------SIST and Viterbi School Deepen Relationship after Four 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 the May visit of Dean Yannis C. Yortsos and a large USC delegation to Beijing.

5th THU-USC Joint Faculty Forum was held in May 22-24. This year's workshop focused on "Green and Smart" IT with a special focus on solving problems related to energy. Viterbi School Dean Yortsos and a group that also included Associate Dean Raghu Raghavendra, and a dozen other Viterbi faculty and staff came to THU's campus.

In May 23 morning, THU Vice President Si Yuan congratulate the ongoing cooperation between two schools in opening ceremony in FIT building. Tsinghua Deputy Secretary-General Yi Zhang briefly introduced THU of Centenary Celebration. Zhengyuan Hu, Director of Regional Development Committee, China Promotion Committee of Constructing an Innovation-Oriented Country Strategy, State Council of China gave the main keynote presentation “Another China’s Economic Growth Pole?Strategy of Energy Resources and Economic District in Yellow River Bay in the Shape of '几'”、 Yortsos personally gave the main keynote presentation “Energy-related Research Activities at USC”、 Professor Yi Zhang gave the main keynote presentation “Vehicle-Infrastructure Cooperation for Traffic Systems in China”、 Tsinghua Low-Carbon Lab Deputy Director Qiang Yao gave the main keynote presentation “Low Carbon Energy Technologies Needed in China”. Ensuing faculty discussions took place over three tracks that included Green and Smart for a Sustainable Future, Energy-Efficiency in Information and Communication Systems, Information Technology for Energy Management and New Energy Resources.

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 third 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.