New perspectives on sustainability and digitalization

Complementing the research workshops, the camp offered workshops on the method of design thinking, on the conceptualization and design of scientific posters, and on knowledge transfer. "The research camp represents a milestone for the KU. This is the first time that we are hosting an event with such a strong interdisciplinary and international focus, aimed specifically at graduates and early-career researchers", emphasized Vice President Prof. Dr. Jens Hogreve upon conclusion of the event. "The camp builds a direct connection to the KU's research strategy: The focus is on the human being and not on technical innovation. With that in mind, we want to develop new ideas and solutions to the world's most pressing problems."

Among the highlights of the program were the evening lectures: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kropp, who works at the renowned Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, showed how further densification of cities could have positive effects in terms of saving energy, but that this would also lead to increased heat development. In the discussion, he explained that measures such as in Madrid, where streets were cooled with water in the evening, had to be considered in relation to what the consequences of overheating would otherwise be. According to Kropp, such conflicting goals illustrate how complex the challenges of a turn toward sustainability are. Simple solutions are not to be expected, he said. He also showed how important it was to break new ground, especially in urban development. The construction sector currently produces around 40 percent of all CO2 emissions, which is why Potsdam is currently experimenting with new, sustainable forms of timber construction.

Rainer Rehak, who works on the networked society at the Weizenbaum Institute in Berlin, showed that questions of sustainability currently affect information and communication technologies in particular. The concept of informational sustainability is not only aimed at much-discussed issues of data protection, but also at whether software is freely available or technical infrastructures are part of the community. In many cases, however, technologies exclude certain parts of social groups. It is therefore important to detach oneself from technology fixations and current hypes in order to reflect for whom a technology is being designed. According to Rehak, this is the only way to address the real problems of the digital transformation and enable broad participation. Far too often, however, the media public sphere is dominated by pseudo debates that blur where we should really be taking a critical look.
 
At the end of the Research Camp, the participants presented the results of the work process in a scientific poster exhibition. Not only the results of research circles and workshops were included in the preparation of the posters. The early-career researchers also specifically outlined how they would like to actively contribute to successful social development in the future through their scientific commitment. "I was impressed by the presentations of the young people", said Prof. Dr. Georg Rosenfeld, Chairman of the "Excellence Foundation Ingolstadt Science - Ignaz Kögler", during the final discussion. "I am particularly pleased that the camp has laid the foundation for an international network of young researchers.” The Ingolstadt Foundation had approved an application from the KU at the beginning of the year, thus making financing the camp possible.