Fireside Talk with Dr. Roxana Hess
Insights into public transportation, its unique characteristics, and the digital systems that need to be standardized
On September 14th, the graduate school UpGrade Mobility welcomed Dr. Roxana Hess from INIT SE for an engaging and insightful fireside talk. Dr. Hess took the participants on a journey through her career, beginning with her PhD in France and leading to her current work at INIT SE. She shared personal experiences from her academic and professional path and offered insights into how a background in mathematics and research can open up diverse opportunities in the mobility sector. A central part of the conversation was the complexity of public transport systems and the particularities of the Karlsruhe region. Dr. Hess explained the special characteristics of the “Karlsruher Verkehrsmodell”, in which trams and S-Bahn services can travel beyond the city and continue on Deutsche Bahn railway tracks. This integration of urban and regional rail is one of the distinctive features of Karlsruhe’s public transport system and provided an interesting starting point for discussing how different transport systems can be connected in practice. The discussion also touched on the financing of the Deutschlandticket and the challenges involved in establishing and sustainably financing attractive public transport services. These topics highlighted that the future of mobility depends not only on technological innovation, but also on questions of organisation, financing and cooperation between different stakeholders. The graduate school sincerely thanks Dr. Hess for sharing her personal experiences, professional insights and practical perspectives, as well as for the open and lively discussion with the participants.