Common fields of collaboration

The PIER PLUS profiles are supplemented by four topics that are relevant to all research fields and partners. They relate to the areas of Data Science & Digitalization, Scientific Communication, Innovation and Transfer, and Supporting Young Academics.

Innovation and Transfer

The variety of topics covered by the PIER PLUS profiles makes a broad understanding of transfer necessary. Through the development of spaces of interaction and exchange PIER PLUS stresses the needed interconnection between the different target groups in (digital) meetings.

Data Science & Digitalization

The image shows a close-up of a computer circuit board. It is taken from above at an angle and is only sharp in the center of the image. The upper and lower areas of the image are out of focus.

As basic research in the fields of AI and data science progresses, findings that are considered established and proven are increasingly being rolled out to specific applications. In order to do justice to this development, exploit synergistic effects, and ensure the ongoing preservation of methodological expertise, service facilities are currently being created at a number of locations to enable and advance digitalization in scholarship.

Participating partners

Such an institution is already being built in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, namely the House of Computing and Data Science (HCDS) at Universität Hamburg, the concept of which is aligned with that of the Hamburg-X project: Center for Data and Computing in Natural Science (CDCS) (participating partners: Universität Hamburg, Hamburg University of Technology, DESY). DESY runs the Helmholtz Imaging Platform (HIP), which specifically addresses the topic of image processing. The interfaculty Machine Learning in Engineering (MLE) initiative is based at TUHH (participation: Hereon). When it comes to support for young academics, the joint DASHH Graduate School (Data Science in Hamburg Helmholtz Graduate School for the Structure of Matter), in which a large number of partners are involved, is deserving of mention.

Future outlook

In order to ensure that future needs are met, we are currently building a decentralized structure, a Kiez (“quarter”) of computing and data science, in which all interested academic institutions and, as part of a possible second stage, industry too, have the opportunity to participate. This innovative concept enables facilities from individual institutions or existing collaborations to carve out their place, exchange ideas with others and bundle their competencies. By uniting not just methodological expertise but also opportunities for further training and education, scientific events, job offers, and much more, Hamburg is thus building upon its existing standing as an attractive location for pioneering topics in the fields of digitalization and automation.

Scientific Communication

Clear science communication for Hamburg requires mutual dialog between partners and social actors. This is why PIER PLUS partners have agreed to collaborate in the area of science communication. One of the goals here is for the partners to share examples of best practice and devise a joint communication strategy in the context of the PIER PLUS profiles.

Supporting Young Academics

The PIER PLUS partners have also committed to work together to support young academics. The most important institution in this regard is the Hamburg Research Academy (HRA), which combines the forces of nine of Hamburg’s universities to provide advice and support to Hamburg’s young academics in a multidisciplinary manner. Other PIER PLUS partners are associate members of the HRA.