Fifteen editions “is already a nice number” – says Mário Figueiredo, a professor at Instituto Superior Técnico and one of the event’s organisers. From 19 to 25 July, the 15th edition of the Lisbon Machine Learning School (LxMLS) welcomed 150 students from around the world to study topics such as machine learning and artificial intelligence at Técnico – Alameda campus.
The morning classes were held in a tutorial environment to help students learn the concepts, while the afternoons featured laboratory sessions where they could apply what they had learnt, followed by lectures on more advanced topics. However, Mário Figueiredo emphasised that “the most important part is that the participants come and get to know each other” – upon arrival, students see that “Técnico is a quality institution with exceptional individuals”. He also highlighted many former students who returned as monitors to support the activities. Some participants have even gone on to become professors worldwide and return to LxMLS to give talks, showcasing the bonds formed during the event. “Bonds have been forged”, he sums up.
One example is Rámon Astudillo, who has participated in LxMLS as a student, monitor, and leader of laboratory activities for ten years. During part of this time, he completed a post-doctorate at the Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores – Investigação e Desenvolvimento (INESC-ID). He believes that the event aims “to make a positive impact on people’s lives”, which involves managing sponsorships, providing logistical support for speakers, and coordinating the poster competition.
One of the talks filled the audience at Técnico Congress Center for a discussion on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI). Among the topics covered that afternoon there was a debate on how scientists communicate their research, how to guarantee trust in credited sources of information, how to combat disinformation and ‘junk content’ created by AI, the risk it can pose to some jobs, how to reduce the anxiety people feel about the consequences of AI and how to make this technology more accessible to populations with lower digital literacy.
A coffee break and dozens of conversations
During a warm afternoon break in the North Garden, participants enjoyed an outdoor snack and engaged in numerous activities.
Dilan Kiran, a Turkish student studying in Germany, shared, “I’ve always wanted to visit Portugal, but I also wanted to have a productive summer”. She took the opportunity to attend LxMLS to go on “a vacation that isn’t a true vacation”, allowing her to meet new people and revisit some subjects. She described Portugal as “a hidden treasure” in the Mediterranean. She noted that her classes in Germany are “very theoretical” and often delve into complex computer engineering fundamentals. In contrast, she found the lectures at LxMLS to be “very well conducted”. “This is my first time attending a computer engineering social event, and I really like it. I came alone, and it’s easy to meet new people and expand my academic network”, she added.
Even though she is no longer a monitor (a task she performed in three editions of LxMLS), Joana Correia made a point of attending the event this year. “I’ve always enjoyed the experience of being here – it’s an excellent initiative to introduce students to artificial intelligence”, says the Engineering Physics student. The experience of studying at Técnico “was always super positive”, and she confesses to being “lucky enough to have met extremely dedicated professors”.
