Climate, environmental, and species protection, saving of resources, ecological growth, green entrepreneurship, global justice: Sustainability has many facets and will be achieved only, if we are all pulling in the same direction. For this reason, the KIT Science Week will invite the public to have its say, participate, and join research from October 10 to 15, 2023. Part of the program headed "Making the Future Sustainable. Together." will be organized by the karlsruhe.digital Initiative. Its InnovationFestival @karlsruhe.digital will present digital innovations from the Karlsruhe Technology Region, which have the potential of pushing transformation towards a sustainable economy and society.
"Without dialog, sustainability will have no chance," says Professor Thomas Hirth, KIT Vice President Transfer and International Affairs. The KIT Science Week will highlight numerous challenges associated with the transformation towards a sustainable society, sharpen awareness, and show what research and innovation can contribute to this process. "But also the people affected will be given a word, many of whom are worried about tomorrow," Hirth adds. "We take their feedback, ideas, and arguments back to our research and will set our agenda accordingly."
Events for the Interested Public
For one week, the KIT Science Week will combine scientific exchange at a top-level expert conference with interactive and participative events for the interested public. The trinational congress of the Science Week under the direction of Professor Johannes Orphal from the KIT Climate and Environment Center will focus on "Transforming towards a Sustainable Society." Many small and big events are designed to make the different groups of society meet in person or online: Panel discussion, escape room, open labs, a climate slam, citizen dialog, climate puzzle, open-air concert, and excursions. International scientists will meet citizens, families, pupils, trainees, students, decision-makers from politics and industry, as well as cultural workers. They will explain causes, present solutions, classify figures and facts, provide orientation, and put up their research findings and innovations for discussion.
Strong Partners for Dialog
Again, the InnovationFestival will be organized by the karlsruhe.digital Initiative, in which industry, administration, science, and culture are represented. "There is enormous potential in linking digital innovation with the transformation towards sustainability," says Gabriele Luczak-Schwarz, First Mayor of the City of Karlsruhe and Chairwoman of the karlsruhe.digital Initiative. The InnovationFestival will highlight positive impacts of innovative ideas and digital solutions on everyday life, examples being the software developed by HQS Quantum Simulations to support researchers in the search for new materials, chemicals, or medicine, AI-supported process mining by MEHRWERK to assist enterprises on their way to more sustainability, and charge optimization by InnoCharge for low-cost and green electric mobility. "We need innovations, especially in the digital area, as they will play a crucial role in coping with future challenges and in strengthening Karlsruhe as a location of industry and digital technology. The topics covered by the KIT Science Week and the InnovationFestival match perfectly. Both events will profit from each other. I am very happy about this close cooperation with KIT," Luczak-Schwarz points out.
InnovationFestival @karlsruhe.digital Meets KIT Science Week
"The InnovationFestival will make the large range of digital innovations made in Karlsruhe known even beyond the region," says Martin Hubschneider, Managing Directdor of CyberForum e.V. and Chairman of the Karlsruhe.digital Initiative. TheInnovationFestival ∂does-not-exist.karlsruhe digital will offer a stage to the best digital innovations made in Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe Technology Region at ZKM I The Karlsruhe Center for Art and Media and in a livestream.
In addition to the keynote on the Baden-Württemberg AI Alliance, startups, renowned companies, and research institutions will present their latest digital innovations in pitches of ten minutes' duration. "All contributions will reflect the wide range of expertise and technologies to improve the quality of life in Karlsruhe," Hubschneider says. The final joint event "InnovationFestival Meets KIT Science Week" at Tollhaus on Alter Schlachthof will provide an opportunity to exchange information and party.
Fostering Exchange
In spite of the pandemic, nearly 9000 citizens from Karlsruhe and the region attended - in person or online - the events of the premiere of the KIT Science Week in October 2021 on "Artificial Intelligence." The first KIT Science Week also met with a great response of the scientists. This year, the organizers hope to repeat this success and to attract even more young people and citizens for a dialog with scientists.
