130. Meeting, Saarbrücken, September 14.-17. 2018

Digitisation of the Sciences, from Structures to Processes

Dear members, friends and sponsors of the GDNÄ,

The digitisation of science enables the analysis and simulation of complex processes using computers based on structural models.

For the first time in its almost 200-year history, GDNÄ comes to Saarland, which is ideally suited as a state of information technology for this topic of our 130th meeting.

The Internet and the first wave of digitization had revolutionized access to scientific results. In the meantime, computer science has developed methods for all sciences to automatically evaluate digital mass data. However, the second wave of digitisation triggered by this also fundamentally changes the way scientists work and thus holds enormous potential for breakthroughs in science, medicine and technology.

Mass data are automatically classified by machine learning algorithms, experiments are carried out by robots, new connections are discovered by artificial intelligence and hypotheses are tested. However, the focus continues to be on scientists who, with their curiosity and passion, overcome existing boundaries within and between disciplines in order to gain completely new insights – increasingly often supported by digital assistants.

In addition to its university’s internationally renowned Department of Computer Science, Saarland has the highest density of associated institutes in the field of computer science: In addition to the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence headed by me, the Helmholtz Center for Cyber Security, the Leibniz Center for Computer Science at Schloss Dagstuhl, the Max Planck Institute for Computer Science and the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems make the Saarland Informatics Campus with its joint Cluster of Excellence a prime location for digitization.

In addition to the Nobel Lecture and the Leopoldina Lecture, the programme offers 15 invited lectures by top researchers from medicine, biology, physics, chemistry and technology, supplemented by six laboratory tours within walking distance with practical insights over lunchtime.

The historic part of Saarbrücken exudes French charm and is worth a visit for its excellent cuisine and three-star restaurant. The GDNÄ participants will be spoiled culturally with a unique concert evening in the late baroque Ludwigskirche, a reception of the Lady Mayoress in the Knight’s Hall of the town hall as well as a performance of the Saarländisches Staatsballet after the noble lecture in the Staatstheater.

This big event was only possible with generous donations, for which we would like to thank all our sponsors! The importance of our 130th meeting is underlined by the patronage of the Federal President and the opening by the Prime Minister of Saarland.

Take an active part in our dialogue on the future and discuss the opportunities and risks of digitising the sciences with renowned experts!

I look forward to your participation in the 130th GDNÄ meeting in Saarbrücken.

Saarbrücken, June 2018

Yours Wolfgang Wahlster
President of GDNÄ

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Wolfgang Wahlster