Enabling university educators to equip students with inter- and transdisciplinary competencies

Purpose – Inter- and transdisciplinarity are core concepts in almost all education for sustainable development (ESD) competence frameworks and curricula. To equip students with inter- and transdisciplinary competencies is highly demanding for educators. Educators must not only know how to teach students such competencies, but need to be experienced in inter- and transdisciplinary research and must have some technical knowledge about inter- and transdisciplinarity. This paper aims to show how university educators can be supported in their teaching. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a case study based on research and on experiences in interdisciplinary teaching and in supporting educators in their interdisciplinary teaching. Findings – The paper presents a competence framework of interdisciplinary competencies to guide university teachers that has been developed, implemented and refined in interdisciplinary study programmes belonging to the field of ESD. It shows how the professional development of educators could be addressed referring to the experiences in these programmes. The measures presented consist for one thing of interdisciplinary processes among the educators and of measures directly supporting educators in their teaching for another thing. Originality/value – The case study the paper refers to is of special value, first, because the experiences are based on long-standing research and on two decades of experiences. Second, because considerable efforts were made to deliver coherent and consistent interdisciplinary teaching in which interdisciplinarity was not only a teaching subject for the students but showed by the educators as well so that the educators involved did not only talk about competencies for inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations but also set an example in their own doings

Exploiting Sentinel-1 amplitude data for glacier surface velocity field measurements. Feasibility demonstration on baltoro glacier

The leading idea of this work is to continuously retrieve glaciers surface velocity through SAR imagery, in particular using the amplitude data from the new ESA satellite sensor Sentinel-1 imagery. These imagery key aspects are the free access policy, the very short revisit time (down to 6 days with the launch of the Sentinel-1B satellite) and the high amplitude resolution (up to 5 m). In order to verify the reliability of the proposed approach, a first experiment has been performed using Sentinel-1 imagery acquired over the Karakoram mountain range (North Pakistan) and Baltoro and other three glaciers have been investigated. During this study, a stack of 11 images acquired in the period from October 2014 to September 2015 has been used in order to investigate the potentialities of the Sentinel-1 SAR sensor to retrieve the glacier surface velocity every month. The aim of this test was to measure the glacier surface velocity between each subsequent pair, in order to produce a time series of the surface velocity fields along the investigated period. The necessary co-registration procedure between the images has been performed and subsequently the glaciers areas have been sampled using a regular grid with a 250 × 250 meters posting. Finally the surface velocity field has been estimated, for each image pair, using a template matching procedure, and an outlier filtering procedure based on the signal to noise ratio values has been applied, in order to exclude from the analysis unreliable points. The achieved velocity values range from 10 to 25 meters/month and they are coherent to those obtained in previous studies carried out on the same glaciers and the results highlight that it is possible to have a continuous update of the glacier surface velocity field through free Sentinel-1 imagery, that could be very useful to investigate the seasonal effects on the glaciers fluid-dynamics

Monitoring urban heat island through google earth engine. Potentialities and difficulties in different cities of the United States

The aim of this work is to exploit the large-scale analysis capabilities of the innovative Google Earth Engine platform in order to investigate the temporal variations of the Urban Heat Island phenomenon as a whole. A intuitive methodology implementing a large-scale correlation analysis between the Land Surface Temperature and Land Cover alterations was thus developed. The results obtained for the Phoenix MA are promising and show how the urbanization heavily affects the magnitude of the UHI effects with significant increases in LST. The proposed methodology is therefore able to efficiently monitor the UHI phenomenon

Monitoring the impact of land cover change on surface urban heat island through google earth engine. Proposal of a global methodology, first applications and problems

