-layered digital, open source, serious game to enable scenario analysis, simulation, and optimisation of urban critical infrastructure systems. In the laboratory of the Department of Smart Water Networks and Fluid System Dynamics alone, where ide3a had its booth, the organisers counted 422 visitors. The ide3a team was very pleased with how much interest people showed for their presentation and received a lot of positive and motivational feedback.

Register now for lecture series “Critical Infrastructure and Digitalisation” 2022
Register now for lecture series “Critical Infrastructure and Digitalisation” 2022 3639 1846 ide3a

**ATTENTION**: The registration is now closed.

For the second time, ide3a is hosting its lecture series “Critical Infrastructure and Digitalisation” for students from all partner universities (TU Berlin, NTNU Trondheim, DCU Dublin, PoliMi Milano, CUT Cracow, HPI Potsdam). Lectures will take place every Tuesday from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. during the upcoming summer semester starting on April 19 until July 19, 2022 and will be held in English. The exam deadline is August 7, 2022.

In addition to the weekly lectures, we are aiming for a three-day in-person event from May 17 to 19, 2022 in Berlin, which will include two workshops and a field trip. Students from outside Germany will receive funding by ide3a for travelling and accommodation costs. However, this will only be possible if COVID regulations allow it at the time. Otherwise, we will resort to last year’s fully digital format. Furthermore, there is going to be a second workshop (digital only) on June 21 and 23.

The lecture series provides an overview on the digital and technological transformation of different sectors of urban critical infrastructure. These sectors include water networks, energy grids, sensor and communication networks, as well as mobility. Within each topic we are paying special attention to the way sensor and open data networks can enable a shift toward new ways of monitoring, operating, and managing these systems efficiently and sustainably. Additionally, the goal of the course is to identify and discuss the synergies and inter-dependencies between the different sectors and topics.

Experts from different faculties of TU Berlin and guest speakers from the ide3a partner universities will present cutting edge research projects, lessons learned, challenges and visions.

The lectures will be completed by two practical workshops. The overall grade for the ‘Critical Infrastructure and Digitalisation’ course is composed of 3 assignments: (1) individual weekly quizzes, (2) a final group report and (3) an individual reflection video. Previous experience in programming is an advantage but not necessary. We will make sure that at least someone in each group has programming skills.

This course awards 6 ECTS if all lectures and the exam are completed. Please note that students from our partner universities must take care of crediting the course in their home university. We will help in that process by providing the necessary information and documentation.

The registration is now closed.

Please note that the motivation part will not be used for the selection of students but (1) to make sure we are dealing with real people and to (2) get to know more about the expectations of our participants to prepare for the course.

Registration for Smart Sensing and Smart Cities Schools + Hackathon: Now closed
Registration for Smart Sensing and Smart Cities Schools + Hackathon: Now closed 1200 675 ide3a

***Registration is now closed***

In the upcoming winter semester, ide3a is offering two schools on the topic of critical urban infrastructure systems including a hackathon for students from all our partner universities: Smart Sensing, Smart Cities and Smart City Hackathon. Each school will have two intensive three-day sessions spread over the course of two weeks. These three days include lectures from various ide3a international lecturers in the morning, practical tutorials and group work in the afternoon with the ide3a ambassadors. Moreover, social activities will take place virtually. Students will be able to attend only one of the schools but will receive access to the material of the other in preparation for the hackathon.

The Smart Sensing course deals with the latest advances on digital measurement techniques in the broad field of critical urban infrastructure. These include water flow/pressure metering, IoT (Internet of Things) sensors for water and energy applications, simulation of virtual sensors and sensor networks architectures, and processing of sensor data. The technical content on new digital technologies will be coupled with content on the relevance of smart sensing techniques for better monitoring and resilience of interconnected critical urban infrastructure (e.g., water networks, electricity grid, sensor networks).

In the Smart Cities course, students will be able to outline and discuss the latest advances in digitisation and urban innovation at the city scale, including open data, distributed IT systems and how they relate to governance and relevant stakeholders. Students will learn what the current research challenges in developing smart cities and empowering smart citizens are, and how they relate to sustainable, smart and inclusive urban development. The scope of this course extends, at a larger scale, the content of the “Smart Sensing” course.

***The hackathon is mandatory for all participants of the schools and will take place in person in Berlin if possible depending on the evolving COVID-19 situation. ide3a will provide funding for all foreign participants of the hackathon to cover travel and accommodation expenses.***

After attending both one school and the hackathon students will be awarded 6 ECTS and receive a certificate. Please enquire in advance about the form in which the course and the 6 ECTS can be credited to your degree programme: the best way to do this is to contact your programme coordinator or examination office.

For TU Berlin students: For most study tracks the courses can be accredited as “Freie Wahl” or as “Zusatzmodul”. For the master in “Engineering Science/Physikalische Ingenierwissenschaften” both courses are now a “Wahlpflichtmodul”. Master students from “Transportation Planning and Operation/Planung und Betrieb im Verkehrswesen” the school “Smart Cities” can be accredited as “Wahlpflichtmodul”.

Dates

Smart Sensing School: 13th – 15th and 20th – 22nd October 2021
Smart Cities School: 3rd – 5th and 10th – 12th November 2021
Smart City Hackathon: 1st – 3rd December 2021

Info and Registration

The schools include both synchronous (e.g. live virtual lectures) and asynchronous activities (e.g. videos on demand). In line with the blended format, the aim is to hold a hackathon in Berlin in addition to the virtual schools. Together with students from other countries, participants in the hackathon are challenged to solve specific content-related problems in group work.

