Congratulations to Carola Heinzel (C01) from the Department of Mathematical Stochastics at the University of Freiburg, who successfully defended her doctoral thesis on September 3, 2026!
Carola’s graduation is a particularly special moment since she is the first SMART doctoral researcher to graduate. She joined us right at the very beginning, when CRC Small Data officially started.
We at SMART are proud to have supported Carola throughout her doctoral journey through a range of transferable skills courses, seminars, and our academic program. At the same time, she actively contributed to and gave back to the Small Data community. Carola supported the organization of retreats, mentored Master’s students through our Master Lab program, and regularly shared her knowledge and experience with others within the Small Data community. Her collaborative work also extended beyond SmallData through international research stays at the University of California, San Diego, and in Paris, where she worked with researchers affiliated with Collège de France, Université PSL, and Université Paris Cité. Carola’s work brought mathematical modeling together with questions in cell population dynamics and disease development. Her SMART certificate reflects her broad involvement in courses, SMART events and programs, and international exchange. In addition, she received the “Outstanding Women in Small Data” award during the most recent CRC retreat. To learn more about Carola’s research and explore related publications and resources, visit her Small Data profile.
Looking back on her time in the program, Carola says:
“Through its introductory lectures and progress seminars, SMART has provided me with numerous opportunities to pursue my interest in interdisciplinary collaboration. In particular, I have learned a great deal about machine learning from Lennart (C05), gained valuable insights into healthcare pathways from Maryam (A02), learned more about bootstrap methods from Zoe (A02), and expanded my knowledge of metabolism thanks to Daniel (B06). The exchange with researchers from different disciplines within SmallData has helped me develop the ability to communicate mathematical concepts to people from different scientific backgrounds.
In addition, SMART has supported my research stays abroad and given me the opportunity to gain valuable experience in supervising students through the Master Lab. Beyond the academic benefits, I appreciate the connections and friendships I have made through SmallData, which I hope will lead to future research collaborations. I am confident that the knowledge I have gained through SMART and the network I have built with the support of SmallData will continue to benefit me throughout my academic career.”
Congratulations, Carola! We are very glad that you will remain connected to the CRC Small Data, and we look forward to seeing where your research and collaborations take you next.
Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics,
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center –
University of Freiburg
