ELLIS Summer School: AI for Earth and Climate Sciences

The 2025 ELLIS Summer School on AI for Earth & Climate Sciences was a flagship event for PhD students, MSc students, and postdocs working at the intersection of machine learning and the geosciences. Over the course of an inspiring week, participants engaged with the latest breakthroughs and cutting-edge research through keynotes, hands-on sessions, and collaborative project work. The interdisciplinary program successfully fostered a vibrant community of early-career researchers and sparked lasting collaborations across AI, Earth, and Climate Sciences.

The program featured several highlights, including high-profile keynotes from top-level scientists, Zero-to-Hero classes on essential methodologies, poster sessions that facilitated discussion and exchange, and student research projects leveraging high-performance computing. In addition to the academic program, participants enjoyed fun social activities, creating a friendly and collaborative atmosphere throughout the week.

The first application round, which ran from February 3 to March 31, 2025, already attracted an exceptional pool of candidates. While a second round had initially been considered, the overwhelming number and quality of applications by mid-April — more than three times the available spots — made it clear that demand far exceeded capacity. In light of this high level of interest and the outstanding applications received, we decided not to open an additional application round.

The 2025 Summer School not only showcased cutting-edge research but also strengthened connections within the global community of AI and Earth Science researchers, leaving a lasting impact on all participants.