Dominik Wittenberg

My name is Dominik Wittenberg, I am part of the research project Simulation and Optimization of Air Transport Processes or in short SOAP. Within the project I am working on a hinterland simulation that will allow us to optimize the routes and modes that individual people take in order to get to the airport or back home from the airport. More precisely I am working on methods to coordinate the different transportation modes, so that we can optimize the overall system and achieve a reduction in emissions and travel time.

Currently, I am working on a methodology to coordinate the transportation system across the strategic, tactical, and operational layers. For that, I need to identify the information that is available and that I am allowed to use. Since not all information is obtainable for free, I want to identify the value of certain information for the overall system.

What inspires me about my research is the complexity of coordinating a system with multiple stakeholders, each with their own goals. Finding solutions that bring these elements together in a coordinated way is both challenging and interesting. It's exciting to work on problems that require the simultaneous consideration of different perspectives, technical aspects and real-world constraints.

My topic is relevant to the future of aviation because a smooth journey to the airport is essential for a better travel experience. Synchronizing airports with different transport options can make it easier for passengers to switch between modes seamlessly.    Reducing uncertainties on the way to the airport is a key factor, as right now, passengers in the EU spend almost 2 hours at the airport before their flight, because they're worried that unexpected transport delays cause them to miss their flight. Better coordination and reliability across transport modes can help cut down on this extra time and make air travel more efficient and convenient.

To be able to work with researchers from different fields and experience their views and way of approaching a similar problem in a different manner. For example, I collaborated with a legal expert on a research paper, which gave me new insights into the legal aspects of data that we will need to work with in order to improve our transportation system.