Interdisciplinary School on Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Science, June 19-24, 2025, Heilbronn (Germany)

Topics

The school will cover a range of cutting-edge topics in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for scientific applications.

It will focus on the interplay between computational challenges of deep learning-based AI and conceptual issues like validation of such learning systems. How will ML and AI meet high-performance computing to search for a symbiosis? What are the open scientific challenges?

The current trend to build Foundation Models as extremely high-dimensional data density estimators and their specialization to a wide range of application domains generates an enormous demand for computing that causes large energy consumption.

The summer school will discuss these open issues in lectures by leading specialists in the field and will provide hands-on practical courses to study these challenges.

ECTS points: 2 ECTS points will be awarded to doctoral students (master students will not be awarded any ECTS points)

Course structure

This immersive program is designed for in-person participation to foster interactive learning, collaboration, and networking. It will include keynote presentations, hands-on exercises guided by ORNL, NASA, and ETH Zurich mentors, and a panel discussion featuring prominent experts.

The school will include social activities such as a group excursion in the Heilbronn area and a visit to the Bildungscampus in Heilbronn and its associated innovation centers.

Confirmed speakers

As keynote speakers for the school, we attracted renowned researchers from around the world:

• Prof. Martina Boehm, Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Heilbronn (Germany)
• Prof. em. Joachim Buhmann, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
• Prof. Daniel Cremers, TUM, Technical University of Munich (Germany)
  
• Prof. Menna El-Assady, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
• Prof. Alexander Fraser, TUM, Technical University of Munich (Germany)
• Prof. Torsten Hoefler, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
• Prof. Andreas Krause, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
• Prof. Stephan Mandt, UC Irvine (USA)
• Prof. Klaus Robert Müller, TU Berlin (Germany)
• Prof. Michela Taufer, University of Tennessee (USA)
• Prof. Rio Yokota, Institute of Science Tokyo (Japan)

Researchers from different countries and scientific fields will take care of the practical exercises:

• Dr João Lourenço Borges de Sá Carvalho, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
• Dr Carlos Cotrini Jimenez, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
• Dr Fernanda Foertter, Oak Ridge National Lab (USA)
• Dr Manil Maskey, NASA (USA)

Organizing committee

• Prof. em. Joachim M. Buhmann (ETH Zurich)
• Dr Carlos Cotrini Jimenez, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
• Dr. Michele De Lorenzi (ETH Zurich Campus Heilbronn, Germany)
• Raluca Hodoroaba (ETH Zurich)
   

Target audience

The target audience consists of advanced Master's students, starting Doctoral students and early career scientists in any scientific field, with conceptual knowledge of these model building tools and their theoretical foundation.

This school is aimed at the interplay between computational challenges of deep learning-based AI and conceptual issues like validation of such learning systems. The computational demand of AI together with the epistemological issue “How does AI correctly reason?” indicates a research direction with multiple scientific opportunities. Students who like to embrace these challenges will likely appreciate the workshop.

Prerequisites

We aim for participants to share a foundational understanding of Machine Learning and statistics, along with experience using HPC systems. Familiarity with the UNIX/Linux OS and basic programming tools (such as terminals, editors, compilers, and Python) will be highly beneficial. Practical sessions will be conducted on participants' own laptops, with credentials provided for access to computational resources.

Application process

Application form: Interested candidates should complete the application. Application link external page here.

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by March 23, 2025.

Notification: Applicants will be informed of their acceptance or rejection by April 11, 2025.

Participation fee

The € 500.- fee includes:

• Accommodation
• Meals and beverages
• Mentoring during the course
• Excursion and visits

Travel to and from Heilbronn is not included in the fee and must be arranged individually. However, a free shuttle bus will be available on the first and last day of the event, providing transport between Zurich and Heilbronn in both directions.

Student travel grant

ACM SIGHPC is generously sponsoring students to attend the school through a selection process, with a focus on promoting inclusivity in the HPC community by encouraging applications from students of diverse backgrounds.

Selected students traveling from within Europe can receive a grant of up to € 600.-, while those traveling from other continents may be awarded up to € 1,400.- The grant can be used to cover transportation expenses and the participation fee.

Applications are due by March 23, 2025, with notification provided by April 11, 2025.

To apply, you must provide the following:

• Budget (estimated amount for travel and for accommodation, and, if necessary, a plan of how you plan to bridge the gap between the money covered by the grant and the expected extra costs)
• Statement of why you wish to attend the school and what benefits you can gain from participating

You can access the grant application form from the external page application link.

Location and accommodation

The event will take place at external page Bildungscampus Heilbronn, Germany. Participants will be accommodated in shared rooms with other students.

• Arrival and Check-in: Thursday, June 19, 2025, starting from 15:00h
• Kick-off session and welcome dinner: Thursday, June 19, 2025, at 18:00h
• Program conclusion: Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 14:00h
• Travel: The venue is accessible via public transportation. Additionally, a free shuttle bus will be available on June 19, 2025, providing transport from Zurich to Heilbronn. Another shuttle will run on the last day of the event for the return journey.

How to reach Heilbronn

Heilbronn is a vibrant city in southwestern Germany, located in Baden-Württemberg, along the Neckar River. Known for its rich history, Heilbronn is often called the "Wine City" due to its longstanding tradition of viticulture. It blends a charming mix of historic landmarks, such as the Gothic-style St. Kilian's Church and the 16th-century Käthchenhaus, with modern architecture and innovation, being a hub for education and industry. Surrounded by picturesque vineyards and scenic landscapes, Heilbronn offers a unique combination of cultural heritage, natural beauty, and urban energy.

The external page Bildungscampus Heilbronn is a dynamic educational hub that brings together various institutions focused on higher education, innovation, and lifelong learning. Home to the Hochschule Heilbronn and branches of renewed universities such as ETH Zürich and the TU München, it fosters collaboration between academia and industry. The campus is characterized by modern architecture, state-of-the-art facilities, and a focus on cutting-edge fields like business, technology, and digitalization. With its vibrant atmosphere, the Bildungscampus is a region's center for knowledge, research, and networking.

To reach Heilbronn by airplane and train:

1. By airplane:

• The closest major airports to Heilbronn are Stuttgart Airport (STR) (approximately 70 km away) and Frankfurt Airport (FRA) (approximately 130 km away).
• You can continue your journey to Heilbronn from the airport by train or other ground transportation.

2. By train:

• From Stuttgart Airport, take the S-Bahn (S2 or S3) to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (main station) and transfer to a regional train (e.g., RE or RB) or an Intercity train (IC) heading to Heilbronn. Travel time is about 1.5 hours.
• From Frankfurt Airport, take an ICE (high-speed train) to Mannheim or Stuttgart, then transfer to a direct train to Heilbronn. Travel time is around 2-2.5 hours, depending on connections.

Heilbronn is well-connected via Germany's efficient rail network, making train travel convenient and reliable.

A free shuttle bus will be available on June 19, 2025, providing transport from Zurich to Heilbronn. Another shuttle will run on the last day of the event for the return journey.

For further questions, please contact heilbronn@ethz.ch.