The Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence is pleased to welcome Professor Frank Krauss. During this seminar Professor Krauss will discuss the intricate connection of data that informs models which in turn aims at representing and understanding the reality that gives rise to the data. Professor Krauss will highlight common challenges and limitations in the application of data science, which are often based in a mismatch of domain knowledge and technical skills. Moreover, Professor Krauss will talk about the significance of collaborative efforts between domain specialists and data scientists.

Professor Frank Krauss is a renowned academic currently serving as the Director of the Institute for Data Science at Durham University, and a Professor in the Department of Physics and the Centre for Particle Theory. His academic journey began with undergraduate studies at TH Darmstadt, followed by a PhD at TU Dresden, and several postdoctoral positions. His research focuses on the phenomenology of particle physics, a branch of theoretical physics that bridges the gap between abstract models for the fundamental interaction of matter and experimental phenomena. He has made significant contributions to the field, including the development of the SHERPA Monte Carlo event generator, a simulation tool that describes experimental reality in great detail. Professor Krauss has also been involved in the development of JUNE, an open-source framework for the detailed simulation of epidemics based on social interactions in a virtual population. Motivated by the Covid-19 pandemic, Krauss developed an interest in the simulation of epidemics and how they spread through a population. The JUNE model has been used for Covid-19 planning and has the potential to be applied internationally. It has also been adapted by three of his students, in collaboration with the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, to the situation in refugee camps.