The inaugural meeting of International Joint Research Center for Resilient Infrastructure & 1st international workshop on resilient infrastructure were successfully held in Tongji University on November 14th, 2021. This one-day event was hosted with online and on-site hybrid mode and attracted more than 2,400 experts and scholars from universities and research institutions worldwide. Based on the online live broadcasting statistics, the cumulative number of participants exceeded 5,600.

The international joint research center for resilient infrastructure (ICRI) was initiated by Tongji University and jointly established by several famous universities and institutions worldwide. More than 60 ICRI members (advisory committee and board committee) attended the inaugural meeting of ICRI, including Prof. L.L. Xie (Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering), Prof. X.S. Chen (Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering), Prof. X.L. Lyu (Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering), Prof. D.M. Frangopol (Foreign member of Academy of Europe), Prof. K.K. Phoon (Academician of Singapore Academy of Engineering), Prof. J. Li (Tongji University), Prof. H.H. Zhu (Tongji University), Prof. X.H. Tong (Vice president of Tongji University), Prof. Y. Huang (Tongji University), Prof. Y. Zhou (Dean of College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University), Prof. J.M. Ling (Dean of College of Transportation Engineering, Tongji University), Prof. H.W. Huang (Director of ICRI), Prof. B.M. Ayyub (University of Maryland), Prof. L.M. Zhang (Director of the Department of Civil Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) et al. Under the witness of the distinguished guests, Prof. X.H. Tong and Prof. L.L. Xie announced the establishment of ICRI and commemorated this exciting moment.

The Opening Ceremony of ICRI

Group photo of online and on-site distinguished guests

After the inaugural meeting, the First International Workshop on Resilient Infrastructure was held, focusing on the 'Resilience' topics. This workshop presented eight keynote lectures, covering multiple international frontiers of resilience research such as resilient structures, resilient systems, resilient cities, and resilient management. This inaugural meeting of ICRI and academic workshop bridge both domestic and international participants and provide a collaboration platform for experts and scholars in different disciplines from all over the world. In this one-day event, all online and on-site experts and scholars conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions around the future development of ICRI and the keynote lectures. All the participants have reached a consensus and believe that ICRI is a representative and practical platform to promote the concept of 'Building a community with a shared future for mankind'. The establishment of ICRI can effectively unite the research forces of many countries around the world, allow the experts to jointly work on the latest research and development trends in the field of resilient infrastructure, improve the living environment of humankind, and seek the well-being of the people all over the world.