This panel is all about the interplay between sport and extended reality. How can Virtual Reality serve health, fitness and sports and which new possibilities are offered by the combination of movement and VR. Especially in mass sports and when it comes to inspiring people for more sports, fitness and body awareness. Various experts in this field meet. This is where scientific know-how (Next Level Sports / Westfälische Hochschule), practical knowledge from the fitness sector (personal trainer Mareike Spaleck) and the social component of sport (Schalke hilft!) come together to discuss the chances of linking technology and movement.

Panel participants

Mareike Spaleck

Mareike Spaleck is a fitness trainer and model. In 2012 she was voted fitness model of the year by the magazine “Fit for Fun”. With her long-standing participation in the successful weight loss show “The Biggest Loser” (Sat.1), the Gelsenkirchen-born model also showed viewers at home how important it is to lead a healthy life in general. Fitness and nutrition tips are also the content of her Instagram channel which is followed by over 130,000 people.

Sebastian Buntkirchen

Sebastian Buntkirchen has been managing director of Schalke hilft! since 2013, the club’s own charitable foundation of FC Schalke 04. Under the umbrella of Schalke hilft!, the club bundles and coordinates its social and community involvement and is committed, among other things, to the residents of Gelsenkirchen as well as the fans, members and supporters of the club.

As part of this commitment, a wide range of exercise activities are always on the agenda, which are intended to strengthen health awareness in the long term.

Prof. Dr. Jens Gerken

Prof. Dr. Jens Gerken has been a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Westfälische Hochschule Gelsenkirchen since 2015. The focus of his research and teaching is on media informatics & human-computer interaction. His chair is also the starting point for the project “Next Level Sports – XR Technologies and Ubiquitous Computing for Sports and Physical Activities”, which is being implemented together with the rehabilitation centre Medicos auf Schalke and the “Institute for Innovation Research and Management” at the Westfälische Hochschule Gelsenkirchen.

Moderation

Björn Krause, born in 1984 in Gelsenkirchen and still living there today.
As a passionate triathlete and ambitious age grouper, he moved his bike training almost completely indoors two years ago and thus reels off his training kilometres in the digital world.
Professionally, he works for the BDKJ Diözesanverband Essen as managing chairman in the representation of interests for children and young people.