The final event of the BioDT Project, in collaboration with Destination Earth (DestinE), will take place on 3 April 2025 at Spazio Europa in Rome. This in-person event will highlight BioDT’s key results, demonstrating its role in the European Commission’s Digital Twin strategy and its integration with the DestinE ecosystem. It will also serve as a platform for discussions on sustainability, interoperability, and the future of BioDT within European research infrastructures and data spaces. Attendees will engage in strategic discussions, scientific presentations, panel debates on infrastructure and data sustainability, and live demonstrations of prototype Digital Twins (pDTs) developed during the project. Registration is mandatory.
Why Attend the BioDT final event?
The event will cover a wide range of critical topics, beginning with an exploration of the role of BioDT within the European Commission’s Digital Twin strategy, highlighting its scientific achievements and technological advancements. Discussions will delve into how BioDT integrates with the DestinE ecosystem, focusing on interoperability and the technical capabilities of the DestinE platform. The event will also showcase real-world applications of BioDT’s prototype Digital Twins in biodiversity monitoring, such as forecasting species responses to environmental and land-use changes, tracking the dynamics of invasive species to support policy decisions, improving biodiversity mapping through genetic data analysis, and modelling species interactions and their impact on ecosystems.
Live demonstrations will illustrate the practical deployment of these tools, offering insight into their usability and relevance for stakeholders. Additionally, the event will address the long-term sustainability of digital twin technologies within European research infrastructures, emphasising the challenges and opportunities in maintaining high-performance computing resources and data integration across the DestinE Data Lake and EU Data Spaces. Experts will discuss the reuse and exchange of biodiversity data, fostering collaboration between scientific communities and policymakers. The event will conclude with reflections on future directions, reinforcing the importance of continued innovation, collaboration, and investment in digital twin technologies for biodiversity research. The expected outcomes include increased awareness of BioDT’s contributions to biodiversity digital twins and their practical applications, strengthened interdisciplinary cooperation, clear strategies for long-term sustainability, and enhanced data interoperability within the broader European digital ecosystem.
Agenda
- Biodiversity Digital Twins and the Destination Earth Ecosystem - Welcoming
09:00 - 09:30 Arrival and registration
- Digital Twins: An overview
09:30 - 09:40 The role of BioDT in EC Digital Twins strategy Gabriela Zuquim (CSC) and Ourania Skondra (REA)
09:40 - 09:50 Keynote from the European Commission (TBC)
09:50 - 10:05 DestinE ecosystem interoperability and support to the Biodiversity community Thomas Geenen (ECMWF)
10:05 - 10:25 DestinE Platform and capabilities Franka Kunz (ESA)
10:25 - 10:35 The BioDT project overview Gabriela Zuquim (CSC)
- Scientific presentations showcasing the BioDT pDTs
10:35 - 10:50 Understanding species response to environmental and land use change Franziska Taubert (UFZ)
10:50 - 11:00 Mapping dynamics of species of policy concern (TBC)
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 - 11:40 Improving our knowledge on genetically detected biodiversity distribution Dag Endresen (UiO)
11:40 - 11:50 Species interactions with each other and with humans Jürgen Groeneveld (UFZ)
11:50 - 12:10 BioDT pDT demonstrations Gabriela Zuquim (CSC)
12:10 - 13:30 Lunch break
- BioDT and DestinE synergies
13:30 - 13:45 Crop Wild Relatives and DestinE: Benefits and lessons learned Claus Weiland (Senckenberg)
13:45 - 14:45 PANEL: Paths for sustainability Part I: The Infrastructure perspective Requirements and challenges to sustain DTs in RIs and DestinE context Chair: Dirk Pleiter (KTH)
14:45 - 15:15 Coffee break
15:15 - 16:15 Part II: BioDT and the DestinE - the Data perspective Use and reuse of data, data flows in the DTs, EU Data Spaces and DestinE Chair: Sara Garavelli (CSC)
16:15 - 16:30 Closing words
How to join?
The event is designed for biodiversity community representatives, researchers and data providers, computer scientists, policymakers, industrial actors including SME representatives from biodiversity-related sectors such as agri-food, tourism, and healthcare, as well as anyone interested in digital twins. Given the limited number of places available, participation will be confirmed upon registration approval. The registration form is open until the 14th of March.
The event will be in-person only at Spazio Europa, Rome, and registration is obligatory for all participants. Networking opportunities will be included to foster engagement among stakeholders. This final event represents a culmination of the BioDT project’s efforts, setting the stage for the future of biodiversity digital twins within the European digital landscape. We look forward to welcoming participants from across Europe to discuss, engage, and shape the next phase of digital twin developments for biodiversity and environmental sustainability.