Fall Conference 2025
From 29 September to 1 October, the final in-person meeting of 2025 took place and, at the same time, the last meeting of the first funding period of TRR 339. The meeting focused equally on reflecting past achievements and looking ahead to the next project phase. This year, Aachen hosted the meeting, bringing together all project participants for an intensive scientific and strategic exchange.
A central focus was the joint discussion on the milestones achieved over recent years. The scientific success of the first funding period is evident not only in numerous publications, but also in the parallel development of several technical show cases, which made the research outcomes tangible and accessible. These technical show cases, presented in their final form during the meeting, are the result of the close collaboration between all participating institutes and clearly demonstrate the strong potential of the interdisciplinary and transregional approach of TRR 339.
On this basis, a solid foundation has been established for the systematic exploration of a future road system, in which digitalization plays a pivotal role. The meeting therefore not only highlighted past achievements, but also served as a strategic platform to discuss the further development and long-term scientific orientation of the Transregio, as well as the creation of synergies and interfaces with projects in related research fields. In this context, the Aldenhoven Testing Center and the Smart Mobility Lab were identified as highly suitable test environments for the developments within TRR 339. In coordination with the respective responsibles, the adaptation of selected road sections to the specific requirements of TRR 339 has been agreed upon, enabling future research activities to be tested under realistic conditions. With a clear view of the achievements to date and a shared vision for the future, the transition into the next project phase was actively prepared.
Another central element of the meeting was the workshop led by Prof. Dr Thorsten Merl entitled “Think Manager – Think Male, Dealing with Diversity & Discrimination”. The workshop focused on bias awareness and sensitized participants to unconscious patterns of thinking as well as structural mechanisms of discrimination. In doing so, it sent a clear signal that, alongside excellent research, a reflective scientific culture is understood as a strategic component of successful and sustainable collaboration within TRR 339.
We would like to thank all participants for their valuable contributions and commitment, which made this meeting a great success. Special thanks go to Prof. Merl for providing insightful perspectives beyond our usual research focus through his workshop.
