Media

Prof. Dr. Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Optometrics at MedUni Vienna/Vienna General Hospital, has been affiliated as a corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW)

Twenty-nine scientists from seven different countries and from different fields of research, such as medical technology, international law, quantum physics, technological impact assessment, human-robot interaction, bio-mathematics and contemporary history were affiliated as new members of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) on 18 May 2018.

“Our overriding selection criterion was excellence,” said ÖAW Vice-President Michael Alram in his welcome address before the new members. “A criterion that you all clearly and demonstrably fulfil.”

Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth is an internationally recognised retinal expert. With her focus on developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for diagnostics and analysis of large numbers of retinal image data, she plays a pioneering role in digital medicine and is in demand throughout the world as an expert in Deep Learning and Personalised Healthcare.

The members of the Austrian Academy of Sciences regard themselves as an interdisciplinary community, as a “scientific think tank” in the service of science and society. Due to their multi-disciplinary, supra-institutional and international make-up, the members of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have a broad overview of national and international developments at universities and non-university research institutions. They are therefore in a position to make a decisive contribution towards fulfilling the statutory role of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in “furthering science in every sense”.

(Vienna, May 2018)