First take on workshop description

Author: Jegp

content/workshops/open-source-neuromorphic-infrastructure/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+---
+title: "Open-Source Neuromorphic Research Infrastructure: A Community Panel"
+author: 
+- "Jens E. Pedersen"
+date: 2025-07-30
+start_time: 17:00
+end_time: 18:30
+time_zone: CEST
+description: "Join leading maintainers of neuromorphic software libraries for a panel discussion on building open-source infrastructure, sharing lessons learned, and shaping the future of the neuromorphic ecosystem."
+upcoming: true
+# video: "" # Will be added after the event
+# image: "workshop-banner.png"
+speaker_photo: "panel-speakers.jpg"
+speaker_bio: "This panel brings together 9 leading maintainers of neuromorphic software libraries: Alexandre Marcireau (Faery), Dylan Muir (Rockpool), Gregor Lenz (Tonic), Jens E. Pedersen (NIR/Norse), Trevor Bekolay (Nengo), Hananel Hazan (BindsNET), Marcel Stimberg (Brian), Terry Stewart (Nengo), James Knight (GeNN), and Christian Pehle (Norse/jaxsnn). These contributors represent the backbone of the open-source neuromorphic ecosystem."
+# type: "workshops"
+# software_tags: ["community", "open-source", "infrastructure"]
+# hardware_tags: []
+# speaker_slides: "" # Will be added after the event
+# speaker_notebook: ""
+# speaker_code: ""
+---
+
+## Abstract
+
+The neuromorphic computing field stands at a critical juncture. While we have incredible theoretical advances and promising hardware developments, our software infrastructure remains fragmented compared to the mature ecosystem that has propelled conventional machine learning forward. This panel brings together the maintainers and contributors behind the most important open-source neuromorphic software libraries to discuss how we can build a more unified, competitive, and accessible ecosystem.
+
+Join us for a unique opportunity to hear directly from the people building the tools that power neuromorphic research. Each panelist will share their insights on why they chose to build open-source solutions, what they've learned from developing these libraries, and their vision for how the Open Neuromorphic community can better support and accelerate the entire ecosystem.
+
+## What You'll Learn
+
+This panel will provide valuable insights into:
+
+- **Open-Source Motivation**: Why leading developers chose to build open-source neuromorphic tools rather than proprietary solutions
+- **Development Lessons**: Real-world challenges and discoveries from building neuromorphic software libraries
+- **Community Vision**: How maintainers believe the Open Neuromorphic ecosystem should evolve
+- **Collaboration Opportunities**: Ways the community can work together to create a more competitive and unified infrastructure
+- **Strategic Priorities**: What the neuromorphic community should focus on to accelerate adoption and impact
+
+## Format
+
+This 90-minute session will feature:
+
+- **Opening Introduction** (10 minutes): Overview of the current neuromorphic software landscape
+- **Lightning Talks** (45 minutes): 9 maintainers presenting for 5 minutes each
+- **Panel Discussion** (20-30 minutes): Community-focused discussion on priorities and collaboration
+- **Q&A Session** (15 minutes): Audience questions and closing thoughts
+
+## Target Audience
+
+This workshop is designed for:
+
+- **Researchers** working in neuromorphic computing who want to understand the software ecosystem
+- **PhD students** exploring neuromorphic tools and seeking guidance on library selection
+- **Industry practitioners** interested in the open-source neuromorphic landscape
+- **Software developers** considering contributing to neuromorphic libraries
+- **Community leaders** interested in ecosystem development and collaboration
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Basic familiarity with neuromorphic computing concepts
+- Interest in open-source software development
+- No specific technical prerequisites required
+
+## Confirmed Panelists
+
+This panel brings together 9 leading maintainers from the neuromorphic software ecosystem:
+
+### **Alexandre Marcireau** - [Faery](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/data-tools/faery/)
+Software developer in neuromorphic computing, recognized for his contributions to the Faery event processing library for event-based camera data.
