The Hamburg metropolitan region is home to a fast growing number of research activities at the interface of artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications in natural sciences and engineering. Supported by a high degree of domain expertise in several of these domains, e.g. evidenced by clusters of excellence in physics and climate science, Hamburg has also taken a lead role in developing and applying AI techniques. However, from the outside, this is hardly visible. So far, the overall strength of the Hamburg AI ecosystem remains invisible mainly due to fragmentation and lack of communication. As a result, synergies also remain undetected: Despite the large potential for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research aided by the similarity of underlying AI techniques so far connections remain largely bi-lateral. This leaves a large potential in synergetic research opportunities and benefits in education untapped.
For this reason, Hamburg Virtual Initiative for Science & Technology in AI: Hamburg VISTA has been established. Beyond this web site highlighting PIs, publications, and events , further connections and networking opportunities are provided by a mailing list and a rotating series of scientific presentations by members at all partner sites. To strengthen interdisciplinary collaborative research a cohort of PhD students each jointly supervised by two VISTA researchers is established. Formally, PhD students are associated with one partner institution via their primary supervisor.
VISTA is governed by an executive board with one member designated by each partner as well as one designated by PIER PLUS, as part of the cross-profile collaboration on computing and data science. It steers the development of Hamburg VISTA by consensus and e.g. approves the association of further partners and PIs as well as the allocation of associated resources.
DESY, HSU, TUHH, UHH