Young Researchers: Apply for the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum

Young researchers are invited to apply for one of 200 coveted spots to participate in the 13th annual Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) next September. 

The invitation is open to undergraduates, graduate students and recent PhDs of mathematics and computer science (and closely related fields).

The HLF offers all accepted young researchers the great opportunity to personally meet the winners of the most prestigious prizes in their fields. For one week, recipients of the ACM A.M. Turing Award and the ACM Prize in Computing, the Abel Prize, Fields Medal, IMU Abacus Medal, and Nevanlinna Prize will engage in a cross-generational scientific dialogue with young researchers in Heidelberg, Germany.

The 13th HLF will take place September 13 – 18, 2026. This prominent and versatile event combines scientific, social and outreach activities in a unique atmosphere, and is fueled by comprehensive exchange and scientific inspiration.

To be considered for participation, young researchers can either apply directly or be nominated by a colleague, professor, mentor, or manager. Applications must be submitted online by February 11, 2026, via the application page. You will need to enter ACM’s organization code to complete the application process. Please email acmhelp@acm.org to request this number.

Successful candidates will be selected by an international committee of experts to ensure that the most qualified candidates are invited. Those who are accepted will be notified by the end of April 2026.

ACM TechTalk: Barbara Limmer and Laura Browne 

View the recent ACM Techtalk, “Translating Interview Speak: What Your Interviewer Really Wants to Know,” with Career Coach / Consultant Barbara Limmer and Trainer / Coach Laura Browne, authors of the new book Interview Speak.

Have you ever left an interview thinking that you nailed it and all you heard back was a short rejection? What happened? This webinar will help you to have better and less stressful job interviews. You’ll learn what’s behind the interview questions and what employers are really looking for. This information can help you to develop your best answers for your next job interview.

View the TechTalk Archive.

ACM ByteCast: Anusha Nerella

In this episode of ACM ByteCast, Bruke Kifle hosts Anusha Nerella, a Senior Software Engineer at State Street. She has more than 13 years of experience working on building scalable systems using AI/ML in the domain of high-frequency trading systems and is passionate about driving adoption of automation in the FinTech industry. Anusha is a member of the ACM Practitioner Board, the Forbes Technology Council, and is an IEEE Senior Member and Chair of IEEE Women in Engineering Philadelphia chapter. 

Here, Nerella traces her journey from growing up with limited access to technology to teaching herself programming to working at global firms including Barclays and Citibank and leading enterprise-scale AI initiatives. Nerella and Rashmi discuss the challenges of applying AI to a field where money and personal data are at stake, and workflows that prioritize trust, security, and compliance. Along the way, Anusha shares her personal philosophy when it comes to building systems where speed and reliability can be competing priorities.

ACM ByteCast: Ilias Diakonikolas

In this episode of ACM ByteCast, Bruke Kifle hosts 2024 ACM Grace Murray Hopper Award recipient Ilias Diakonikolas, Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he researches the algorithmic foundations of machine learning and statistics. Ilias received the prestigious award for developing the first efficient algorithms for high-dimensional statistical tasks that are also robust, meaning they perform well even when the data significantly deviates from ideal modelling assumptions. His other honors and recognitions include a Sloan Fellowship, the NSF CAREER Award, the best paper award at NeurIPS 2019, and the IBM Research Pat Goldberg Best Paper Award. He authored a textbook titled Algorithmic High-Dimensional Robust Statistics.

Here, Diakonikolas describes his early love of math as a student in Greece, which led him on a research journey in theoretical statistics and algorithms at Columbia University and, later, at UC Berkeley. He defines “robust statistics” and how it aids in detecting “data poisoning.” He explores statistical v. computational efficiency, the practical applications of this research in machine learning and trustworthy AI, and future directions in algorithmic design. Ilias also offers valuable advice to future researchers.

View the ByteCast archive.

Featured ACM Member: Worawan Diaz Carballo

Worawan Diaz Carballo (Marungsith) is an Assistant Professor at Thammasat University (Thailand). Her research focuses on HPC systems, AI workload efficiency, and hybrid HPC/AI/cloud integration for education and innovation. Diaz Carballo is also the principal investigator of the HPC Ignite Initiative, a capacity-building program supported by Thailand’s NRCT and ThaiSC.

Through HPC Ignite, she has trained over 370 learners in Northern Thailand developing projects that address societal challenges. An alumnus of seven ACM HPC Summer Schools (and TA for three). She is the faculty sponsor for Thammasat University ACM SIGHPC Student Chapter.

In her interview, she discusses the challenge of effective face detection demanding high computation power, the ACM HPC Summer School in Barcelona, developing regions adopting AI-accelerated HPC safely, and more.

Read Diaz Carballo’s interview here.

Featured ACM Member: Norm Jouppi

Norman P. Jouppi is a Vice President and Engineering Fellow at Google. He joined Google to develop ML accelerators and is the tech lead for Google’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). Jouppi is recognized for trailblazing innovations in computer memory systems. He was also the lead designer of several microprocessors, contributed to the design of graphics accelerators, and extensively researched telepresence.

Jouppi has served the ACM in many capacities, including as the Chair of SIGARCH and as a member of the ACM Council. He is an ACM Fellow and received the ACM-IEEE CS Eckert Mauchly Award for pioneering contributions to the design and analysis of high-performance processors and memory systems. He’s also received the IEEE CS Seymour Cray Computer Engineering Award for his work on ML supercomputers, is a Fellow of the ACM, IEEE, AAAS, and a member of the NAE.

Read Jouppi’s interview here.