PhD and Postdocs Retreat precedes the ML4Q Conference 2022
After uncertainties concerning the safety of participants and Corona regulations, our annual ML4Q conference planned for February 2022 had to be cancelled and was converted into a successful but online-only PI meeting. However, we were all the happier that after two years, we were able to finally have the whole cluster come together at the ML4Q Annual Conference in August. This summer we held our second Phd and postdoc retreat two days before the main ML4Q Conference 2022. The retreat started on August 30 and concluded on August 31 before all cluster members joined for the main confrerence which lasted until September 2.
With 125 participants, 41 posters, 4 top-class keynote speakers, cluster-internal talks from all four Focus Areas and additional sessions focusing, for example, on EIN Quantum NRW and the career development of postdocs, the three days in the beautiful Westerwald were vital for scientific exchange
and strengthening the sense of community in our cluster after two years of only seeing each other on screen.
The conference was also the starting point for the preparation of the renewal of ML4Q into a second funding period. During the conference, the ML4Q2
Concept Group was founded, which conducted its first brainstorming session on site. It will meet regularly in the following months to sharpen the scientific and strategic goals for ML4Q2.