18 February 2026, by Janis-Marie Paul

Photo: Janis-Marie Paul/UHH

Science does not only belong in lecture halls — it belongs in classrooms as well. Through the University of Hamburg’s outreach series “Wir wollen’s wissen!”, researchers visit schools to share their work directly with students. As the Hub of Computing and Data Science (HCDS), we actively support this initiative and are pleased that our colleague Marten Borchers contributed this year with insights from the RESCUE-MATE project.

In three talks at Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium, Stadtteilschule Eppendorf, and Johannes-Brahms-Gymnasium, we engaged in discussion with more than 70 students about applied research in civil disaster management.

Dynamic Situational Awareness in Crisis Scenarios

The central question: How can digital technologies help protect people in crisis and disaster situations?

RESCUE-MATE develops approaches for creating dynamic situational awareness systems to support emergency responders and decision-makers. The project integrates real-time data from various sources, including:

• Environmental and traffic sensors
• Social media streams
• Drone-based aerial reconnaissance
• Additional digital data sources

The goal is to improve coordination, enable more effective evacuations, and enhance public safety.

Science Communication as a Societal Responsibility

Formats like “Wir wollen’s wissen!” foster dialogue between academia and society. They provide young people with early exposure to research, encourage critical thinking, and highlight how science contributes to solving real-world challenges.

We thank the participating schools and the University of Hamburg for the opportunity to present our work in digital security and disaster response directly to students.

RESCUE-MATE Project