<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s winners include a Deutschlandfunk podcast episode, an article from \u201cmare \u2013 The Magazine of the Seas\u201d, and a feature published in \u201cc\u2019t\u201d<\/i>, a leading German tech magazine. Established in 2006 and endowed with a total of \u20ac16,000, the award recognizes excellence in communicating computer science topics to the public. Main prizes in the three categories \u2014 Text, Audio, and Video\/Multimedia \u2014 are each endowed with \u20ac5,000 and funded by the Saarland Ministry. Additionally, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) awards a \u20ac1,000 Special Prize.<\/p>\n
J\u00fcrgen Barke, Saarland\u2019s Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy, and patron of the award, states:<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the Journalism Award for Computer Science, we honor reporting that explains technological developments in an accessible way. The awarded pieces demonstrate how solid journalism can make complex subjects like digitalization and AI understandable, helping readers and listeners place developments into context. My heartfelt congratulations go out to all the awardees for their outstanding contributions. Their work enhances public understanding of technological change and supports society and policymakers in shaping it responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year, the jury reviewed 66 submissions. The panel consists of:<\/p>\n
Peter Bylda (longtime editor at Saarbr\u00fccker Zeitung<\/em> and now freelance journalist), \u201cAlles Berechnung\u201d by Tim Schr\u00f6der, published February 1, 2024, in *mare \u2013 The Magazine of the Seas* Jury Statement:<\/strong> \u201cAI and Robotics \u2013 The Hype Around Humanoid Robots\u201d by Ralf Krauter and Moritz Metz, published September 26, 2024, in Deutschlandfunk\u2019s \u201cUnderstanding AI\u201d podcast series. Produced by Maximilian Brose. Jury Statement:<\/strong> \u201cNobel Prize for AI?\u201d by Sabrina Patsch, published November 5, 2024, in *c\u2019t* and on *heise online* Jury Statement:<\/strong> No prize was awarded in the \u201cVideo and Multimedia\u201d category this year.<\/p>\n With around 1,000 researchers and 2,800 students from more than 81 nations, the Saarland Informatics Campus (SIC) is one of the leading locations for computer science in Germany and Europe. It brings together four world-renowned research institutes \u2014 the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems, and the Center for Bioinformatics \u2014 as well as Saarland University, whose three interconnected departments and 24 degree programs cover the full spectrum of computer science. https:\/\/saarland-informatics-campus.de<\/p>\n Editor:<\/strong> DFKI site director Prof. Philipp Slusallek, award winner Tim Schr\u00f6der, Dr. Sabrina Patsch, Moritz Metz and Ralf Krauter with Minister J\u00fcrgen Barke (from left to right), \u00a9 Photo: Manuela Meyer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":22764,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"sic_news-types":[54,56,60],"class_list":["post-22770","sic_news","type-sic_news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","sic_news-types-dfki-en","sic_news-types-mpi-inf-en","sic_news-types-uds-en"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nPeter Hergersberg (MaxPlanckResearch<\/em>),
\nIsabel M\u00fcnch (Fellow, German Informatics Society<\/em>),
\nDr. Wolfgang Pohl (Managing Director, German Informatics Competitions<\/em>),
\nFlorian Possinger (Saarl\u00e4ndischer Rundfunk<\/em>),
\nVera Sikes (Department Head at the Federal Office for Information Security<\/em> (BSI), Head of the BSI Saarbr\u00fccken site),
\nDr. Christel Weins (scientist and co-founder of the award),
\nPeter Welchering (freelance science and tech journalist),
\nProf. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. Reinhard Wilhelm (Computer Science professor at Saarland University and former Director of Schloss Dagstuhl \u2013 Leibniz Center for Informatics<\/em>).<\/p>\nAwarded Contributions for 2024<\/b><\/h4>\n
\n
\nAvailable as a PDF on this website and also via mare online.<\/p>\n
\nVirtually no field of science can do without developments in computer science today \u2014 especially AI methods are increasingly used. In his article \u201cAlles Berechnung\u201d, zoologist and journalist Tim Schr\u00f6der explores a lesser-known application: the use of AI in marine research. He clearly illustrates how image recognition algorithms have become indispensable tools to identify animals and plants \u2014 up to a thousand times faster than humans. Schr\u00f6der compellingly describes how researchers use AI to monitor coral reefs, track animal populations, and investigate marine pollution. Particularly noteworthy is how he gives voice to both computer scientists and marine researchers, providing rich insights from both fields. The article stands out for its objective tone, clear contextualization, and comprehensible presentation \u2014 a prime example of in-depth science journalism at the intersection of technology and the environment.<\/p>\n\n
\nAvailable at: https:\/\/www.deutschlandfunk.de\/ki-robotik-hype-humanoide-roboter-dlf-f5fe8c77-100.html<\/p>\n
\nIn their award-winning episode, Ralf Krauter and host Moritz Metz explore the current state of humanoid robot development. They debunk marketing myths, take listeners behind the scenes of development work, and highlight both progress made and ongoing challenges. With expert commentary, they explain central concepts in robotics and AI \u2014 including complex developments like vision-language-action models \u2014 in a clear and accessible way. The hosts\u2019 relaxed, engaging style opens the topic to a broader audience. This is a compelling piece of journalism that demystifies technology, tempers expectations, and fosters critical reflection.<\/p>\n\n
\nAvailable at: https:\/\/www.heise.de\/hintergrund\/Physik-Nobelpreis-Wie-viel-Physik-in-neuronalen-Netzen-steckt-10001801.html<\/p>\n
\nWhen the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to two scientists for their contributions to neural networks \u2014 a milestone in machine learning and AI \u2014 it drew surprise and sparked discussion. In her article \u201cNobel Prize for AI?\u201d, Sabrina Patsch retraces this unusual decision with clarity and journalistic precision. She tackles a highly complex topic that even specialists struggle to explain in simple terms \u2014 as laureate Geoffrey Hinton himself admitted. With a light touch, Patsch writes she\u2019ll \u201cgive it a try anyway\u201d \u2014 and succeeds in vividly conveying the connections between AI and modern physics, even within the constraints of a magazine format. The article demands the reader\u2019s full attention but remains accessible to an interested lay audience, offering a nuanced and careful analysis of a remarkable scientific and societal event.<\/p>\nAbout the Saarland Informatics Campus<\/b><\/h4>\n
\nPhilipp Zapf-Schramm
\nMax-Planck-Institut f\u00fcr Informatik
\nPhone: +49 681 9325 5409
\nE-Mail: pzs@mpi-inf.mpg.de<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"