Let’s dive into the SPATIAL workpackages with our WP leaders.
Welcome to the DISCOVER THE SPATIAL WORK blogs, a series where we dive into the SPATIAL workpackages with our WP Leaders!
Let’s start this series with WP6 – the dissemination and communication workpackage, where Giulia Pastor and Blanca Arregui from AUSTRALO, will present the work carried out and the most interesting achievements (have you looked at the SPATIAL podcast? 😉 ).
WP6 is the Workpackage in charge of the project’s dissemination, communication and exploitation activities. It is led by AUSTRALO, with Mainflux, in charge of exploitation and Fraunhofer FOKUS, which deals with the standardisation activities.
All SPATIAL partners have invested a lot of effort in the first two years of the project to ensure that the exciting work carried out by the technical partners is well-promoted and all the SPATIAL stakeholders are aware of what is happening in the project.
In addition, a significant part of WP6’s job is to MAKE THE PROJECT RESULTS OPEN to everyone interested, in line with the open science principles.
To achieve this important objective, our technical partners published 20 open-access scientific publications, which can be consulted and downloaded on the website, and participated in 40 between events, workshops and conferences.
In addition to that, all the public deliverables of the project are available on the Deliverables page on our website.
In SPATIAL, communication and dissemination are the keys to the project’s success.
All the key scientific stakeholders must be aware of the project activities; however, due to the increasing usage of AI, society shall be informed about the work the EU is doing to make the European cybersecurity sector trustworthy.
With this in mind, we created a podcast series published on YouTube and Spotify.
This podcast will consist of four episodes; we already have published two!
In the first episode, New Challenges for Gender Equality in AI: Navigating the Ethical and Social Implications, we had the privilege of conversing with Marcus Westberg, postdoctoral researcher and project manager at TU Delft, the coordinator of the SPATIAL project. Our discussion revolved around crucial topics such as gender bias in AI, the intersectionality perspective, the impact of AI on gender-based violence, and the ethical governance of AI.
In the second episode, the Impact of AI and Machine Learning on Society’s Wellbeing, we were happy to talk with Jason Pridmore, who is affiliated with Erasmus University, a SPATIAL consortium member. Jason holds the Vice Dean of Education position at Erasmus School of History, Culture, and Communication. Additionally, he spearheads several research initiatives that make a positive difference in society.
Our discussion began with an overview and an exploration of the benefits and advancements AI and ML have already brought to our lives. As we gazed into the future, our conversation shifted to envisioning how AI and ML will continue to shape society’s well-being. Soon, the remaining episodes will be published.
In SPATIAL, we value our community.
Our community is important to us, so we always ask for their feedback and opinions about our project, activities and the impact it will generate.
For example, during the SECURENET workshop in Dublin on September 11th, we had the privilege of interviewing diverse stakeholders and gathering testimonials, including a PhD student, an AI company CEO, and professionals from the research field. Their testimonials provided invaluable insights into the impact and significance of SPATIAL. We published the interviews on the SPATIAL YouTube channel and the website and promoted the testimonial series on social media.
Additionally, we want to acknowledge the collaborative spirit fostered by the Communication Task Force (CTF) initiative, leading to the formation of the Security Cluster. This cluster brings together projects that share common goals and interests, including IDUNN, KRAKEN H2020, Electron, Secant, CROSSCON, TRUSTaWARE, IRIS H2020, SPATIAL, ERATOSTHENES, Sentinel – EU, and ARCADIAN-IoT. Despite being physically distributed, the Security Cluster held a meeting in Lisbon, with SPATIAL participating online. This event provided a valuable platform for discussing challenges and hosting sessions among projects.
Looking ahead, the Security Cluster is planning exciting initiatives to strengthen collaboration. We aim to create a joint logo, implement a unified communication strategy, and establish a collective online presence through a LinkedIn page. Collaborative efforts include the development of a white paper and monthly meetings to coordinate activities. This collaborative way of working enhances individual project outcomes and contributes to the collective advancement of security-related research and innovation. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to work together to shape the future of security technologies.
Beyond Dissemination and Communication
WP6 is not just the work package dedicated to dissemination and communication, but it also takes care of the Exploitation and standardisation activities of the project.
Thanks to the expertise of our Exploitation manager, Sasa Klopanovic, Director at Mainflux Lab, and the technical partners, WP6 published the project’s Impact Assessment and Exploitation Interim Report.
This document is the first version of the SPATIAL project’s exploitation plan, based on the cooperation and exchange during the project’s first year, including the project’s first deliverables, the initial market assessment, and partner inputs and two workshops. It provides the background and context for the SPATIAL project, a methodology for its development, and outlines the strategy and concrete activities to exploit the project’s results.