Welcome to Café Scientifique
The NEW Café Scientifique Chronicle!
The five Café Scientifique events have taken place till now and there are more to come. Among different creative initiatives, Café Scientifique shows great potential in network building, educational and industry partnerships. It is a great opportunity for students to learn the contemporary phenomena in a pioneering manner.
The report presents the synopsis of the ideas explored in five events. The areas of discussion covered:
• The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and the Workplace
• Rebooting the Economy after COVID-19
• Ports and Airports as Smart Hubs of the Future
• Creativity and Leadership
• AI in Business
Access the copy here.
What is Café Scientifique?
Café Scientifique is a place where anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology. The Café provides a forum for debating science issues outside the traditional academic context. We are committed to promoting public engagement with science and to making science accountable – all spoken in plain English.
Origin of Café Scientifique
Café Scientifique currently exists in more than 60 towns and cities across the World. It was the idea of Duncan Dallas, from Leeds, who was impressed by the Café Philosophique session he saw in France. Café Scientifique is a place where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology. Meetings take place in cafes, bars, restaurants and even theatres, but always outside a traditional academic context. The British Council has helped popularise Café Scientifique in several countries around the globe. Events tend to be independently run by local organisers in many cities using variations of the "Café Scientifique" or "Science Café" name.
Main organisers of Café Scientifique
Latest event!
Café Scientifique on the 24th of February 2023
Topic: IT Job market trends to watch for 2023
Guest speakers:
- Ms. Jana Bulkin. CEO S2BConnected & COO at IntegrationWorks Asia Co.
- Mr. Asit Dutta. Head of Talent Acquisition & Key Account Manager @ IntegrationWorks GmbH
Event Hosts:
- Mr. Flavio Andrew do Nascimento Santos
- Ms. Swati Jeevan
Coming soon!
Thirteenth Café Scientifique: Revenue Management and the new challenges for the Hospitality Industry
In the post-Covid times, the hospitality industry has observed a considerable amount of recovery in terms of revenue, job opportunities, and more. To discuss more about this, BSBI hosted the next Café Scientifique session with the topic entitled “Revenue Management and the new challenges for the Hospitality Industry.”
The discussion covered how the hospitality sector views and prepares for the future. The session will be hosted by our BSBI Café Scientifique Coordinator, Flavio Andrew do Nascimento Santos, with our guest speaker, Mr. Ruud Laarmans, Director of Revenue Management of InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG).
The discussion deep dived into sustainable and growth strategies, how to boost topline revenue and how to develop pricing tactics to remain competitive.
Twelfth Café Scientifique: Information Systems and the
Future of
Travel
The core of the discussion will be about technology, information, and geolocation and how these are shaping the way we travel. We have Mr. Josip Čović, the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist at Bookimg.com, as our special guest. Booking.com was founded in 1996 in Amsterdam and started as a small Dutch start-up. It has now become one of the world’s leading digital travel companies. Mr Čović’s will explain how booking.com uses information systems and geolocation data and will also dig into its advantages and disadvantages.
Eleventh Café Scientifique: An Analysis of Europe’s Central
Asian Economic
Strategies
The regional engagement between Europe and Central Asia has always been a key strategic focus of the European Union. In the past, the emphasis was on resilience in areas of democracy, human rights, security and environment as well as economic growth and prosperity in terms of connectivity and trade.
Watch the recording and hear from our guest speaker Mr Hrant Bagratyan, Former Prime Minister of Armenia and host Dr Vivek Arunachalam, lecturer and Café Scientifique coordinator. Learn how the EU-Central Asia relationship has weathered global adversities and maintained regional cooperation.
Tenth Café Scientifique: The Challenges in the Green Transition and Developing a Sustainable Economy
On the 4th May, Dr. Vivek Arunachalam was joined by Daniel Taras, Head Sustainable Economic Transformation and Finance at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. They discussed the role of GIZ in Global Economic Development and the different areas of global investments. Daniel explained how Climatech and investments in the green economy are reshaping the global business and how Germany is taking initiatives in different countries in Latin America and West Africa.
Ninth Café Scientifique: The luxury industry and the growing influence of NFTs at Christie's
NFT is one of the top trending topics in recent months. You will have the chance to interact with experts from the arts and luxury industry and learn more about NFTs, the properties and future of NFTs. We have an experienced and talented panel with guest speaker Prof. Dr. Dirk Boll, President of Christie's EMERI and host Dr. Vivek Arunachalam, lecturer and Café Scientifique coordinator of BSBI.
