Digitalization Driving Sustainability – Dealing with Complexity

Objective
This seed project aims to support the Digital Futures (DF) Digitalized Industry Working Group by strengthening the international research focus on industrial digitalization, driving sustainability and addressing related complexity from a systems thinking and engineering point of view. The overall objectives of this seed project are (1) to create a European network of leading research institutions, industry and other stakeholders and (2) to write a proposal for a suitable EU project to support this network. We primarily target an EU COST Action but will also consider other instruments.

Background
There are common challenges in sustainability in the manufacturing, transport, energy, water management, and building sectors, as well as related methodologies to deal with the associated socio-technical complexity. There is a fragmentation of competencies in the use of digitalization to support sustainable development and also related to systems thinking/engineering. With the targeted network, we intend to try to overcome this fragmentation.

Cross-disciplinary collaboration
The PI and co-PIs are spread over two different KTH schools. Each PI needs international collaboration as we aim to apply for a proposal to build an EU network. The partners in the ongoing proposal involve eleven countries so far, >50% COSTInclusiveness Target Countries. We have had one in-person meeting at KTH on 12-13 August 2024 (see photo) and plan for the next meeting in person on 14 October 2024. Several online meetings have taken place since the start of the project.

Contacts: Ellen Bergseth, Martin Törngren, Yongkuk Jeong