Helmholtz Data Science Career Day #2

Looking for brilliant brains

In a broadcasted interview at the Career Day, Prof. Dr. Otmar Wiestler, the Helmholtz Association’s president, stressed the importance of data science talent to the association: “Data Science has become a key skill. We depend on brilliant brains to solve grand challenges in all of our research fields.”

The Helmholtz Information & Data Science Academy organized the career day with many opportunities for data scientists on the job hunt to connect with over 100 of the centers’ hiring scientists and recruiters present and learn about possible career paths. In eight panels and keynotes, Helmholtz and partner scientists spoke about careers in data science and answered the audiences’ many questions what got them into the job. "You don't need to know and understand everything at the beginning, just start with one project and the rest will follow,” was keynote speaker and Helmholtz AI group leader Dr. Marie Piraud’s encouraging and well-received advice.
 

Dr. Andreas Kosmider (Head of the Helmholtz Information & Data Science Academy, Head Strategic Initiatives) introduces Helmholtz, the largest German research association, and its partners.

Prof. Dr. Achim Streit (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Director of the Steinbuch Centre for Computing (SCC) & Professor of Computer Science) became a professor at the age of 35. Today, he is head of the Steinbuch Centre for Computing and responsible for all big data an AI activities. He is the organizer of multiple large-scale projects, as well as deputy speaker in several Helmholtz programs about supercomputers, big data and engineering the digital future.

How do we handle the amount of data, that is ever increasing in its quantities and complexity? Why are information and data sciences key topics of the strategic agenda of the institution? These are just some of the questions, Prof. Dr. Otmar D. Wiestler (President of the Helmholtz Association) answers in his interview about the skills, the next generation of scientists will need to succeed.

Dr. Matthew Forshaw (The Alan Turing Institute National Skills Lead), Dr. Klas H. Pettersen (NORA Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Research Consortium CEO) and Johanna Bergman (AI Sweden Head of Project Portfolio) talk about the strategic efforts from their home countries to tackle challenges with data science on a national level.

How do engineers, computer - and health scientists work together to increase explainability and visualize data like CT & MRI scans? Can you improve the accuracy of diagnoses based on AI imagery and how do you learn algorithms without seeing private patient data to understand what’s going on from a medical point of view? A discussion with apl. Prof. Dr. Ralf Mikut (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), IAI Head of Research Area Automated Image and Data Analysis, Speaker of HIDSS4Health), Prof. Dr. Julia Kowalski (RWTH Aachen University Professor for Model-based Development of Stationary Power Units) and Dr. Marie Piraud (Helmholtz AI/ Helmholtz Zentrum München HMGU, AI consultant Team Leader Health).

If data science is a tool, that gives people unlimited opportunities to build things and to understand the world better then why are the numbers still different? Why wouldn´t more women want to persue a career, that´s also a lot about teamwork and exchanging knowledge and making an impact on the world, society, and future? A panel talk with Alexandra Rosenbach (Helmholtz Association International Relations Manager) Prof. Dr. Alice McHardy (Computational Biology of Infection Research, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Head of Department for Computational Biology of Infection Research), Prof. Dr. Sabine Attinger (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Head of Research Unit Smart Models and Monitoring) and Dr.-Ing. Julia Hoxha (Zana Technologies GmbH CEO and Co-founder).

We need data science to manage the drastic increase of data streams, that are getting more and more difficult to explain with traditional methods. Efficient and fully automated data processing is a way to achieve that and explain more complex interactions. How far can we identify climate change in the ocean? How do cells interact and communicate? Those are just a few of the challenges and questions from genomics to ocean flows, that the teams from our Helmholtz Information & Data Science Schools are trying to answer. A discussion with Dr. Alke Meents (Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Center for Free Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Group Leader FS-BMX (Biomedical Research with X-rays)), Prof. Dr. Arne Biastoch (GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel Researcher and Professor for ocean dynamics) and Dr. Laleh Haghverdi (Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Principal Investigator).

Every data science job contributes to solving challenges in society, science and technology, sometimes under extreme conditions. Learn from data scientists at our centers how they contribute to this mission and why your willingness to learn new things and to challenge yourself are some of the most important factors to success. Listen here to Dr. Stefan Kesselheim (Jülich Supercomputing Center Head of AI Consultant Team), Dr. Panagiotis Mandros (CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security Post-doctoral Researcher), PD Dr. habil. Annika Bande (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH / Theory of Electron Dynamics and Spectroscopy Research Group Leader), Dr. Christian Feiler (Institute of Surface Science, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon Scientist, Deputy Head of the Department of Interface Modelling) and Dr.-Ing. Uwe Konrad (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf Head Information Services & Computing).

Interested in topics like cyber security, data mining or the creation of the next generation of antibiotics?   Don´t miss out on this panel discussion and find out more about career paths that contribute to a better world in the future.

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