Periodic Reporting for period 5 - Engage (The SESAR Knowledge Transfer Network)
Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2022-06-30
Engage was the SESAR Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) from 2018 to 2022. The KTN was managed by a consortium of academia and industry, supporting the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU), to promote and facilitate the development of air traffic management research in Europe. The focus was two-fold: inspiring new researchers and helping to align exploratory and industrial research, through a wide range of activities and financial support actions.
Engage was coordinated by the University of Westminster, with the Innaxis Research Institute, University of Trieste, University of Belgrade - Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Frequentis, EUROCONTROL and the European Aviation Safety Agency as consortium members.
The objectives of Engage were to:
* Stimulate the transfer of exploratory research towards ATM application-oriented research by directly supporting the development to higher-maturity results.
* Support European ATM education and training in the community by developing new talent with a deep knowledge of future scientific research needs; to thus sustain and stimulate the next generation of ATM operational and engineering staff.
* Build an inspiring and user-friendly ATM observatory (wiki) to monitor, identify and analyse relevant new opportunities for innovative ATM research, with a repository to host reports and publications, plus a roadmap of innovative and interdisciplinary ATM concepts (beyond SESAR 2020) and an interactive research map.
* Deliver high quality communication and dissemination activities, both on-line (e.g. website and social media) and physical (e.g. organising workshops), whilst also supporting SJU initiatives such as the organisation of the SESAR Innovations Days and coordination with the SESAR 2020 Scientific Committee.
Engage was coordinated by the University of Westminster, with the Innaxis Research Institute, University of Trieste, University of Belgrade - Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Frequentis, EUROCONTROL and the European Aviation Safety Agency as consortium members.
The objectives of Engage were to:
* Stimulate the transfer of exploratory research towards ATM application-oriented research by directly supporting the development to higher-maturity results.
* Support European ATM education and training in the community by developing new talent with a deep knowledge of future scientific research needs; to thus sustain and stimulate the next generation of ATM operational and engineering staff.
* Build an inspiring and user-friendly ATM observatory (wiki) to monitor, identify and analyse relevant new opportunities for innovative ATM research, with a repository to host reports and publications, plus a roadmap of innovative and interdisciplinary ATM concepts (beyond SESAR 2020) and an interactive research map.
* Deliver high quality communication and dissemination activities, both on-line (e.g. website and social media) and physical (e.g. organising workshops), whilst also supporting SJU initiatives such as the organisation of the SESAR Innovations Days and coordination with the SESAR 2020 Scientific Committee.
EngageWiki (wikiengagektn.com) launched in December 2020, with subsequent major content updates and maintained beyond the end of Engage; features include European firsts, highlighted with '+'
* Interactive research map (+)
* ATM concepts roadmap (+)
* European university programmes (>100) (+)
* Teaching resources (3 lecture programmes)
* Research repository (>2000 documents) (+)
* PhD funding opportunities
* Jobs and internships
Calls and challenges
* Thematic challenge topics evaluated & launched; 14 thematic workshops held
* Call for PhDs / post-graduate theses resulted in 10 PhDs being funded
* Two Calls for catalyst funding resulted in 18 projects being funded
SESAR Innovations Days - supporting the preparation of the technical programme (and paper reviews) of the four conferences held during the timeframe of the KTN
* Building on established success (non-disruptive change)
* Engage industry partners on programme committee and directly participating
Summer schools
* Three summer schools designed and delivered
Dissemination, communication
* Active Twitter account (twitter.com/EngageKTN) publicising Calls, events and publications relevant to the research community
* Website launched in 1st month (engagektn.com); approximately 1000 hits per month
* Wiki launched (wikiengagektn.com) access for the research and teaching communities to contribute content, promote learning and advertise job opportunities
* Involvement of industry partners in network activities
* Interactive research map (+)
* ATM concepts roadmap (+)
* European university programmes (>100) (+)
* Teaching resources (3 lecture programmes)
* Research repository (>2000 documents) (+)
* PhD funding opportunities
* Jobs and internships
Calls and challenges
* Thematic challenge topics evaluated & launched; 14 thematic workshops held
* Call for PhDs / post-graduate theses resulted in 10 PhDs being funded
* Two Calls for catalyst funding resulted in 18 projects being funded
SESAR Innovations Days - supporting the preparation of the technical programme (and paper reviews) of the four conferences held during the timeframe of the KTN
* Building on established success (non-disruptive change)
* Engage industry partners on programme committee and directly participating
Summer schools
* Three summer schools designed and delivered
Dissemination, communication
* Active Twitter account (twitter.com/EngageKTN) publicising Calls, events and publications relevant to the research community
* Website launched in 1st month (engagektn.com); approximately 1000 hits per month
* Wiki launched (wikiengagektn.com) access for the research and teaching communities to contribute content, promote learning and advertise job opportunities
* Involvement of industry partners in network activities
A future ATM skilled workforce: Engage has supported student mobility and helped develop new talent with a good understanding of future ATM scientific research needs. This included supporting 10 PhDs, supporting SESAR Innovation Days conferences, organising 3 summer schools and a series of thematic workshops, facilitating attendance on ATC training courses and designing and delivering 3 free-to-use lecture programmes at the 'grass roots' level.
Establishment of a knowledge hub (wiki) as a 'go-to' source, single point of entry for ATM knowledge.
Supporting the publication of peer-reviewed research outputs, including 15 journal articles and 33 conference papers (listed in Engage 'Results').
Driving better integration between applied/industrial and exploratory research.
Establishment of a knowledge hub (wiki) as a 'go-to' source, single point of entry for ATM knowledge.
Supporting the publication of peer-reviewed research outputs, including 15 journal articles and 33 conference papers (listed in Engage 'Results').
Driving better integration between applied/industrial and exploratory research.