Posted: 2nd November 2017

Graduate student Daniel Nichol, alongside four students from the Department of Mathematics, attended the 5th Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) in late September.

Daniel’s trip was funded by a Romberg grant awarded by the HLF Foundation, and a departmental travel grant. The HLF brings 200 of the brightest young researchers in mathematics and computer science together with winners of the ACM A.M Turing Prize, ACM Prize in Computing, Fields Medal, Nevanlinna Prize and Abel Prize, for a week of informal scientific discussion.

The forum comprised talks on a wide range of topics including deep learning, cryptography, mathematics, neuroscience and biology, alongside a special ‘hot-topic’ session covering recent advances in quantum computing. The laureates, including Department of Computer Science Professor Sir Tony Hoare, made themselves available throughout the meeting to answer questions and offer young researchers career advice.

Daniel said: ‘The unique opportunity to hear the personal stories behind prize-winning research was certainly the highlight of the whole meeting.’

The next HLF will take place 23–28 September 2018 and applications open in mid-November for master’s students, DPhil candidates and early career postdoctoral researchers.