WASP students explore Singapore’s AI research landscape

In spring 2025, a group of WASP students went on a study trip to explore the research ecosystem in Singapore. Over seven days, the group combined academic visits with participation in one of the world’s premier AI conferences, ICLR 2025, while building bridges with top institutions and global peers.

“This visit gave us a unique opportunity to showcase Swedish research, connect with leading groups in Asia, and broaden our perspectives on where AI is heading globally.” — Firooz Shahriari, who was a WASP PhD at the time and is now a postdoc at Chalmers University of Technology.

This was a self-organized study trip, which are typically carried out during the second half of the PhD journey. WASP students are encouraged to go abroad to build international networks, gain fresh inspiration for their research, and represent Swedish research excellence in the global community.

Day 1: Deep dive into decentralized learning at NTU

The journey began at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), ranked among the global top 10 universities in AI and Machine Learning. Hosted by Dr. Wei Yang Bryan Lim’s group, the WASP delegation joined a half-day workshop featuring speakers from NTU, University of Tokyo, SMU, Aizu University, Institute of Science Tokyo and industry leaders like Bosch and SB Institutions.

WASP members presented their research and introduced WASP’s unique postdoctoral exchange program with NTU. A dedicated group meeting with Dr. Lim’s team revealed promising overlaps in research interests, sparking discussions on future joint efforts. The day concluded with a campus tour led by NTU students.

Day 2: Exploring Singapore and engaging with NUS

The group visited the National University of Singapore (NUS) for an afternoon session with Prof. Jonathan Scarlett’s lab. The format included short presentations from both WASP and NUS researchers, followed by a three-hour discussion on potential collaboration themes. The exchange was rich with ideas and laid the groundwork for future academic partnerships.

Days 3–7: ICLR 2025

Held in Singapore with over 8,000 participants, ICLR 2025 offered WASP students unparalleled access to the forefront of AI research. Highlights included:

• Poster Sessions: Twice-daily sessions enabled WASP members to present their work, receive expert feedback, and engage in deep technical discussions.
• Industry Networking: Top sponsors like Google, DeepMind, Amazon, and NVIDIA provided insights into career paths and hiring expectations.
• Plenary Talks: Visionary talks from global AI leaders inspired new directions in research.
• Specialized Workshops: Covering topics from graph learning to federated systems, these sessions aligned closely with WASP members’ research interests.

All participants

Firooz Shahriari-Mehr, Chalmers
Selma Tabakovic, Chalmers
Erik Karlsson Nordling Chalmers
Karthrik Prakhya, Umeå University
Yikun Hou, Umeå University
Valency Oscar Colaco, Linköping University
Oliver Harold Joergensen, Linköping University
Markus Fritzsche, Linköping University
Abdolvahab Khalili Sadaghiani, Linköping University
Sheng Liu, KTH
Carl Hvarfner, Lund University
Leonard Papenmeier, Lund University

Participating supervisors/senior researchers:
Alp Yurtsever, Assistant Professor, Umeå University
Sebastian Dalleiger, Assistant Professor, KTH

Intersted in organizing a study trip?

Are you interested in organizing a study trip? Visit the WASP intranet and learn more.