IMIBR organized its first retreat from May 9 to May 10 at Great Wall Village. The main topic is to discuss the development strategy for IMIBR and “Tsinghua Brain Project” under the coming China’s Brain Project. The theme is “think big, team-work and have fun”. There are a total of 23 people joined the retreat.

We invited 2 McGovern Scientific Board Members: Professor Muming Poo and Professor Bai Lu and 5 partners from Tsinghua University, including Dr. Bo Zhang, Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor in Computer Science & Technology, THU, Director, National Lab of Tsinghua Artificial Intelligence Technology and System; Dr. Luping Shi, Professor, Department of Precision Instrumentation, THU, Director, Center for Brain-like Computing; Dr. Qionghai Dai, Professor, Department of Automation, THU, Director, Broadband Network and Digital Media Laboratory; Dr. Luming Li, Professor, Professor, School of Aerospace Engineering, THU, Director, Neural Control Technology National Engineering Lab; Dr. Kaiping Peng, Professor, Department of Psychology.

Every scientist share their work and their vision in the future development of neuroscience and neurotechnology. A brainstorm exercise helped us find two big research ideas everyone could relate their work to. Two working groups were assigned for further discussion.

Through the retreat and symposium, all participants gained much better understanding on the work of other people in Tsinghua and many collaboration ideas were inspired on the spot. We also had great fun climbing the great wall.