AI Grid Summer School 2024: Learn, Connect, and Hackathon

What could be better than spending late summer on the picturesque island of Rügen, surrounded by like-minded individuals working together on the future of AI?

From September 10 to 13, 2024, the AI Grid Summer School brought together 26 motivated community members for four days filled with ideas, professional exchange, and a welcoming atmosphere that encouraged networking.

Keynotes, AI, Community, and Hackathon: Diverse Milestones for Continuous Learning

The first day set the stage with inspiring keynotes. Prof. Elif Bilge Kavun from the University of Passau took us into the world of side-channel attacks, demonstrating how deep learning can enhance hardware and software security. Prof. Romit Maulik introduced the topic of time-series forecasting, while Prof. Dongwon Lee explored how large language models (LLMs) are redefining scientific authorship in his keynote, 'Ship of Theseus.' These insights provided participants with a strong foundation for the days ahead.

Entrepreneurship Workshop: Kicking Off Your Journey

Another highlight was the Entrepreneurship Workshop with Hannes Trettin from the startup accelerator Founders Bay. His practical insights and advice on starting a business inspired many participants and encouraged them to boldly pursue their own ideas.

At the heart of the Summer School was the AI Hackathon: Teams immersed themselves in three challenging tasks presented by our partners, the Tourismusverband MV, Tobias Rohrer from Fraunhofer ISE, and DVZ. The focus was on developing innovative solutions to address topics such as sustainable tourism with LLMs, optimizing urban green spaces, and forecasting energy costs for SMEs in Germany. Working in small groups, participants developed prototypes, experimented, and learned from each other.

Solving Challenges Together, Growing Together

For instance, a quiz app was developed that entertainingly imparts knowledge about Mecklenburg-Vorpommern—a project that is both educational and playful. 'As a PhD student, many aspects of my work are often very theoretical. During the hackathon, I finally had the chance to apply my knowledge to a real-world problem—it was incredibly valuable,' shared AI Grid member Maryam Arabshahi enthusiastically. 'The experience helped me grow both professionally and personally.'

Of course, the social aspect was not neglected: whether at a dinner in one of the island's oldest fish smokehouses or during a shared pizza evening, participants seized every opportunity to exchange ideas, brainstorm, and lay the groundwork for future collaborations. It was an inspiring time, fostering not only new projects but also valuable connections.

A Big Thank You to Our Partners

A special thanks goes to our partners who made this unforgettable experience possible: digitales MV, MakerPort Stralsund, and Project Bay. Without their support, the AI Grid Summer School 2024 would not have been the same.

Now, we look forward to the next steps – because the conclusion of the Summer School also marks the starting point for many new ideas and projects that will grow and thrive in the coming months. Who knows what remarkable innovations began their journey on the island of Rügen?

AI Grid Ambassadors

AI Grid Ambassador in Israel

AI Grid Ambassador in Great Britain

AI Grid Ambassador in Sweden

AI Grid Ambassador in Switzerland

AI Grid Ambassador in the USA (West Coast)

AI Grid Ambassador in Japan (Tokyo)

AI Grid Ambassador in Spain

AI Grid Ambassador in the USA (East Coast)

AI Grid Ambassador in France

Professor an der Universität TU Dortmund