Revolutionary Hackathons: Scientists Fight Climate Change!

Revolutionary Hackathons: Scientists Fight Climate Change!

A lot is happening in the world of climate research: The next big project that will shape the landscape of climate science is nextGEMS. This exciting project brings together scientists, technical experts and users from the field of renewable energies to work together on the creation and optimization of climate models.

The project includes several development cycles of eight months each, during which participants can test their progress in an innovative format called hackathons. These meetings promote international cooperation and replace the classic, lecture-based project meetings. The first hackathon took place in October 2021 in Berlin with 80 specialists, while the last event in Madrid in 2023 already brought together almost twice as many participants. Eulàlia Baulenas from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center emphasized the importance of these hackathons, calling them the “heart of scientific progress.”

The upcoming hackathon in Hamburg

Another highlight is coming: the km-scale hackathon will take place in Hamburg from March 4th to 8th, 2024. Over 130 experts from various areas of science will come together to share their knowledge and explore innovative approaches to the application of climate models. nextGEMS cooperates with EERIE and WarmWorld to organize this important exchange. The hackathon's thematic focuses include the current status of Earth System Models and the physical processes behind unexplained climate trends. The opening speech will be given by Eulàlia Baulenas, followed by lectures by well-known scientists such as Rohit Gosh and Daniela Jacob.

These hackathons not only offer a platform for scientific exchange, but also space for personal encounters, for example over dinner together or a visit to the wind tunnel at the University of Hamburg. The last session of the hackathon also falls on International Women's Day, which celebrates the achievements of female scientists and supporters.

A deeper look into model development

The model development to date in the nextGEMS project is based on two existing, proven models: ICON and the ECMWF's Integrated Forecasting System (IFS), coupled with the advanced ocean model FESOM. This strategic choice helps combine and integrate different scientific philosophies. While the developers are creating shorter simulations on the Levante supercomputer at the German Climate Computing Center, many are looking forward to the results. These simulations allow the effects of model adjustments to be quickly viewed - an essential step in climate research.

With the Paris Agreement of 2015, Germany is pursuing ambitious climate goals and is aiming for greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. These projects require not only research, but also extensive investments in innovative technologies and the development of climate models. The FONA strategy “Research for Sustainability” supports these efforts and intends to make climate research needs-oriented and to accelerate the transfer of knowledge into practice.

Overall, it is clear that the global challenges of climate change cannot be overcome alone. Close cooperation between scientists, cities, communities, companies and politicians at national and European levels is essential to develop sustainable solutions and resolutely combat climate change. The next period in nextGEMS and other projects will be crucial.