Message from the President

IFAC is the worldwide organization dealing with Automatic Control theory, applications, education, and all of its technical and social implications. The membership of IFAC, based on the National Member Organizations, provides a truly international participation, preserving the local customs in the development of its activities. Individuals can participate in IFAC in many ways: as Affiliates who receive the Newsletter; as Technical Committee Members through nomination either by the National Member Organization or by the Technical Committee Chair; as members of the International Program Committees of IFAC events; as authors of papers for IFAC events; as attendees of IFAC events; and, ultimately as officials of IFAC.

Promotion of Automatic Control science and technology is a goal of paramount importance for IFAC. This is achieved in two ways: through the organization of technical Meetings and through the publication of archival Journals. IFAC organizes between 30 and 40 high-quality technical meetings per year, whose scheduling, scope, and ways of participation can be accessed through our webpage. Technical meetings are proposed by National Member Organizations, sponsored by one or more of the 40 IFAC Technical Committees, and reviewed by the FAC Technical Board. Every third year, IFAC organizes a World Congress. Beginning with the year 2005, all papers presented at IFAC technical meetings are published online on a dedicated website, replacing in this way the traditional production of printed Proceedings volumes. The name of the site is IFAC-PapersOnLine.net. All papers published in this form can by viewed and downloaded at no cost, and can be cited using the site ISSN, the event ISBN, and the individual paper DOI (digital object identifier). In due time, the content of the site will be expanded to host the Proceedings of all IFAC technical Events held in earlier years.

A fundamental role in the dissemination of Automatic Control science and technology is also achieved by IFAC through the editorship of six prestigious archival journals: Automatica, Control Engineering Practice, Annual Reviews of Control, Journal of Process Control, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, and Mechatronics, which are known as IFAC Journals and published in partnership with the official IFAC publisher Elsevier. 

Technical excellence is IFAC’s main concern. In a world in which dissemination of information has become a possibility for everybody, maintaining the highest technical level of scientific excellence is the only way in which an organization like IFAC can prosper. This is achieved through the top-level quality of the Editorial teams of the IFAC Journals, and through the excellence of our Technical Board and our Technical Committees. Altogether, these Committees can count on the high professional competence and volunteer effort of more than 2000 individuals.

Extraordinary contributions of individuals to Automatic control science and technology are acknowledged by IFAC in various ways. Lifetime contributions, with either a theoretical or practical emphasis, are honored by means of the Giorgio Quazza and Nathaniel Nichols medals, awarded every third year. The Industrial Achievement award is presented to an individual, or a team of individuals, who has made a significant contribution to industrial applications of control. Distinguished individuals may be honored by the Council as IFAC Fellows. This recognition, established in 2004, is given annually to a restricted number of individuals who have made outstanding and extraordinary contributions in the fields of interest of IFAC as an engineers/scientists, technical leaders or educators. To emphasize the relevance of education, the Harold Chestnut Control Engineering Textbook Prize has been established. At the time of the triennial World Congress, the best research articles published in each IFAC journal, with the exception of Annual Reviews of Control, are acknowledged and awarded. The best papers presented at the Congress in the area of applications, by a young author, or as a poster, are also awarded. Long-term service to the Federation is recognized by the Outstanding Service Award and, by a Presidential appointment of a restricted number of individuals, as an IFAC Advisor.

The central technical role in IFAC is played by its Technical Board, which coordinates the activities of the Technical Committees and provides reports and summaries of the state of the art in each area. These internal documents are published, at the time of the Congress, as a reference for the Automatic Control community. The administrative and financial issues are managed by the Executive Board, which also prepares long-term IFAC policies and is in charge of publications and awards.

The IFAC Council conducts the day-to-day business of the Federation, having been empowered to do so by the General Assembly, which is composed of all National Member Organizations. The members of the Council, who can be recognized at IFAC meetings by their blue badges, may be approached to discuss any issue related to IFAC activities. The most important goal of IFAC is to serve all of you who are part of the large Automatic Control community.

In 2006, IFAC has celebrated its 50th Anniversary in Heidelberg, the place where IFAC was conceived in 1956. Since that time IFAC has grown into a truly worldwide organization, with members in 48 countries worldwide. IFAC National Member Organizations exist on all continents. One of tasks of IFAC leadership is to promote and strengthen the automatic control communities also in those areas of the world where IFAC has not yet found a representation by National Member Organization. In 2007, the IFAC Foundation has also been established, thanks to a most generous donation of President Wook Hyun Kwon. One of the main goals of the Foundation is to facilitate involvement in IFAC initiatives and activities by less advantaged individuals and countries. At the time of the triennial World Congress in Seoul in July 2008, the first financial aids from the IFAC Foundations have been awarded.  

The next IFAC triennial World Congress will be held in Milan, Italy, in late August 2011. Plan now to participate. In the meantime, come to other IFAC events and/or contribute to our journals. Join a Technical Committee in the field of your expertise. Our aim is to offer you an excellent and at the same time enjoyable professional and personal relationship.

                                                                                                                 Alberto Isidori