Shaping the Future

Georgian Talents at the Forschungszentrum Jülich

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and intelligent image processing are three profoundly significant topics of our time. Four young Georgian scientists have set their sights on becoming a part of this progress and technological future. As part of the GGSB program, they completed a six-week internship at Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and intelligent image processing are three incredibly important topics of our time. Within them lies significant potential for innovation and the realization of future visions.

Four young scientists set out to be a part of this progress and technological future. To take a step closer to their goal, Dimitri Iosebadze, Lasha Shavgulidze, Tsotne Mikadze, and Luka Samkharadze embarked on a journey from their homeland of Georgia to Germany. At Forschungszentrum Jülich, the four of them completed a six-week internship, dedicating themselves to an exciting project focused on the creation of a demonstrator in the realm of “AI-based art”.

With a smile, Dimitri reflects on the project: “It was indeed a challenge, but image processing and machine learning have the potential to automate a wide range of tasks. It’s worth researching and working on!” The young computer scientist is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Lasha adds, “What was great about our time at Forschungszentrum Jülich wasn’t just the project itself but also the extensive expertise and interdisciplinary approach applied to research endeavors. It was quite impressive.”

The four young Georgians also brought their interdisciplinary interests with them to Germany. While Dimitri and Luka, both computer scientists, had a knack for image processing, Lasha, a mathematics student, was passionate about artificial intelligence, and Tsotne (another computer scientist) delved into machine learning. Over the course of their six-week internship, these young scientists adeptly combined their interests and skills, harnessing synergies to make their project a success. Tsotne concludes, “We also had the best supervisors at the IAS of the Research Center. The amazing team was very welcoming from the start and provided us with strong support!” Luka also notes, “And the organization – in Jülich, we not only had access to state-of-the-art equipment but also benefited from exceptionally high organizational standards.”

In Germany, the four Georgian students were mentored by a team of scientists of the Institute for Advanced Simulation: Data Analytics, and Machine Learning (IAS-8) at Forschungszentrum Jülich, in particular Dr. Elisabeth Pfaehler, Dr. Zhuo Cao, and Dr. Hanno Scharr, the head of IAS-8. They also received substantial support from their home country through Prof. Ramaz Botchorishvili of the Kutaisi International University. Prof. Botchorishvili has maintained a fruitful collaboration and active exchange with the researchers at Jülich for many years.

Upon their return to Georgia, the four students plan to complete their respective studies at Kutaisi International University. Perhaps their paths will lead them back to Germany in the future, or maybe they will set new standards for science and research in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and intelligent image processing in their homeland.

^{In a hybrid presentation, the students shared their project results.}

Internship as part of the Georgian-German-Science-Bridge

The opportunity for the internship at Forschungszentrum Jülich was not exclusive to the four young scientists introduced here. In total, 25 students from various Georgian universities had and will have the chance to complete internships lasting from four to six weeks in Germany (at FZJ, HZDR and RWTH) as part of the Georgian-German-Science-Bridge (GGSB). The selections were made during the multi-day Block-Lectures 2023 events held at the Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi State University, and Georgian Technical University in Kutaisi and Tbilisi.

The GGSB will celebrate its 20th anniversary in the coming year. Over these two decades, scientific exchange between the two countries has expanded and deepened based on bilateral collaborations among a group of scientists. The Research Center and several Georgian universities jointly coordinate research, student training, and the development of the science sector in Georgia. In 2023, the network on the German side expanded to include the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf and the GSI – Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research.

Since the beginning of this collaboration, numerous Georgian students have had the opportunity to further their qualifications at the Jülich Research Center. More than 55 students have come as interns, 10 as master’s students, and 14 as doctoral candidates at the Research Center in Jülich. Additionally, in Georgia, the so-called SMART|Labs have provided a topic-focused education to Georgian students, thanks to the involvement of Jülich scientists. Annual symposiums and events complement the cooperative activities.

In honor of the anniversary, a meeting will be held in Georgia in September 2024 to celebrate the longstanding and fruitful collaboration.

Additional information and intriguing news regarding the topic:

• https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/zea/zea-2/news/announcements/two-exceptional-georgian-women-from-the-agricultural-university-of-georgia-aug-started-a-joint-journey-in-electrical-and-computer-engineering-exchange-program
• https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/ue/departments/relations/science-bridges
• https://collaborations.fz-juelich.de/ikp/cgswhp/cgswhp18/downloads/Internet_ScienceBridge_Brosch%C3%BCre.pdf