On the occasion of the 112th anniversary of Tsinghua University on April 23, the Third Tsinghua Information Frontier Interdisciplinary Forum sponsored by the School of Information Science and Technology (SIST) of Tsinghua University and the Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology (BNRist) was held in the Multifunctional Hall of the FIT Building, Tsinghua University. Jiang Pei, Vice President of Tsinghua University, Academician Dai Qionghai, Dean of the SIST and Director of the BNRist attended the forum. Academician Wang Huaimin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academician Su Donglin of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor Zhu Wenwu and Professor Huang Yidong of Tsinghua University were invited to deliver academic reports, and Academicians Zhao Qinping, Liu Yongjian and Luo Yi of the Chinese Academy of Engineering were invited to participate in a round-table forum with other academicians presented. The forum was hosted by Academician Luo Yi, Deputy Director of the BNRist, and more than 130 teachers and students from the university participated in the forum.
Vice President Jiang Peixue delivered a welcome speech, extending his congratulations on the forum, and affirming the positioning of the BNRist, the measures for developing interdisciplinary innovation groups and a series of important research achievements. Jiang Peixue noted that the BNRist is an important member in Tsinghua's national key laboratory system, and the multi-dimensional academic activities represented by this forum have further promoted the exchanges and cooperation between various disciplines and inside and outside the university. He encouraged the center to continue to play the role of “catalyst” for interdisciplinary studies, accelerate industry-university-research integration and development, be oriented by innovation, stimulate internal vitality with reform, and follow the research mission of “conducting fundamental global research on high-impact societal issues, serving core national development needs, and connecting academic research with talent cultivation” to better address the country's major strategic needs.
Academician Wang Huaimin deliver a keynote speech entitled “Swarm Intelligence Paradigm: A New Change in Software Development Paradigm”, pointing out that software has become an important part of information infrastructure. Meanwhile, he expounded the development process and characteristics of software development paradigms from three aspects, “engineering paradigm”, “open source paradigm” and “swarm intelligence paradigm”, and drew the conclusion that “the change of software development paradigm, first of all, starts from the change of world outlook ”, highly integrating natural science and philosophy.
Academician Su Donglin, in her keynote speech entitled “Electromagnetic Compatibility Conduction Sensitivity Time-domain Testing System”, expounded the key scientific problems, important scientific discoveries, application of achievements in the development of time-domain electromagnetic sensitivity scientific instruments, from the perspective of solving electromagnetic compatibility problems, and with an emphasis on the national needs and bottleneck problems that need to be addressed in this research field.
Professor Zhu Wenwu delivered a plenary talk entitled “Theory and Method of Cross-domain Big Data Correlational Representation Learning”, which expounded the research background, scientific problems, research ideas and important scientific discoveries of cross-domain big data correlational representation learning project, and introduced the international impact of the research and the new challenges confronting the project.
Professor Huang Yidong gave a plenary talk entitled “Research on the Key Preparation Process of Optoelectronic Micro-nano Structure”, introduced the research process of the team in the preparation process of optoelectronic chips with micro-nano structure for many years, and the construction of a micro-nano optoelectronic preparation platform, pointing out that the innovative research and industrialization process in the field of optoelectronic chips should be promoted by making breakthroughs in the core key preparation process.
During the Academicians Round-table Forum, academicians shared their unique insights on such issues as “how to explore the international frontier while conducting research addressing the major needs of the country” and “how to better engage in interdisciplinary research”.
Academician Zhao Qinping shared his understanding of “discipline” based on many years' working experience, pointing out that the information field is vast with many intersections, and encouraging young scholars to focus on original innovation, read more, communicate more, practice more, and explore real scientific problems. Academician Liu Yongjian held that there is no contradiction between exploring the international frontier and addressing the country's major needs. Whether in basic or applied research, we should always serve the country's major needs and constantly identify key technological and scientific issues. Academician Wang Huai believed that with the development of the times, the demand for science and technology in contemporary China has been synchronized with the development of the international frontier, and young people should actively address the major needs of the country and solve international frontier problems. Academician Su Donglin shared her experience in building a multidisciplinary and tightly coupled team and establishing an international journal in the field of electromagnetics. She emphasized that driven by national demand, the advantages of multidisciplinary talents in a large team can be brought into play by way of system and organization, and long-term mutual help and collaborative innovation among disciplines are the key to solving complex scientific problems and accomplishing major scientific tasks. Academician Luo Yi, citing the breakthrough of LED technology applied to semiconductor lighting in China as an example, proposed that scientific research should always be demand-oriented, and that we should draw major scientific issues from demand. He encouraged young scholars to enter the mainstream, solve real problems, and “make solid contributions on our motherland”.
Academician Dai Qionghai gave a concluding speech, and extended thanks to the forum guests for their reports and sharing. Dai Qionghai noted that the in-depth discussions of research work and major needs in this forum not only raised philosophical thoughts, but also had important guiding significance for practical work. It was hoped that the teachers and students attending the forum would have a deep understanding and better apply what they have learned from the forum to practical research work.
The Tsinghua Information Frontier Interdisciplinary Forum is an important annual event held by the SIST and the BNRist during the university anniversary. The first forum was held during the 110th anniversary of Tsinghua University in 2021. During the same period each year, the “Tsinghua Information Innovation Achievement Exhibition” is held in the FIT Building, showcasing the latest research innovations of the university in information discipline.
