System theory plays a critical role in technological advancements in a wide array of applications: from new flight control or guidance systems for airplanes and other aerospace vehicles to advanced manufacturing techniques and high-speed communication networks. By providing a better understanding of the underlying models, their limitations as well as their potential, different branches of system theory are emerging as instrumental tools in dealing with new challenges that have emerged especially in the areas of modeling and control of large complex systems. For example, large-scale networked systems and power systems are particularly vulnerable to both deliberate and accidental disturbances. Their interconnected structure implies that isolated events can cascade throughout the network with disastrous effects. The "systems" view also shows tremendous potential in other important fields such as biology, quantum computing, robotics, and security and safety systems. This will be a three-day CDC and we are planning to have eighteen parallel sessions plus ten interactive afternoon. There will be morning sessions, mid afternoon sessions and afternoon sessions. Conference Proceedings will be published on CD-ROM containing all the accepted papers.
Broader Impact:
The IEEE CDC has for the last forty years provided perhaps the best scientific forum for such deliberations as it brings researchers from all over the world and facilitates their interaction in a conducive setting. This year, CDC is being held in New Orleans, LA with the objective to contribute to the local economy and education that is devastated by Katrina disaster. We anticipate that CDC?07 will draw approximately 1,200 participants. Many of them will be distinguished members of the scientific community, others will be seasoned researches and practitioners, while others will be graduate students who are about to launch their careers. We are particularly concerned about these younger participants as they constitute our future. Recognizing the importance of this group, the Operating Committee of CDC?07, and the leadership of the Control Systems Society (CSS) would like to support and encourage the participation of graduate students. We have already instituted a special graduate student Registration Fee that is one half that of regular attendees. In this proposal we are asking that NSF continue its long tradition of support of this Conference by providing funds that can be used for graduate student travel support. Beyond dissemination of research result by members of the control research community, the close international collaboration at the organizing committee will afford unique opportunity for selected grantees to exchange ideas, visit a historic city like New Orleans and exchange ideas at a much broader level than before. The large number of workshops before the conference and the interactive format allows additional opportunity for training and learning beyond the traditional CDC conferences. More critically, the Control System Society (CSS) has provided substantial support for Student Travel Program of CDC?07, far beyond previous levels. The support of NSF will validate this commitment and will help the development of similar initiatives for future generations of students.
