A day dedicated to cooperative research and AI

26 November 2025

Photo: UHH / Winiker

The PIER PLUS Poster Walk took place for the first time in 2025.

This year's PIER Day on November 25, 2025, was dedicated to artificial intelligence in the afternoon. In addition to presentations on and discussions about the PIER research fields, for the first time, the PIER PLUS Poster Walk took place at PIER Day under the motto “AI and Science: Unexpected Connections and Method Innovation.” The keynote speech of the day, on the connections between artificial intelligence and physics, was given by Prof. Dr. Lucie Flek from the University of Bonn, and the event concluded with a panel discussion on Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld as a hub for AI and data science.

In addition to the general exchange on PIER research fields between DESY and the University of Hamburg, especially in presentations about Nanochemistry, Detector Research and Artefact Profiling, the afternoon session of PIER Day 2025 showed how strongly AI and data science are shaping joint research in Hamburg and among the partners of PIER and PIER PLUS. Key initiatives to strengthen artificial intelligence and data science in Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld were presented, including the joint AI & Data Science Platform of DESY and UHH, the DASHH consortium, and the VISTA initiative supported by PIER PLUS.

A highlight this year was the PIER PLUS poster walk “AI and Science: Unexpected Connections and Method Innovation,” where researchers presented 20 projects and showed how AI methods are opening up new perspectives in very different disciplines—including topics as diverse as predicting prostate cancer recurrence, machine learning in weather forecasting, diagnosing problems on the ISS, reliably identifying mosquito species to prevent disease, and designing optical coatings. The poster walk also highlighted how AI can lead to a common language between traditionally separate fields of research and provided early-career scientists with a space to network and discuss their ideas.

Framed by the keynote speech “From Dark Matter to Dark Triad and Back: What Physics Can Teach AI — and What AI Can Teach Physics” by Prof. Dr. Lucie Flek from the University of Bonn and a panel discussion with Prof. Dr. Tilo Böhmann (Vice President of Research, University of Hamburg), Prof. Dr. Martin Burger (DESY/University of Hamburg), Prof. Dr. Lucie Flek (University of Bonn), Prof. Dr. Beate Heinemann (Chair of the DESY Board of Directors), and Prof. Dr. Luisa Lucie-Smith (University of Hamburg) on Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld as a hub for AI and data science, the day underscored the importance of strong local alliances for responsible and innovative AI research.