+
+### **Dylan Muir** - [Rockpool](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/rockpool/)
+VP Global Research Operations at SynSense, specialist in neural computation architectures. Directs research vision and neural architecture development with a PhD from ETH Zurich.
+
+### **Gregor Lenz** - [Tonic](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/data-tools/tonic/)
+Co-Founder & CTO at Neurobus, PhD in neuromorphic engineering from Sorbonne University. Expert in event cameras, SNNs, and open-source software development.
+
+### **Jens E. Pedersen** - [NIR](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/deployment-tools/nir/) & [Norse](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/norse/)
+Doctoral student at KTH, modeling neuromorphic systems to solve real-world challenges. Maintainer of Norse, AEStream, and co-author of the Neuromorphic Intermediate Representation (NIR).
+
+### **Trevor Bekolay** - [Nengo](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/nengo/)
+Research scientist focused on learning, memory, and biologically plausible SNNs for speech processing. Creator and lead developer of the Nengo neural simulator.
+
+### **Additional Confirmed Speakers:**
+- **Hananel Hazan** - [BindsNET](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/bindsnet/) maintainer
+- **Marcel Stimberg** - [Brian](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/brian/) maintainer
+- **Terry Stewart** - [Nengo](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/nengo/) contributor
+- **James Knight** - [GeNN](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/genn/) maintainer
+- **Christian Pehle** - [Norse](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/norse/) & [jaxsnn](https://open-neuromorphic.org/neuromorphic-computing/software/snn-frameworks/jaxsnn/) contributor
+
+*Complete bios for all speakers will be available before the event.*
+
+## Key Discussion Topics
+
+### 1. Open-Source Motivation
+- Why choose open-source over proprietary development?
+- What drives continued investment in community tools?
+- How does open-source accelerate scientific progress?
+
+### 2. Development Insights
+- What were the biggest challenges in building neuromorphic software?
+- Which design decisions would you make differently today?
+- How do you balance feature requests with maintainability?
+
+### 3. Community Ecosystem
+- How can Open Neuromorphic better support library maintainers?
+- What infrastructure would accelerate the entire ecosystem?
+- Where should the community focus its energy and resources?
+
+### 4. Future Vision
+- What would a mature neuromorphic software ecosystem look like?
+- How can we create better interoperability between tools?
+- What role should standardization play in ecosystem development?
+
+## Why This Matters
+
+The conventional machine learning ecosystem didn't achieve its current momentum by accident—it's the result of coordinated community effort, strategic tool development, and a focus on interoperability and ease of use. This panel represents a crucial step in applying those lessons to neuromorphic computing.
+
+By bringing together the key maintainers in one forum, we aim to:
+- Foster collaboration between previously isolated development efforts
+- Identify common challenges and shared solutions
+- Establish community priorities for infrastructure development
+- Create a roadmap for a more unified neuromorphic ecosystem
+
+## Registration and Access
+
+**When**: July 30, 2025, 17:00-18:30 CEST (11:00-12:30 EST)
+
+This workshop will be hosted on StreamYard and streamed live. A direct link to join the session will be shared on our community channels closer to the event date:
+
+- [Discord](https://discord.gg/hUygPUdD8E)
+- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/98345683/)
+- [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@openneuromorphic)
+
+The session will be recorded and made available on YouTube for those who cannot attend live. We encourage early attendance to ensure smooth technical setup.
+
+## About the Organizer
+
+This panel is organized by Jens E. Pedersen on behalf of the Open Neuromorphic Executive Committee as part of ONM's strategic initiative to accelerate neuromorphic research through better open-source infrastructure.
+
+---
+
+*This workshop is part of Open Neuromorphic's ongoing strategic initiative to build a more transparent, competitive, and collaborative neuromorphic computing ecosystem. Following the panel, we'll publish a summary of insights and recommendations to help guide community priorities and development efforts.*