Event: Distributed Algorithms CDT Annual Showcase December 2022
Distributed Algorithms CDT Showcase December 2022: Bringing together PhD students, supervisors and partners to celebrate achievements and to instil the CDT’s Vision.
Background and Vision
The Distributed Algorithms CDT (CDT) was created from a call from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for a centre of doctoral training that would combine two main themes; a Data Driven Future and High-Performance Computing. The vision and mission of the CDT will be achieved via collaborative work between the CDT and its project partners, supported by academics from the University of Liverpool, in helping to solve complex data challenges presented in the real world, helping to define the algorithms of tomorrow and how they will be distributed across future hardware. The CDT will have 60 graduate data scientists by the end of its programme, with the final cohort being recruited for 1 October 2023.
The Event
The CDT’s inaugural showcase event took place on 7 December 2022 at One Great George Street, London and welcomed CDT PhDs, supervisors, partners and stakeholders and successfully highlighted the collective achievements as well as providing inspiration for its future direction. The event was hosted by Simon Maskell, supported by Jason Ralph and CDT staff.
Breck Baldwin, founder of Alias-i/LingPipe, an early open source AI company, and served as Executive Director of the Stan organisation, opened the event and provided a platform of thought and discussion on ‘What if Bayesian modelling had deep learning’s current scale’. Each PhD student presented their ‘Just a Minute’ pitch – discussing the “what”, “how”, and “where” of Distributed Algorithms by sharing a variety of experiences of past, current and future data challenges and solutions.
The showcase brought together CDT partners from government and industry as well as CDT stakeholders, with a number of partners sharing their own experiences of working with the CDT and how important and valuable working collaboratively has proved. More than 30 individuals representing CDT partner organisations attended the event. You can view the agenda for the day here, including guest speakers and their bios.
Feedback
The event receive positive feedback from each group of attendees. Main highlights included: networking; plenary talks; and panel discussions that inspired new research ideas with 89% of the attendees making new research connections with other delegates.
Professor Igor Potapov, an academic supervisor from Computer Science commented, “I enjoyed the event. It was useful. I made a few new contacts with some of the CDT partners and we plan to continue our discussion and find ways to work together.”
Dr Simon Lee, industry partner, supervisor and Principal Researcher at Denbridge Marine noted, “…it was an enjoyable couple of days. The event and particularly the networking gave me some good food for thought.”
A large number of students said that the event gave them more ideas and inspiration and also instilled the collaborative nature of the CDT, by providing an event where all students where in the same venue at the same time. They valued meeting the stakeholders and partners and felt a sense of accomplishment during their informal poster presentation talks.
The PhD student pitches and posters can be viewed here: PhD posters and ‘Just a Minute’ pitches.
2023 CDT Showcase
The next CDT Showcase will be on Thursday 30 November 2023 in Liverpool.
Interested in the CDT?
If you would like to find out more about the CDT and our research work, please email Professor Simon Maskell, Director of the CDT or Kelli Cassidy, Centre Manger. If you would like to register to attend our next showcase or apply for a PhD studentship, please email Centre Support Officer Sara Parker.
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