Eighth Café Scientifique: Industrial Transformation in the Software Industry, New Opportunities for the New Era
Watch this highly interactive event held on the 31st of March. The BSBI students were able to interact with experts from the IT industry and learn more about the observed and expected transformations in the IT domain. We had a dynamic panel with guest speaker Ms. Andrea Hendrickx, Country Head and Executive Board Member (Infosys, Germany) and host Dr. Vivek Arunachalam, lecturer and Café Scientifique coordinator of BSBI.
Seventh Café Scientifique:
Digital Innovation & the Ecosystem of
Germany
Watch BSBI’s Dr. Vivek Arunachalam and Dr Kim J Zietlow, Director, Trend and Innovation Scouting, German Trade and Invest (GTAI) on our 7th episode of Café Scientifique.
Sixth Café Scientifique:
Unity and
Diversity
Watch BSBI’s Dr. Vivek Arunachalam and the Founder and Secretary General of the European Cultural Parliament, Ambassador Karl-Erik Norrman on our 6th episode of Café Scientifique. They discussed how unity and diversity, two seemingly opposing ideologies, can shape the future of the European Union.
Fifth Café Scientifique: Artificial intelligence in business
The topic for the event was surrounding AI in Business and featured four external speakers and three internal speakers. The panel of external speakers included: Anudeep Sri Bathina, Head of Insights and Data at Capgemini, Cheryl Miller Van Dÿck, Director of the Digital Leadership Institute and President Women Entrepreneurship Platform, Andrés Contreras Guillén, Serial Entrepreneur and Independent Technology Consultant, and Rahul Lodhe, Senior Director SAP for Artificial Intelligence Technology Bangalore Urban.
Fourth Café Scientifique:
Creativity and
Leadership
The topic for the event was creativity and leadership and BSBI was delighted to welcome six external guest speakers from the creative and arts industry including: Mr Gabriel Mattar, Chief Creative Officer at INNOCEAN Worldwide Europe, Mrs Lotta Pick, Gallerist at Open White Gallery, Business Development and Fine Arts Berlin, Mr Sean Bickerton, B.C. Director of the Canadian Music Centre, President of the B.C. Alliance for Arts & Culture and an Instructor at Capilano University Canada; Mrs Deb Gilbertson, Growing Leaders to Innovate Consultant; Mr Mathias Rastorfer, CEO and Co-Owner Gmurzynska Galeries; and Mr Dirk Boll, President of Chistie's Europe & UK, Middle East & Africa (EMEA).
Third Café Scientifique:
Ports & Airports as Smart Hubs
BSBI had 6 external guest speakers from the Aviation industry: Mr. Andre Scheider - CEO of Geneva Airport, Thanassis Karlis - Strategic Planning and Marketing Officer at Piraeus Port Authority Sa, Dr. Dimitrios Dalaklis (AFNI) - Associate Professor (Safety and Security) - MSEA Specialisation at World Maritime University, Ganesh Raj – Ex DP World C-Suite & Board Member | Logistics | Supply Chain | Transport, Dennis Jul Pedersen - CEO at Port of Esbjerg Denmark, Catalin Radu - Deputy Director of the Air Navigation Bureau at ICAO in charge of Aviation Safety
Second Café Scientifique:
Rebooting the Economy After COVID-19
The latest session focused on the extreme situation caused by the COVID-19 restrictions. The discussion also considered how economic recovery can take place in general and in the tourism industry. Students heard from professionals including Rashid Al Mansoori, CEO of the Qatar Stock Exchange Market, Frank Hoerl, Regional Director and Managing Director of HIB Alexanderplatz Hotel Operations GmbH, Anna Schnekker, Project Manager at Investment Bank Berlin, Bulut Bagci, President of World Tourism Forums and Peter Alatsas, Hospitality Expert and Advisor and Ex CEO of major hotel chains in Asia and the Middle East.
First Café Scientifique: Impact of COVID-19 on mental health & the workplace
The topic for the event was The Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and the workplace and BSBI was delighted to welcome four external guest speakers from the health and business areas including: Dr. Giulia Borrielo, Massachusetts General hospital consulting Psychologist, Stefania Gallo, AIRBUS Area manager, Mr. Varotsos Costas, Worldwide known Architect and Sculpto and Mr. Michael Ros, Founder & CEO of Bidroom.