Robert Weismantel
Please close your eyes for a moment and think about your research project. What is the first thing you see?
A pattern related to the question under which conditions high-dimensional discrete optimization problems can be solved efficiently.
How would you explain your research project to a child?
I would use wooden blocks to recreate several such patterns in a matrix.
What surprises people most when you tell them about your research?
The enthusiasm I feel for abstract questions.
What has your research taught you about life?
Less is more!
What would you be today if you hadn't become a scientist?
A much poorer person.
Which place in Berlin do you find especially exciting? Or is there a place in Berlin where you feel particularly at home?
I especially like the path along the Spree from Tiergarten to the Chancellery. I like to sit on a bench there.
What surprises you most about Berlin?
The contrasts, which radiate a certain harmony in the seeming chaos.
What did you not expect to find in Berlin and what do you miss?
I expect everything in Berlin! In many ways, Berlin is the opposite of Zurich.
What makes Berlin unique for your research?
My colleagues in Berlin are very good scientists, but also the interaction with them is so relaxed and fun that I feel really comfortable and at home there.
December 2019