HLF Review 2016

Participants
5 out of 200
5 out of the 200 young researchers at the 4th
Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) were asked a
series of questions to shed light on how someone
is called to either mathematics or computer
science and how their research develops.
Jan Paul Toni Mueller
B.Sc.
Stanford University
USA
German
What is the focus of your research?
We are focusing on the whole pipeline of visual
computing. Take the rendering of water splashes
as an example: One starts with the mathematical
description of the underlying physical
systems, thinks about how this can be efficiently
computed, and finally how to get that onto the
screen. The end result is either something rendered
in a good-looking way or a visualization
of something that is not even visible in reality.
Why did you become a computer scientist?
Wind back the time to the 1990s. Cinema. Steven
Spielberg. Jurassic Park. Even though I could
not see the movie right when it came out, when
I finally got the chance to see it a few years later,
the film really left a lasting impression on me.
Why did you apply for the HLF?
At Stanford I have experienced both groundbreaking
research as well as very strong connections
to the industry and a real culture of startups
that I have never seen before. In the Silicon
Valley there is a butter smooth transition between
invention and innovation. But even here
I cannot meet so many amazing role models all
in one place like at the HLF – it is really a unique
opportunity.
Manalebish Debalike
Asfaw
M.Sc.
Addis Ababa University
Ethiopia
Ethiopian
What is the focus of your research?
My research is in mathematical modeling of ecological
systems. My interests are in understanding
the interaction between plants and herbivores
and how they react to weather changes
such as rainfall and different temperatures, and
how the altitude influences their interactions. I
am studying non-linear ODEs (ordinary differential
equations) and PDEs (partial differential
equations) in a stochastic and deterministic
model of dynamics, computing the solutions. I
am using the models to quantify the impact and
risk of overgrazing and the impact of us humans
on the environment, for example considering
climate change and land use. Modeling ecological
systems inspires interesting mathematical
questions and challenges. At the same time, it
helps improving the sustainable management
of livestock.
Why did you become a mathematician?
Mathematics gives rules to follow and uses logic.
I enjoy the abstractness of the subject and the
challenge it brings. There was also the positive
influence from my teachers on me to love mathematics.
Why did you apply for the HLF?
To meet and get experience from profound
mathematicians from all over the world.
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