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RLS-Sciences Network at the Virtual Round Table on COVID-19
As part of the RLS Virtual Symposium on COVID-19, the Upper Austrian government convened a Virtual Roundtable on RLS-Sciences and COVID-19 on 15 September, 2020. The Virtual Roundtable included a dedicated RLS-Sciences session embedded within it, featuring inputs from all seven regions and all four RLS-Sciences groups (Energy, Aerospace, Small Satellites, Digitalization). Each RLS-Sciences group gave a presentation from their respective field on the topic of COVID-19 and regional crisis management, challenges, opportunities, and best practices.
Review the programme here, and read the RLS-Sciences symposium booklet here.
Read a summary of the RLS-Sciences activities at the RLS Virtual Symposium on COVID-19 here. Learn more about RLS-Sciences here. Watch the RLS Virtual Round Table on COVID-19 here (Part 1), here (Part 2 including the RLS-Sciences inputs), and here (Part 3). |
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The Regional Leaders Summit (RLS) is a forum comprising seven regional governments: Bavaria (Germany), Georgia (USA), Québec (Canada), São Paulo (Brazil), Shandong (China), Upper Austria (Austria), and Western Cape (South Africa). Within the framework of RLS, RLS-Sciences seeks to leverage the unique composition and strengths of the RLS network to support scientific research within and between the RLS regions. The goal is to generate and support academic, scientific, and technological exchanges, as well as the initiation of multilateral research projects. RLS-Sciences is comprised of its scientific network, the existing bilateral relationships between the RLS members, and its four research projects: RLS-Energy Network (the RLS-Sciences pilot project), the RLS-Expert Dialogue on Digitalization, the RLS-Global Aerospace Campus, and RLS-Small Satellites.
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Aerospace
As part of the RLS Virtual Symposium on COVID-19, Prof. Klaus Drechsler offered insights into the developments of online education in the aerospace sector during the pandemic with the presentation, “Global Aerospace Campus: Connecting Regions Through Education”. In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the need for innovative online education offerings led to a significant increase in the number of users on the digital GAC platform and in registrations for the first online course "Digitalization in Aerospace". In response to the geographic distance and temporary closure of higher education institutions, GAC further developed the online course offering, and the first online course was published as a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in September 2020. The next course, “Urban Air Mobility” is under development with inputs from across the RLS regions. The group plans for their fourth summit to be held mid-June, 2021, with the topic, “Space for Earth: Mastering Cyber & Public Security with Space Technologies”. Learn more about the project by visiting the Global Aerospace Campus site here. |
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Energy
At the 2020 RLS Virtual Symposium on COVID-19, the Dr. Sebastian Goers presented “Approaches for navigating the RLS regions’ energy transitions during and after the COVID-19 crisis“ from the Energy Network. Through the interdisciplinary and multi-regional cooperation in the RLS-Energy Network on energy system transformation, strategies for the simultaneous creation of economic and ecological dividends during and after the COVID-19 crisis are being derived for the political decision makers of the partner regions. This work builds upon the SWOT Analysis and the Joint Roadmap. Learn more about the RLS-Energy Network here. |
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Small Satellites
Presented by lead scientist Prof. Klaus Schilling at the RLS Virtual Symposium on COVID-19, “Earth Observation with CubeSats in Times of COVID-19: Perspectives from the Telematics International Mission (TIM)” demonstrated how during the pandemic, satellite images reliably provided information on precise areas and movement patterns - even where access was difficult and dangerous. With the pico-satellites, the RLS regions in cooperation have given themselves a valuable instrument of high technology, which is only now showing its full potential. The research group is working on a powerful formation of pico-satellites in orbit, using the expertise on pico-satellites, space communication (navigation, guidance, control), miniaturization and mechatronics available in the RLS regions. To review the most recent publications from the group, please click here. Learn more about the project here. |
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Digitalization
For the Expert Dialogue on Digitalization group, Prof. Thierry Karsenti presented “Working and Learning from Home in a Digital Era” at the RLS Virtual Symposium on COVID-19. The corona crisis has suddenly led to further digitalization of work processes in order to avoid direct contacts and further contagion. The group developed their comparison of which fundamental questions of social justice (access, provision, education), business infrastructure (existence of an ICT and cyber security industry), social affiliation and legal framework conditions are facing regional governments. In a regional comparison, it is important to obtain further data and to better interpret the effects in the larger social context. You can learn more about the Digitalization Dialogue here. |
