Partnership Day is our flagship event celebrating research collaborations with public and private partners in Luxembourg. This year’s edition drew over 350 attendees from international industry and local public institutions. Here’s what happened at #PDAY2018 over a jam-packed Tuesday in Mondorf-les-Bains.
A Glamorous Location, and a Glamorous VIP list
We headed to the south of Luxembourg to transform the glamorous Casino 2000 and make it our own for 24 hours. The guest list was similarly dazzling, with their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Guillaume and Crown Princess Stéphanie joining us for the morning, as well as Minister Marc Hansen.
We feel honoured to welcome guests of this caliber, and we strove to give them the best SnT experience possible. Director Björn Ottersten guided the VIP group through the demo area, giving them an overview of our latest work.
An Opening in Consensus, Steve Collar in the Spotlight
Opening speakers Minister Hansen, Stéphane Pallage, and Björn Ottersten agreed that a strong form of collaboration between the University of Luxembourg and industry, aligning public and private investment, is essential to keep research relevant. Later on, Steve Collar gave a powerful talk on the latest advances in the satellite industry – PDAY attendees were hanging onto his every word.
Flash talks: a digestible form of edutainment after lunch
After a couple of succulent amuse-gueules, many guests mingled in the demo area.
Those who headed back inside were in for a treat: 8 candidates condensed 4 years of research into 5 minute talks. The stage was dynamic, enlightening, and there was even plenty of laughter as our junior researchers brought their characteristic joie de vivre to some serious topics.
Mobility and FinTech in the limelight
After a quick coffee break, participants were able to choose between two session. Jean Schiltz generously volunteered to moderate the Spotlight on the Future of Mobility and skillfully wove his expertise throughout the session. If you missed it, these were the topics:
- Philippe Osch, HITEC Luxembourg: The Road Toward Integrated and Connected Logistics for Critical Goods Transports
- François Erasmy, Post Luxembourg: Mobility is Nothing without Security
- Jean-Marie Spaus, Ministry of the Economy: High Performance Computing and Big Data-enabled Digital Infrastructures. Preparing Luxembourg for the Data-driven Economy.
- Matthias Schunter, Intel: Sustainable Cyber-Physical Security: Can we Protect Vehicles for 30 Years
- Raphael Frank, SnT: Automated Driving, an End-to-End Approach
Meanwhile, with his thought-provoking moderation, Nasir Zubairi introduced session participants to New Technologies Shaping the Future of Financial Services. He shared the stage with some of our partners on the following topics:
- Cyril Cassagnes, Telindus: The Way Telindus Transfers Emerging Technology and Innovation to Industry
- Marc Hemmerling, ABBL: Ditributed Ledger Prototype and Data Analytics for Know Your Customer
- Anne Goujon, BGL BNP Paribas: Artificial Intelligence in Financial Environments
- Rachid Ouaich, EETHIQ ADVISORS: Inclusive Intelligence and Distributed Finance: Technology for Good
Research so palpable, you can touch it
From learning to fly mini-drones, riding in a self-driving car, getting the latest insights on GDPR in tech, or watching 3D animations of SnT staff. #PDAY2018 really had something for everyone. Participants were spoiled with a choice of over 20 demos and countless posters showcasing our six strategic research areas: Space Systems and Resources, Autonomous Vehicles, FinTech, Cybersecurity, Secure and Compliant Data Management and IoT. We brought back the popular guided tours from last year and equipped visitors with headsets and a guide to tour the demo area.
The opportunity to meet all of our partners in person and to introduce them to one another is a key element of our Partnership Days. So is showcasing the diverse skills and projects at SnT. Finally, we appreciate you taking the day out of your busy schedule to discover, meet, and relax with us!
#PDAY2018 was our biggest, boldest event to date. We hope you enjoyed it, and to welcome you again next year!