Last Autumn (31 Oct – 3 Nov 2023), the YSS School URSA MAJOR 2023 on “Socio-environmental interactions in sustainable smart cities” (https://peexhq.home.blog/2023/05/31/yss-school-ursa-major-2023-socio-environmental-interactions-in-sustainable-smart-cities), as a part of the Norwegian education and networking project URSA MAJOR (URban Sustainability in Action Multi-disciplinary Approach through Jointly Organized Research schools), took place in a hybrid mode in Tromso, Norway. The YSS was supported by the Pan-Eurasian EXperiment (PEEX; https://www.atm.helsinki.fi/peex) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO; https://public.wmo.int/en) – Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW; https://community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/gaw) communities. During the YSS student’s group work (as Small-Scale Research Projects, SSRPs) in natural, turbulence, satellite, and social lines took place. See summary at https://peexhq.home.blog/2023/11/08/ursa-major-yss.  

This Autumn (11-15 November 2024), the URSA MAJOR hackathon on “Sustainable city development: Environmental scenario in the global south” is hosted by the Nansen Environmental Research Centre in India. The one-week event will take place at Blue Lagoon, Kochi, India. The hackathon will offer a unique platform for young researchers, scientists, and students worldwide to engage in SSRPs. Collaborate, innovate, and contribute to sustainable city transformation in a vibrant, collaborative environment! 

Thematic lectures and activities will include: i) Technology – air quality monitoring, ii) Modelling – air quality modelling with PALM model; iii) Remote sensing – remote sensing of environmental status; and iv) Social sciences – barriers for smart city development.  

See pdf-file with preliminary announcement. 

More details on participation (incl. final announcement, details for registration, etc. will be circulated soon) to be updated on website https://www.ursamajor-nerci.in. 

Text by: Prof. I. Esau & Dr. G. Bindu, Nansen Environmental Research Centre in Norway & India