Conference: Student Travel Support for the IEEE Brain Discovery and Neurotechnology Workshop

This award will provide partial support for the 2026 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Brain Discovery and Neurotechnology Workshop to be held November 11–13, 2026 in Washington, DC. This annual workshop will bring together approximately 200 researchers, physicians, engineers, students, industry leaders, and government scientists. Attendees will share the latest advances in brain science, neurotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), and other emerging technologies. These discussions will lead to new discoveries and collaborations that will help with better treatment for brain diseases in the future. The workshop will be structured to allow students learning opportunities with leaders and experts in brain science. Early career researchers will also participate in discussions on ethics, technology standards, and build professional network. The project will also broaden participation of students in biotechnology and AI to strengthen the engineering workforce. This project will support travel for students underrepresented in neurotechnology to participate in the 2026 IEEE Brain Discovery and Neurotechnology Workshop. The meeting has historically attracted participants from academia, industry, healthcare, and government enabling engaging discussions in neuroscience, neuroengineering, AI and machine learning, brain-computer interfaces, and clinical translation. The workshop will include plenary lectures, invited presentations, technical sessions, poster presentations, a student and industry demonstration showcase, and the IEEE brain standards workshop. The meeting will also have panel discussions addressing ethics, standards development, commercialization, and funding opportunities. Students will engage with experts in the field while presenting their own work and receiving technical feedback on how to advance fundamental scientific discovery to manufacturing, clinical implementation, and technology transfer. Participants will have the opportunity to submit expanded versions of their research in a special issue of the IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, mentoring, scientific communication, and workforce development, the project will prepare the next generation of researchers to advance brain discovery and translate emerging neurotechnology into practical solutions that benefit society. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.