To advance emerging interdisciplinary fields, Beijing Jiaotong University established the Institute of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Sciences in 2013. The research team comprises distinguished scholars specializing in fundamental and interdisciplinary research from the School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, the School of Computer Science and Technology, the School of Traffic and Transportation, and the School of Economics and Management. Initially, the Institute housed three research centers: the Center for Stochastic Structures and Data Sciences, the Center for Combinatorics and Optimization, and the Center for Life Informatics and Interdisciplinary Sciences. In 2021, the Data Science Interdisciplinary Research Center was established.

Positioning and development objectives: The Institute aims to strengthen interdisciplinary integration between fundamental sciences and leading disciplines, such as information technology, management, and transportation within the university to form high-level innovation teams. It seeks to collaboratively tackle major scientific challenges emerging in information science, management, transportation science, and engineering, producing a series of distinctive and impactful research outcomes. In addition, it endeavors to cultivate interdisciplinary innovative talents, boosting the university’s fundamental and engineering sciences to attain national leadership and global excellence.

Data Science Interdisciplinary Research Center

Aligned with national strategic priorities and global academic trends in the big data era, this center advances novel interdisciplinary fields to address cutting-edge scientific challenges. It establishes cross-disciplinary, inter-school team-based talent development platforms, facilitates scholarly exchange, explores emerging research frontiers, generates innovative perspectives, and cultivates versatile innovators to meet social demands.

Center for Combinatorics and Optimization

In the rapidly evolving fields of computer science and information technology, combinatorics and optimization serve as fundamental and supporting disciplines. This center primarily investigates scientific problems in coding theory, cryptography, graph symmetry, network reliability, optimization, and related areas. In these fields, the researchers have produced significant results, with numerous publications in top-tier journals including IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, IEEE Transactions on Computers, Transportation Research Part B, and Journal of Combinatorial Theory (Series A/B). Four research achievements have received provincial and ministerial-level awards, including the Outstanding Scientific Research Achievement Award for Higher Education Institutions of the Ministry of Education. The researchers lead multiple national-level projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and maintain extensive collaborations with renowned universities and research institutions in Australia, Japan, the ROK, Italy, and Slovenia.

Center for Life Informatics and Interdisciplinary Sciences

The center addresses key scientific challenges in bioinformatics and interdisciplinary biosciences. Its research outcomes have been published in internationally renowned journals, including the American Journal of Human Genetics, Bioinformatics, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Human Genetics, Journal of Materials Chemistry, and Advanced Materials. The researchers have secured multiple national-level research grants, including NSFC funding, and maintain extensive collaborations with leading universities and research institutions in the United States.

Center for Stochastic Structures and Data Sciences

The center analyzes vast, complex stochastic data from fields such as information science, management, transportation, life sciences, and engineering. By developing statistical and stochastic models with high-performance computing, it delivers theoretical frameworks and technical solutions for real-world applications. The researchers have produced substantial outcomes, with hundreds of papers published in top-tier journals across these disciplines. The center has been honored with one Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award and multiple provincial/ministerial-level awards. The researchers also lead multiple national-level research projects, including the 973 Program and NSFC projects.