Scientific Computing: I Heidelberg-Chile International Workshop
What is scientific computing? It is an interdisciplinary field that combines mathematics, computer science, and computational models to solve complex problems in various areas of knowledge. From simulations of physical phenomena to computational biology, this discipline enables us to tackle challenges ranging from drug design to the prediction of climate phenomena.
Over four days, from March 25 to 28, the HCLA hosted nearly seventy experts in key areas of scientific computing during the first Heidelberg-Chile scientific meeting on the subject. The event was organized by the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) at Heidelberg University, the Heidelberg Center for Latin America (HCLA), and the Institute for Mathematical and Computational Engineering at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. The workshop addressed the latest developments in the field, structured around four main thematic areas: numerical analysis, optimization, computational biology, and machine learning.
Researchers from Heidelberg University, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad de Chile, and Universidad de Concepción participated in the event, sharing their current work. The workshop also featured a section dedicated to young researchers, where doctoral and master's students presented their projects in a poster session.
“The workshop was conceived in 2024, during the visit of Professor Guido Kanschat, Dean of Engineering Sciences and researcher at the IWR, to Santiago. Both he and other researchers from Heidelberg have been scientifically connected to the work in scientific computing being carried out in Chile for some time. With this workshop, personal collaboration has expanded to include other colleagues and institutions, laying an excellent foundation for launching structured joint initiatives. Among them will certainly be the promotion of young researchers and the organization of a summer school in 2026,” said Dr. Inés Recio, Academic Executive Director of the HCLA.
The IWR Heidelberg (Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Wissenschaftliches Rechnen) is Heidelberg University's Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing. It was founded with the mission of developing computational methods for pioneering applications, and its work transcends disciplinary boundaries, ranging from engineering to the humanities.