My Research Stay at Visual Intelligence: Rami Al-Belmpeisi

Rami Al-Belmpeisi is a PhD Research Fellow in the Visual Computing section at DTU Compute, Technical University of Denmark. He visited Visual Intelligence in Tromsø from November 2025 to February 2026.

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My Research Stay at Visual Intelligence: Rami Al-Belmpeisi

By Rami Al-Belmpeisi. Published by Petter Bjørklund, Communications Officer at SFI Visual Intelligence

Hi! My name is Rami Al‑Belmpeisi, and I am a PhD student in the Visual Computing section at DTU Compute, Technical University of Denmark, in Copenhagen. My PhD project focuses on developing deep learning methods for extracting image‑derived biomarkers for liver‑related diseases from MRI scans.

Throughout my PhD, I encountered the research of Robert Jenssen and Michael Kampffmeyer at several international conferences. I was immediately drawn to the topics discussed by both brilliant researchers, particularly their work on deep learning explainability. After a few more conversations with colleagues, I became convinced that UiT would be the ideal place for my external research stay.

Despite the challenges of moving abroad—paperwork, housing arrangements, and funding logistics—I left my hometown with a big smile, excited to join Visual Intelligence in Tromsø. I was eager to explore the growing field of deep learning explainability, which is still in its early stages and full of opportunities for impactful contributions.

My time in Tromsø turned out to be incredibly fruitful and rewarding. I gained valuable knowledge in representation learning and explainability techniques and metrics—insights that form a unique and transferable skill set I could not have acquired elsewhere. We began with representation learning in conjunction with geometric deep learning, then moved on to counterfactual explanations, while I also participated in several projects and reading groups, including work on recursive reasoning in deep learning models. I am bringing many of these insights back to my colleagues in Copenhagen, and I’m certain that more of them will follow and visit Tromsø after hearing about my wonderful experience.

Life in Tromsø was also very enjoyable. I appreciated the calm and dark winter atmosphere, even though adapting to the sunless period was at times challenging for someone with Southern European origins. The northern lights, however, often brightened the long nights and made the experience truly magical.

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My Research Stay at Visual Intelligence: Rami Al-Belmpeisi