Scotland’s space technology sector is one of the country’s most exciting and innovative new industries. From microsat manufacturing and software to a growing number of space data companies and even rocket engine manufacturers, Scotland is developing a global reputation as a pioneer in the new era of commercial space exploration.
Now the industry is looking for ways to engage with the creative industries and find new ideas and opportunities to innovate further.
Space Technology Scotland has partnered with the Data Driven Innovation Programme (DDI) and the University of Edinburgh’s School of Design informatics, to create a Space / Creative Industries mashup, enabling both sectors to learn from each other.
Game Makers & Data Visualisers
The new generation of Space technology companies offer an unique ability to understand our world in different ways. In order to take full advantage of this, the industry needs fresh perspectives. The space sector needs the skills, talent and imagination of people such as games makers and data visualisers to help them innovate in areas such as:
- effectively presenting and communicating insights from our data to decision makers
- developing gamification strategies to help influence and model the impact of decision options
After running a games specific event in Dundee earlier this year, Space Tech Scotland is bringing the event to Inspace at the University of Edinburgh and inviting a wider range of participants from across the creative industries, data and games sectors.
Local & Global Challenges
Rather than a basic discussion, or panel, the event will feature three challenges that our presenters are actively wrestling with, for participants to tackle collectively. Each will be planted in local issues but also touch on the global UN sustainable development goals.
- the challenge in developing a data enabled sustainable Festival city improving the experiences for residents and visitors, and the tools at creative tech and data tools at our disposal
- the challenge of visualising space and satellite data with examples of current maps of deforestation and climate change graphs – can we do better? Can we influence the decision makers?
- the challenge of GPS data accuracy for Edinburgh and its use in developing a smart sustainable city.
Ideas developed on the night could be developed further and even potentially be presented at the UN’s COP26 climate change conference being held in Glasgow in November 2020.
This is expected to be the most important climatic change event since the 2015 Paris agreement. It will welcome up to 200 heads of government from around the world as well as up to 30,000 delegates, including climate experts, business leaders and citizens, meet to draw up a new climate change strategy.
Participate & Exhibit
If you would like to demonstrate your work in these fields on the night, the organisers are offering free space for SIX stands within the venue, which participants can visit during networking. You can register your interest in exhibiting here.
The event takes place at InSpace at the University of Edinburgh, at 17:30 on Tuesday 12th November.
The schedule for the evening is below:
5.45-6pm – Gather and Demos
6.10pm – Introductions, Caroline Parkinson, Sector Lead – Creative Industries, Data Driven Innovation programme
6.15pm – Prof Chris Speed, Design Informatics – the challenge in developing a data enabled sustainable Festival city improving the experiences for residents and visitors, and the tools at creative tech and data tools at our disposal.
6.30pm – Murray Collins, DDI Chancellors Fellow for Space and Satellite Analysis – the challenge of visualising space and satellite data with examples of current maps of deforestation and climate change graphs – can we do better? Can we influence the decision makers?
6.45pm – Terry McLarney, Envisage Space – the challenge of GPS data accuracy for Edinburgh and its use in developing a smart sustainable city.
7pm – Panel – a chance to ask the three challenge holders questions and enter a dialogue across the audience about what is possible and explore the potential mash up and discover work opportunities that could be developed/commissioned between the three disciplines.
7.30pm – Break – Pizza and Beer/soft drinks – a chance to chat in self-selecting groups around the three challenge holders and develop ideas.
8pm – Feedback any emerging ideas developed and respond with next steps
8.15-9pm – Networking and Demos
9pm ish – Close
Afternoon Space Session
In addition, there is also a free afternoon session, led by Murray Collins, looking in more depth at Scotland’s rapidly evolving space sector:
1.30pm – a social lunch at Bayes – Asteria display: Student body developing satellites.
2-3pm – broader space & Satellite sector talks – Alan Thompson, Skyrora & Dr Callum Norrie, Space Network Scotland
3-5pm – remote sensing of vegetation talks – Led by Dr Steven Hancock
5.45pm – On to this mash-up event listed above