All over the world, the rapid urbanization process is challenging the sustainable development of our cities. In 2015, the United Nation highlighted in Goal 11 of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) the importance to "Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable". In order to monitor progress regarding SDG 11, there is a need for proper indicators, representing different aspects of city conditions, obviously including the Land Cover (LC) changes and the urban climate with its most distinct feature, the Urban Heat Island (UHI). One of the aspects of UHI is the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI), which has been investigated through airborne and satellite remote sensing over many years. The purpose of this work is to show the present potential of Google Earth Engine (GEE) to process the huge and continuously increasing free satellite Earth Observation (EO) Big Data for long-term and wide spatio-temporal monitoring of SUHI and its connection with LC changes. A large-scale spatio-temporal procedure was implemented under GEE, also benefiting from the already established Climate Engine (CE) tool to extract the Land Surface Temperature (LST) from Landsat imagery and the simple indicator Detrended Rate Matrix was introduced to globally represent the net effect of LC changes on SUHI. The implemented procedure was successfully applied to six metropolitan areas in the U.S., and a general increasing of SUHI due to urban growth was clearly highlighted. As a matter of fact, GEE indeed allowed us to process more than 6000 Landsat images acquired over the period 1992-2011, performing a long-term and wide spatio-temporal study on SUHI vs. LC change monitoring. The present feasibility of the proposed procedure and the encouraging obtained results, although preliminary and requiring further investigations (calibration problems related to LST determination from Landsat imagery were evidenced), pave the way for a possible global service on SUHI monitoring, able to supply valuable indications to address an increasingly sustainable urban planning of our cities

Ḥarb al-Ma‘lūmāt: Geopolítica de los canales de información árabes después de las sublevaciones de 2011

The popular uprisings in the Middle East represented a moment of change in all Arab countries both at the national level and in terms of the regional geopolitical balance. In the analysis of these events particular importance was given to the influence of traditional and new digital media. The satellite news channel Al Jazeera in Arabic played an important role in the propagation of the uprising in the different countries of the region, both for its extensive coverage of the events, as well as for the credibility it had gained among the population since its establishment in 1996. But the position of the channel regarding the protests, and the use of different approaches according to the country, led it to lose an important part of its audience. For this reason, the upheavals, as well as the relevant geopolitical changes, also led to a reconfiguration of the region’s media ecosystem, with the establishment of new media and a more heterogeneous space where different satellite news channels, mainly linked to countries or political actors in the region, struggle to promote their views to an Arab audience. This new condition has led to the configuration of a new geopolitics of the information, parallel to the changing power balances at political level. A reflection on the relationship between geopolitics and information opens questions about the future role of these channels as foreign policy tools of the main actors in the geopolitical disputes.Las sublevaciones populares en la región de Medio Oriente representaron un momento de cambio político en todos los países árabes tanto a nivel nacional como en términos de equilibrio en la geopolítica regional. En el análisis de estos eventos se dio particular relevancia a la agencia de medios de comunicaciones tradicionales y digitales. El canal satelital Al Jazeera en árabe jugó un papel relevante en la propagación de las protestas en diferentes países de la región, tanto por su extensa cobertura de los acontecimientos como por la credibilidad que había ganado entre la población desde su fundación en 1996. Pero la posición del canal respecto a las protestas, y el uso de diferentes enfoques según el país, lo llevaron a perder una parte importante de su audiencia. Por esta razón las sublevaciones, además de ciertos cambios geopolíticos relevantes, llevaron a una reconfiguración del ecosistema mediático de la región, con el establecimiento de nuevos medios informativos y la conformación de un espacio donde diferentes canales de información satelital, en su gran mayoría vinculados con países o actores políticos de la región, lucharon para promocionar su visión sobre los acontecimientos políticos en Medio Oriente. Esa condición ha llevado a la configuración de una nueva geopolítica de la información, en estrecha relación con los equilibrios de poder cambiantes a nivel de política regional. La reflexión sobre la relación entre geopolítica e información abre interrogantes acerca del futuro rol de estos canales como herramientas de política exterior de los principales actores en las disputas geopolíticas

The distance to NGC1316 (Fornax A): yet another curious case

The distance of NGC1316, the brightest galaxy in Fornax, is an interesting test for the cosmological distance scale. First, because Fornax is the 2nd largest cluster of galaxies at <~25 Mpc after Virgo and, in contrast to Virgo, has a small line-of-sight depth; and second, because NGC1316 is the galaxy with the largest number of detected SNeIa, giving the opportunity to test the consistency of SNeIa distances internally and against other indicators. We measure SBF mags in NGC1316 from ground and space-based imaging data, providing a homogeneous set of measurements over a wide wavelength interval. The SBF, coupled with empirical and theoretical calibrations, are used to estimate the distance to the galaxy. We present the first B-band SBF measurements of NGC1316 and use them together with the optical and near-IR SBF data to analyze the properties of field stars. Our distance modulus m-M=31.59 +-0.05(stat) +-0.14(sys), when placed in a consistent Cepheid distance scale, agrees with the results from other indicators. However, our result is ~17% larger than the most recent estimate based on SNeIa. Possible explanations for this disagreement are the uncertainties on internal extinction, or calibration issues. Concerning the stellar population analysis, we confirm earlier results from other indicators: the field stars in NGC1316 are dominated by a solar metallicity, intermediate age component. A substantial mismatch exists between B-band SBF models and data, a behavior that can be accounted for by an enhanced percentage of hot horizontal branch stars. Our study of the SBF distance to NGC1316, and the comparison with distances from other indicators, raises some concern about the homogeneity between the calibrations of different indicators. If not properly placed in the same reference scale, significant differences can occur, with dramatic impact on the cosmological distance ladder.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figures; A&A accepte

