WaX-Cross-cutting topics
Background
The twelve joint projects within the WaX funding measure have several overlaps and topics of cross-project relevance – despite their interdisciplinary nature. To promote exchange and create cross-project synergies, several workshops on these cross-cutting topics are planned, which were identified at the beginning of the project phase by the collaborative projects and the steering committee.
The aim of cross-cutting topics is to deepen networking, facilitate the exchange of ideas, information, data and methods and create synergies between the projects. In addition, the meetings can give a perspective on how and which results can be brought together in the sense of a synthesis and prepared for further use by actors from science, practice, politics and administration. By working on cross-cutting topics, the overall impact of the measure can be improved.
The Aqua-X-Net networking and transfer project is responsible for the organisation, implementation, content preparation and follow-up of the workshops on cross-cutting topics.
Steering Committee
The steering committee is made up of the coordinators of the joint projects, the BMBF, the project management organisation (PTKA), the networking and transfer project Aqua-X-Net and five external members. The external representatives are:
- Alexander Kramer (German Association of Towns and Municipalities, DStGB)
- Meike Müller (Deutsche Rückversicherung AG)
- Dr.-Ing. Klaus Piroth (CDM Smith Consult GmbH; Obmann of the DWA Flood Risk Management Committee)
- Sven Schulz (Ministry of Science, Energy, Climate Protection and the Environment of Saxony-Anhalt; Member of LAWA)
- Tanja Winterrath (German Weather Service, DWD)
The members of the steering committee bring impulses from practice into the research networks, support the transfer of knowledge and contribute to the dissemination of interdisciplinary results. The aim is to strengthen the scientific quality of the funding measure through interdisciplinary and cross-project discussions.

During the kick-off event of the WaX funding measure in May 2022, various cross-cutting topics interest were identified and discussed together with the employees in the collaborative projects. In the subsequent constituent meeting of the steering committee, the results were further discussed and cross-cutting topics across the collaborative projects were defined. You can see the results of the discussions in the picture on the left.
On the overarching topics of definitions, geospatial data, and climate change, the networking project conducted a survey in the summer/fall of 2022. The other topics communication/participation, water storage, and practice transfer are now being managed by caretakers, so called “Kümmerer”. These topics started in spring 2023 with first workshops and the formation of working groups. For more info, see the tiles below.