The 11th Heidelberg Laureate Forum, which ended in Heidelberg, Germany, recently, brought together some of the brightest minds in mathematics and computer science for an unrestrained and interdisciplinary exchange across the world.
The weeklong conference, which had 200 selected young researchers and scientists from different universities across the globe, saw participants and speakers, offering them the opportunity to connect with scientific pioneers, to draw from the rich body of experiences on the future of mathematicians and computer scientists.
At the forum, which offers a unique opportunity to build collaborations and advance digital transformation across continents, strategic meetings and workshops as well as training sessions designed to equip young researchers, and participants with critical skills and foster meaningful dialogue in mathematics and computer science, were held.
Eight Nigerians from different universities, who were selected for this year’s forum include Sunday Adeola Ajagbe, Graduate PhD, University of Zululand, Racheal Shade Akinbo, Graduate PhD, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Kazeem Olalekan Aremu Post Doc, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Peace Busola Falola, Graduate PhD, University of Ibadan, Aminat Olawunmi Ige, PostDoc, Lagos State University, Christianah Titilope Oyewale, Graduate PhD, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lois Chinwendu Okereke, Post Doc, The University of Texas at Austin and Olumuyiwa James Peter, Post Doc, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo state.
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Speaking at the event, the Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Dr Jens Brandenburg, expressed the beauty of mathematics as the most powerful tool at humankind’s collective disposal.
He said: “Both mathematics and computer science form the basis for progress and innovation in our modern world, this is becoming increasingly clear since AI has started entering our everyday lives, one might even argue that the biggest challenges of our time that we face today can only be overcome by using the power of mathematics.”
Dr Brandenburg said mathematics is not only truth and beauty in its perfection, it also helps to understand the natural world better.
The secretary said computer science is equally important to achieve this artificial intelligence and holds great potential in analysing vast data sets as it can recognise complex matters faster than any human ever could.
“These patterns may very well lead to the next fundamental scientific breakthrough. Therefore, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has always believed that knowledge-oriented basic research is the key to prosperity and progress. All current technologies and applications at some level are in the end based on the breakthroughs achieved in basic research.
He said: “We work tirelessly to provide researchers with the necessary tools and funding to achieve excellence. A new funding period will be announced soon. The programme seeks to use the power of mathematics to overcome societal challenges in health, digitalisation or energy transition.”
Dr Brandenburg urged the researchers to be role models for future researchers and use their influence to help them to succeed.
Earlier, the chairperson of the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation, Rafael Lang, said the laureates assembled at the forum have made some of the most groundbreaking contributions to science, and contributed in ways that benefit the society in many different ways.
He said their discoveries are deeply meaningful and “we live to see those full accomplishments.”
Lang, who is also the Co-President of the Klaus Tschira Stiftung, said the forum offers them the opportunity to make the world a better place and to foster new ideas, come together in creative ways to learn from the best of the laureates and from the young scientists.
He said the young scientists will learn from the laureates to solve intractable problems and sow the seeds for the next biggest discoveries to bring the world forward and make it a better place.
Also, the Ministerial Director and Deputy Minister at the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science Research and Arts Dr, Hans J. Ryder, said mathematics has always fascinated him as it provides a purest description of the world around.
“In this sense, mathematics is a universal language, as they say, perhaps even the language of the divine. However, one does not need to venture into philosophical or theological realms to understand the significance of mathematics. Philosophy may be the mother of the science but mathematics brought them up to adulthood; hardly any science can do entirely without mathematics, it is the very foundation that makes our modern knowledge in society possible,” he said.
He further said it is the basic of computer science, which gave rise to digitalisation with the vast amounts of data, adding that it has made mathematics even more essential AI marks.
The Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) is a networking conference where 200 carefully selected young researchers in mathematics and computer science spend a week interacting with the laureates of the disciplines: recipients of the Abel Prize, ACM A.M and touring Award, ACM Prize in Computing, Fields Medal, IMU Abacus Medal and Nevanlinna Prize.
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