Autonomous Observations in Antarctica with AMICA

The Antarctic Multiband Infrared Camera (AMICA) is a double channel camera operating in the 2-28 micron infrared domain (KLMNQ bands) that will allow to characterize and exploit the exceptional advantages for Astronomy, expected from Dome C in Antarctica. The development of the camera control system is at its final stage. After the investigation of appropriate solutions against the critical environment, a reliable instrumentation has been developed. It is currently being integrated and tested to ensure the correct execution of automatic operations. Once it will be mounted on the International Robotic Antarctic Infrared Telescope (IRAIT), AMICA and its equipment will contribute to the accomplishment of a fully autonomous observatory.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, Advances in Astronomy Journal, Special Issue "Robotic Astronomy", Accepted 11 February 201

Wissenschaftspolitische Empfehlungen zum Forschungs- und Förderformat Reallabor

Die wissenschaftspolitischen Empfehlungen rund um die Förderung von Reallaboren, die das Begleitforschungsvorhaben der Universität Basel zu den Baden-Württembergischen Reallaboren vorlegt, zielen in erster Linie darauf, das Format Reallabor als Förderformat voranzubringen. Die Empfehlungen des 'BF-Teams Basel' rücken daher die Perspektive von Fördergebern in den Vordergrund. Entsprechend fokussieren sie nicht darauf, die Rahmenbedingungen für die Arbeit in Reallaboren zu optimieren, die Qualität ihrer Arbeit sicherzustellen oder deren Wirkung für eine Nachhaltige Entwicklung zu stärken. Vielmehr nehmen die Empfehlungen Aspekte auf einer übergeordneten Ebene in den Blick, die relevant werden, wenn ein Fördergeber prüft, das Format Reallabor in seinen Förderkanon aufzunehmen bzw. auf Dauer vorzusehen. Dies sind Aspekte wie die Frage, welche strategischen Ziele durch das Format bedient werden können oder ob sich spezielle ethischen Aufgaben stellen, es sind aber auch Fragen von der Art, welcher Zeithorizont für Ausschreibungen anzustreben ist. Die zehn wissenschaftspolitischen Empfehlungen zum Forschungs- und Förderformat Reallabor sprechen drei sich ergänzende Perspektiven an: das Format ernst nehmen, das Format gezielt einsetzen, das Format richtig fördern

Nachhaltigkeit im Konsum – Suffizienz statt Verzicht und Geschützte Bedürfnisse statt Planetare Grenzen

Das Ziel von nachhaltigem Konsum ist es, die Voraussetzungen für ein gutes Leben für alle zu schaffen und zu erhalten – global und auch für zukünftige Generationen. Die Frage nach dem guten Leben ist somit die Kernfrage der Nachhaltigkeit, die nach dem Verständnis der Vereinten Nationen ein salutogenetisches Konzept ist. Bei der Beantwortung der Frage, wie ein gutes Leben definiert und erreicht werden kann, können das Konzept der Geschützten Bedürfnisse und das Konzept der Konsum-Korridore Orientierung bieten. Es wird vorgeschlagen, Lebensqualität für den Kontext der Nachhaltigkeit mithilfe von (universalen) Geschützten Bedürfnissen zu operationalisieren. Darauf aufbauend können mit dem Konzept der Konsum-Korridore gesellschaftliche Leitplanken (Unter- und Obergrenzen) erarbeitet werden, mit denen allen Menschen ermöglicht wird, die Geschützten Bedürfnisse zu befriedigen.Cite as: Defila, Rico und Antonietta Di Giulio (2023): Nachhaltigkeit im Konsum – Suffizienz statt Verzicht und Geschützte Bedürfnisse statt Planetare Grenzen, in: Schweizerische Akademie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften: Wege zu einem nachhaltigen Konsum | Vers une consommation durable, (Swiss Academies Communications, 18, 5), S. 34-44. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.815573