DataJoint SciOps Summit + NWB Hackathon

DataJoint welcomed researchers and developers from across the neuroscience and neuroinformatics community to our Houston headquarters for a dynamic five-day event that brought scientific operations and open data standards into sharp focus.

SciOps Summit (April 15–16)

Over two packed days, participants took a deep dive into setting up scalable, reproducible pipelines for neurophysiology research using DataJoint Elements and open-source tools. Sessions explored every phase of the data lifecycle—from acquisition through analysis, visualization, and publishing—with hands-on training in:

• Integrating instruments (e.g. ephys, multiphoton imaging, behavior, stimuli, optogenetics)
• Automating analysis workflows
• Using graphical interfaces and cloud infrastructure
• Sharing and publishing results in line with FAIR and NIH standards

With a mix of presentations, tutorials, and open discussion, the summit gave attendees a practical introduction to SciOps: a systems-based approach to managing scientific data and computation. We also welcomed new voices from across the neuroscience community to share their challenges and insights.

Each day wrapped with spirited Q&A sessions—and Tuesday evening concluded with a joint social mixer co-hosted by DataJoint and Neurodata Without Borders.

NWB Developer Hackathon (April 17–19)

Following the summit, DataJoint was proud to host the NWB Developer Hackathon—our first time organizing this important community event. Over three days, core developers of the NWB data standard collaborated with tool developers and researchers to advance interoperability, improve tooling, and strengthen the broader ecosystem.

Hackathon projects ranged from integration of new analysis pipelines to enhancements in metadata handling and visualization. Participants worked side-by-side with the NWB team to prototype new features, tackle longstanding issues, and align efforts across initiatives.

This event highlighted the power of community-driven standards and the role of shared infrastructure in accelerating neuroscience discovery.

Thank you to all the participants, speakers, and collaborators who joined us in Houston. We’re excited about what’s ahead—and we look forward to hosting more community events in the future.