Call for Applications 

to the First Round of Zhejiang Lab Open Projects in 2021

(released by Zhejiang Lab on July 26, 2021)

To all interested universities and institutes,

Founded on September 6, 2017, Zhejiang Lab is located in the central area of the West Hangzhou Scientific Innovation Corridor. It is an important tech innovation platform initiated by the Zhejiang Provincial Government to implement the strategy of innovation-driven development. It also represents Zhejiang province's attempt to explore a novel type of state-sponsored research structure. With a core research structure supported by Zhejiang University and Alibaba Group, the Lab also works with multiple organizations for joint research. It studies and develops basic theories, key technologies, and core systems in five major fields including intelligent perception, artificial intelligence, intelligent computing, intelligent networks, and intelligent systems. Moreover, it also undertakes the tasks of building important research platforms and large technological infrastructure. The goal of the Lab is to build China's scientific and technological strength, and in particular, to seize a strategic position in the field of intelligent computing underpinning the development of a smart society.

In order to fully leverage the Lab's role as an open platform, Zhejiang Lab has provided application guides for the first round of open projects in 2021. Please see the following information for your reference.

I. General Information

The Lab offers 19 project guides for four categories of open research topics. Under each guide, the Lab will fund no more than two projects in general. Applicants can submit applications according to the research areas listed in each guide, providing clear research goals and specific evaluation indicators. The duration of each project is two years, with a research fund ranging from 400,000 to 600,000 CNY.

II. Project Guides

(I) Basic Theory

1. Hybrid digital-analog computing

2. Computation method and theory of high order complex networks

3. Theoretical and technical investigations on DNA-based computing and data storage

4. Search for novel bio-based computing paradigms (theories, algorithms, and implementation methods)

5. Theoretical and experimental explorations into the physical nature of the biological intelligence (consciousness, memory, and quantum coherence in brain)

(II) Intelligent Computing

1. Trustworthy intelligent computing theory for wide area cooperation

2. Unsupervised learning based on big data

3. Theory and method of big data driven multi factor decision analysis

4. Multimodal data information fusion based on emotion analysis

5. Multimodal understanding based on large-scale pre training

6. Cross-media unified representation theory and model

7. Cross-media association understanding and knowledge mining

8. Multi-task intelligent learning and solving in the open world

(III) Intelligent Perception

1. High quality squeezed light techniques

2. 2D material quantum sensing technology

(IV) Interdisciplinary Research

1. Research on autonomous decision-making method for robot tasks based on knowledge and scene information

2. Research on evaluation technology of autonomous driving capability in complex traffic environment

3. Research on key technologies of standard digitization and its application in specific fields

4. Key technology of interconnection communication system based on optical waveguide backplane

III. Eligibility

Applicants should hold a PhD degree or a senior academic/technical title, and should be under the age of 50. Full-time staff of Zhejiang Lab are not allowed to apply. In addition, the application is not open to anyone who has undertaken any research project of the Lab but has not completed the project yet.

IV. Deadline and Requirements

1.   The deadline for this round of application is August 31, 2021.

2.   Applicants should complete the application and upload a PowerPoint representation video online (see appendix 3 for more details). The video should be no larger than 500M and no longer than 10 minutes; MP4, AVI, and WMV are the accepted formats.

V.  Evaluation Procedures

1.   Early September: formal review

2.   Middle September: online peer review

3.   Late September: announcement of projects to be funded

VI. Contact Information

Contact: Mr. DI

Tel: +86- (0) 571-56390557

E-mail: di_xf@zhejianglab.com

Appendix:

1. Zhejiang Lab Application Form for Open Projects (Template).doc

2. Zhejiang Lab Management Rules and Regulations for Open Projects (Trial).pdf

3. Application Manual for Open Projects.pdf