AI4Science Hackathon at RAL

AI4Science Hackathon

 

Wednesday 27th-Friday 29th May 2026

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

The Ada Lovelace Center at STFC and the Maths4DL programme  is hosting a hackathon looking at applications for mathematically in formed AI approaches to problems in the national facilities. 

 

Goal

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is a large-scale national facility for research covering from particle sciences thought to astronomy, home to various large-scale scientific imaging facilities, such as the Diamond Light Source and ISIS. 
 
This is a 3 day meeting bringing together scientists at RAL (and otherwise) and mathematicians in the field of AI to find interesting problems to collaborate on, and hopefully build longer working groups. The workshop will consist on a first day of few presentations of both scientists and mathematicians to find common ground, and then organized working sessions to brainstorm problems and solutions. We have a preliminary set of problems that scientist at RAL have proposed, including some nice imaging challenges, but do bring an open mind and interesting problems to the meeting.
 
This is not a conference, but a research working session. The goal is to have plenty of time to sit down with peers, talk about research, get involved and do a bit of hacking, and hopefully end up with a working plan to tackle new problems and produce novel results. The workshop is light on talks and heavy on working time, do bring some energy to collaborate, discuss and learn!

 

Registration

Registration is now closed, please speak to margaret.duff@stfc.ac.uk if you would like to attend. 

Location

The postcode for the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is OX11 0QX.

The nearest train station is Didcot, and the Thames travel X24/X34/X35 buses travel between Didcot Parkway Station and the Harwell Campus (~ 30 minute journey, with a bus every ~ 15 minutes). Taxis are also available at Didcot Parkway Station.

Detailed travel instructions are provided on the STFC "How to Find Us" page. The official website for the bus service can be used to plan your journey.

The hackathon will take place in the CR12 and 13 in R68 on the main Rutherford Appleton Laboratory site. On arrival, please report to reception and they will direct you to the right place. If driving, reception will direct you to a suitable place to park.

Visitor ID needs to be shown on in order to access site.

All visitors are required to present an original photo ID when signing in at Reception. Photocopies or phone images are not accepted.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

-  A current and valid passport (UK or international)

-  UK photocard driving licence (full or provisional)

-  National identity cards (EEA countries issued under Council Regulation EC No. 2252/2004)

-  PASS-accredited photo ID cards (e.g. CitizenCard, Young Scot)

-  Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)

-  Northern Ireland electoral identity card

-  STFC/UKRI Issued pass

 

All documents must be within date of their validity.

Day 1

10:00 - 10:30 Coffee and pastries

10:30 - 11:00 Welcome

11:00 - 11:30 2 project presentations

11:30 - 12.30 Discussion in groups 

12:30 - 12.45 Feedback from groups

12.45 - 14:00 Lunch

14:00 - 14.45 Icebreaker 

14.45 - 15.00 Coffee 

15.00 - 15.30 2 project presentations 

15:30 - 16.30 Discussions

16:30 - 16.45 Feedback from groups

16.45 - 17.30 Start to form working groups

 

Day 2 

9.15 - 9.30 Welcome

9:30 - 10:15 Maths talks 

10:15 - 10:45 Break 

10.45 - 12.30 Working groups 

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch 

13:30 - 14.30 Special session 

14:30 - 15:00 Break 

15:00 - 16.45 Working groups 

16:45 - 17.15  2 minute presentation on progress from each group

Optional working/discussion

 

Day 3 

9:15 - 9.30 Welcome 

9:30 - 10:30 Working groups

10.30 - 11 Break

11 - 12:30 Working groups

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch 

13:30 - 14:30 Working groups

14.30 - 16:00 Presentations of the project ideas and close