Congratulations to Assistant Professor Andrea Paudice and Assistant Professor Mark Simkin, who have both been selected for the prestigious Villum Young Investigator Programme by the Villum Foundation. With this highly competitive grant, Paudice and Simkin join an exclusive group of early-career researchers awarded for their scientific excellence, originality, and potential to establish strong, independent research groups.
Andrea Paudice has been awarded a Villum Young Investigator grant for his project on robustness to noise in machine learning. Modern machine learning systems increasingly rely on vast amounts of data collected from real-world environments such as sensors, online platforms, and connected devices. While this data enables powerful models, it is often imperfect, noisy, or even corrupted — a challenge that can undermine the reliability of AI systems.
Paudice’s research investigates when widely used learning algorithms can remain reliable despite noisy data, and how robustness can arise naturally as data volumes grow. By focusing on foundational principles rather than highly specialised algorithms, the project aims to support the development of scalable and dependable machine learning systems that work under realistic conditions.
“Machine learning systems are increasingly used in high-stakes settings, yet they are often trained on imperfect and noisy data. With this project, I want to understand when widely used learning algorithms can remain reliable despite these challenges, and how we can build machine learning systems that people can truly trust in real-world applications,” says Andrea Paudice.
The societal impact of the project is substantial. More robust machine learning methods can strengthen trust in AI-based decision-making in areas such as healthcare, autonomous systems, aerospace engineering, and other safety-critical applications.
Mark Simkin has been selected as a Villum Young Investigator for his project on building secure and scalable cryptocurrencies. Digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum already secure enormous economic value, yet they face fundamental challenges related to efficiency, privacy, and long-term security — including vulnerabilities that could be exposed by future technologies such as quantum computing.
Simkin’s research focuses on developing new cryptographic tools that can make distributed financial systems more efficient and more secure at the same time. By addressing key bottlenecks in scalability and strengthening protection against both current and future threats, the project aims to contribute to more trustworthy digital financial infrastructures.
“Cryptocurrencies already secure enormous economic value, but many fundamental questions about their security, privacy, and scalability remain unanswered. With this project, I aim to develop cryptographic foundations that make digital financial systems more secure, more efficient, and resilient to future technological threats,” says Mark Simkin.
The project has the potential to influence how digital financial systems are designed and operated, helping to protect users and ensure the long-term stability of technologies that increasingly underpin global economic activity.
The Villum Young Investigator Programme is one of Denmark’s most competitive funding initiatives for early-career researchers in the technical and natural sciences. The programme supports young researchers in establishing their own independent research groups and pursuing ambitious, curiosity-driven research.
In 2025, 14 researchers were selected from a strong field of applicants and awarded a total of DKK 126 million. According to Villum Fonden, the programme is designed to give young researchers the freedom and resources to turn bold ideas into impactful knowledge.
“The Villum Young Investigator Programme gives young researchers the opportunity to pursue their own scientific dreams. With this grant, they gain the resources to build their own research groups and turn their most ambitious ideas into concrete and useful knowledge,” says Thomas Bjørnholm, Chief Scientific Officer at Villum Foundation.
Since its launch in 2011, the programme has supported more than 270 researchers, many of whom have gone on to achieve significant scientific breakthroughs and international recognition. See the full list of all Villum Young Investigators 2025. For more info see the announcement on the foundation's website.
The selection of Andrea Paudice and Mark Simkin as Villum Young Investigators underscores the strength and breadth of research at the department. Their projects span foundational machine learning theory and cryptography, while addressing pressing societal challenges related to trustworthy AI and secure digital infrastructures.
Congratulations to Andrea and Mark - we look forward to following the development of your new research and the impact in the years to come.
