 My name is Lena Schulze. I just finished my PhD in machine learning and neural computation at OISD. I developed machine learning algorithms for the analysis of neural scientific data, particularly for the inference of neural networks from neural activity. And hopefully in time this kind of research will help us to understand how computation is done in the brain. After finishing my undergraduate degree I had some experience working as a software engineer in a startup. So I was pretty much thinking about like big name universities in the US and that's mostly where I applied. Somehow just as an afterthought really recommended by a friend who was a postdoc in OISD I ended up applying here and OISD invites you for a one-week workshop. And this experience of really being here seeing this place and talking to people I just felt at home. It was really easy to talk to everyone and this kind of feeling that your culture really fit into a place I think is very important and that was basically what made me decide in the end to give this place a chance. What I like about OISD is it's a very inspiring environment and I think to do creative work you need an inspiring environment and it's built in such a way that you will always meet people. You can't just go alone somewhere in your little corner and do your research. You actually have to talk to people and that's a good thing. The campus definitely inspires you to get out there and talk to people. I had a lot of struggles that I had to overcome at one point in time. There was really a lot of stuff going on and for me to actually stick to my PhD and not just drop out that was my biggest triumph and I must thank the OISD community because so many people supported me and I honestly think possibly at some other university I would have just given up. Our journey has started from taking a risk to overcoming many obstacles to succeeding in this part of our journey. We venture out from this point taking on positions of leadership in the world and I believe our experience at OISD on this island of Okinawa has formed us not only to become competent scientists but also compassionate, tolerant, supportive, future colleagues, mentors and leaders. This I believe is the greatest accomplishment of OISD to date.