With the topic "Mathematics: the invisible backbone of the digital era", Dr. Timon Höfer from Porsche Digital was a guest in the lecture series "Mathe Macht!" on 01.02.2024. The lecture series introduces students and doctoral students of the faculty to the areas of responsibility of mathematicians in practice.
Dr. Höfer gave an insight into the subject areas at Porsche Digital in which artificial intelligence (AI) plays a role. These include optimization tasks in production, projects in the development process phase and basic research. The students were able to gain an impression of the use of mathematical methods and AI in specific projects. The "Porsche Digital Campus" was also presented, which offers students targeted and pragmatic support on their way forward, for example through mentoring programs, hackathons and seminar and lecture events with the participation of Porsche employees.
In the subsequent discussion, the students and doctoral candidates asked questions about joining the company, the requirements for mathematicians and the prerequisites for the position of AI Research Scientist. It was particularly interesting that Dr. Höfer himself studied mathematics and was able to report on his own experiences. Questions about the internship were also answered by Mr. Oliver König, who completed an internship at Porsche AG as a student in the Department of Mathematics.
