Travel the world with ELSA: our Mobility Fund in Action

,

Within ELSA, building a strong, sustainable network is one of our most important goals. Naturally, we have set up a mobility fund to connect ELSA-related people in person.

Fancy a realistic insight into its benefits? We have talked to PhD student and researcher Tẹjúmádé Àfọ̀njá, who is working within ELSA:

Hello Tẹjúmádé, thank you for your time. First of all, can you tell us about your research?

Of course! My research focuses on Privacy-Preserving Synthetic Tabular Data Generation. I work on developing generative models with strong privacy guarantees. Specifically, my work aligns with an ELSA work package that focuses on privacy-preserving techniques and infrastructure. 

Additionally, I contribute to ELSA’s health benchmark initiative, particularly the upcoming Private Synthetic Genomic Data Generation Challenge. Prof. Dr. Mario Fritz, CISPA faculty and ELSA coordinator, supervises my work.

Where did you go using the mobility fund?

I used the fund for several trips, including traveling to ICLR in Vienna, Austria, Deep Learning Indaba in Dakar, Senegal, and PETS in Bristol, UK.

Sounds fun! What did you do there, and how did it affect your work?

I had the opportunity to present my research to a diverse, international audience. Through oral and poster presentations, I showcased the work we are doing at ELSA. 

These experiences significantly increased the visibility of my work and its impact. I received a lot of positive feedback and validation for my work.
But there is more to it! Each trip was a unique opportunity to network and connect with researchers from Europe and all around the world. These in-person interactions are invaluable! They allow us to exchange ideas and build meaningful, professional relationships. 

It is also incredibly insightful to learn about how research is conducted across different countries and about other approaches to tackling similar challenges.

At ICLR in Vienna for example, I encountered a paper with a core idea closely aligned with my current work but approached from a non-privacy perspective. Engaging with the authors allowed me to gain new insights and appreciate different angles on shared problems. 

Conferences like these provide a platform for validating and refining ideas, exchanging knowledge, and fostering mutual learning. They are a space to learn from others while contributing your expertise to the broader research community.

What would you tell others about the fund?

Go for it!
The fund provides a great opportunity, so do not be shy about using it! Traveling helps you meet new people and gain new perspectives. 

So travel, broaden your horizon, get to know new cultures, and explore how others do research. Being well-traveled is a benefit for your research and adds to your skillset. Please, take advantage of it!

Thank you for the interview, Tẹjúmádé! Are you interested in Tẹjúmádé’s work? Find a comprehensive overview of her work on the CISPA website or in her CISPA profile.

SO, HOW CAN YOU USE THE MOBILITY FUND?

Visit the Mobility Fund Landing Page. We are excited to support both PhD and experienced researchers: 

  • within a research exchange as part of the ELLIS PhD program
  • within a research exchange with an ELSA Partner
  • to an ELSA-supported event or workshop

We refund travel costs and, under certain circumstances, accommodation costs up to 3.000 € per application.

The application process is digital. Please find more information for PhDs planning to travel here. Experienced researchers, please follow this link.

If you have any questions, contact our team via elsa-travel@cispa.de.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.