Please use the registration form below to sign up for one of the two schools and hackathon, and insert your preference, if you would like to be considered for the other school. You have the option to indicate the other school as your second choice in case there is no free place in your preferred school. Note that in the selection process we take into account a balanced participation from the different partner universities as well as the education level. Master students are prioritised, followed by PhD and Bachelor students. The registration is open until 1st October and students will be notified whether they were accepted until 4th October 2021. For the second school, the registration period might be extended.

We look forward to receiving your application and to welcoming you as a participant of our schools!

Registration is now closed

© ECDF/PR
Photo © ECDF/PR

ide3a research assistants win Science Slam
ide3a research assistants win Science Slam 1536 1269 ide3a

We are happy to announce that two ide3a colleagues won the Science Slam of “Wissensstadt Berlin 2021”, which took place on July 9th. In the Science Slam, which thematically focused on the climate crisis, six scientists from TU Berlin, Charité, University of Potsdam and Berlin University of the Arts competed against each other by presenting their research topics to the audience in an informative but also entertaining way. With their contribution “Digital Campus for Green Cities – International and Multidisciplinary? How and why?”, Margaux Huth and Siling Chen convinced the audience the most and were chosen as the winners of the evening. The Science Slam was organised by TU Berlin and Climate Change Center Berlin Brandenburg.

Public scientific events with ide3a participation coming up
Public scientific events with ide3a participation coming up 1196 670 ide3a

Allowing everyone to participate in science and research is what the project “Wissensstadt Berlin 2021” is all about. From 26 June to 22 August 2021, an open-air exhibition will take place on the square in front of the Rotes Rathaus in Berlin. In the course of this, Margaux Huth and Siling Chen, research assistants in the “ide3a” project, will participate in a Science Slam on the topic of the climate crisis on 9 July. Anyone who is interested can come along, the Science Slam will take place from 6:30 pm to approx. 8:00 pm. See more details here.

Already on 8 July, Andrea Cominola, Principal Investigator of “ide3a” will participate in a panel discussion with the topic “Education and Professional Development in Hydro-Environmental Engineering”, in which several case studies from the field of hydro-environmental engineering and water resources education will be presented. The discussion will take place as part of the 1st IAHR Online Forum. See more information here.

First ide3a scholarship holders arrived at TU Berlin
First ide3a scholarship holders arrived at TU Berlin 2560 1523 ide3a

After an extensive application process at the beginning of the year, we were happy to welcome the first scholarship holders of the ide3a project to TU Berlin. In a joint supervision with one supervisor at the students’ home university and one at TU Berlin, these students will work on their theses in the coming months and are supported by scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Despite still difficult conditions due to the Corona-related travel regulations, two students from Dublin City University (DCU) and one from Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi) were able to arrive recently and begin their three months research stay in Berlin.

As a first step, the ide3a coordination team organised a campus tour around TU Berlin. More meetings with further scholarship holders will follow.

In the course of the year, we expect more students from our partner universities to come to the TU Berlin and vice versa. They will get the opportunity to increase intercultural competences while tackling a whole range of research questions and final projects in the field of critical infrastructure with professional support from teachers of our consortium as well as other professors at TU Berlin.

Applications for ide3a scholarships 2021 are open
Applications for ide3a scholarships 2021 are open 2560 1600 ide3a

Ide3a offers interested and qualified students the opportunity to write their Bachelor or Master thesis with a DAAD-funded scholarship and joint supervision. Students from TU Berlin can apply for one of our partner universities: NTNU Trondheim (Norway), DCU Dublin (Ireland), CUT Cracow (Poland), or Polytecnico di Milano (Italy). Moreover, students from these universities have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship at TU Berlin.

Students of all subject areas can apply for DAAD-funded scholarships to write their thesis at one of these universities starting from the summer semester 2021. The duration of the stipend for your stay abroad is three months with the option to extend it, if there are capacities.

The deadline for applications is February 28 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, complications may occur in the process of going abroad. In case you cannot enter the country as planned, the supervision of your thesis can still start digitally and scholarships payments will be paid out.

What do you gain from this?

  • Equipment, knowledge, and supervision: The best of both universities!
  • Internationalisation of your research profile and international experience
  • Support with the administrative procedure
  • DAAD-scholarship with monthly payments and support for travel expenses

How do you apply for a scholarship?

UPDATE 17.02.2021: Due to a very high number of applications we have decided to modify the application process as follows.

  1. Applicants do not need to find a supervisor at TU Berlin before the application process is finished. Selected candidates will seek supervision at TU Berlin only after they were confirmed.
  2. Additionally to the required documents (see below) every student must submit a (max.) 150 words short description containing their study programme, faculty, department, field of study, specific research interest and/or thesis topic which must be linked to the broader topic of critical infrastructure. 
  3. Also name your supervisor at your home university. If you do not have one yet, send us suggestions for possible supervisors at your faculty/department.
  4. Apply with your institutional email address (university email address). Applications from private email addresses cannot be considered.

 The paragraphs 1-4 are additional to the already announced application documents, which are:

  • Letter of motivation (including preferred period for stay abroad, proposed supervisor at home university and why you think you are the right person to do this stay abroad, additional information – maximum 1 page)
  • CV (maximum 1-2 pages)
  • Bachelor certificate and/or current transcript of records
  • Assessment letter of a professor of your home university
  • Current enrolement certificate

Please send all your application documents in one single PDF-file to .

© ide3a 2021
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