------SIST and Viterbi School Deepen Relationship after Three Years of Workshops and Student Exchanges

The ongoing cooperation between Tsinghua University's School of Information Science and Technology (SIST) and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering rose a level during 4rd THU-USC Joint Faculty Forum in Apr 1-3.

This year's workshop focused on " Green and Smart for a Sustainable Future" with special attention on improving alternative energy use and making information technology more energy-efficient.

Tsinghua SIST Executive Vice Dean Jun Li and Vice Dean Zhisheng Niu led a delegation of 16 faculty members from four Tsinghua departments to USC for the three-day workshop; most hailed from SIST. Viterbi Dean Yannis Yortsos and two dozen Viterbi faculty welcomed us. “We’re excited to continue our fruitful partnership in the fourth year,” said Yortsos. “We look forward to a great symposium on smart and green technologies.”

Viterbi electrical engineering professor Dan Dapkus gave the main keynote presentation“Emerging Materials for Solar Energy Conversion and Solid State Lighting”.Tsinghua Low-Carbon Lab Director Zanji Wang gave the main keynote presentation“Brief Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research of Low Carbon Energy at Tsinghua”.Tsinghua professor Xiaohong Guan gave the main keynote presentation“Challenges and Opportunities in Efficient Energy Production, Consumption and Transmission for Information Science and Technology”. Ensuing faculty discussions took place over four tracks that included Green Data Centers, Building Efficiencies, Alternative Energy, Smart Grid, Nanomaterials, Green Computing and Networks.

Another continuing focus of Viterbi/Tsinghua collaboration is student exchange, bringing top THU engineering undergraduate students to the Viterbi School after the completion of their junior year to participate in summer research internships with Viterbi School faculty.

The fourth class of THU summer interns is on its way - and these twelve students had the opportunity to attend workshop sessions and to have lunch with the Viterbi School delegation.

Feng Deng, an alumnus of both Tsinghua and Viterbi (MSCE ’93), initiated the Tsinghua/Viterbi workshop series and continues to financially support it and the student program. Deng co-founded Northern Light Venture Capital, one of China’s top venture capital companies, after returning to China from Silicon Valley, where he was founder of Netscreen Technologies, and 2002 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Northern California.