Advances in Control Education 2000

Advances in Control Education 2000 saw the additional sponsorship of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Control System Society, and the Institution of Engineers Australia - National Committee on Automation, Control Instrumentation. One hundred and three authors from 31 countries submitted their full-scale manuscripts. Each received at least three reviews, overseen and co-ordinated by the International Program Committee members. Twenty-six members of the International Program Committee participated in the review process. All reviews were anonymous. In many cases, after writing initial assessments, reviewers were put in touch with the Program Committee Co-Chairman to discuss a paper further by e-mail. Sixty papers were selected for full presentation. Only those successfully presented at the conference are included in these proceedings. Despite its small population, Australia has always had a high level of international activity in control, with Australian researchers contributing world-leading academic work in control. It has had a President of IFAC itself (Professor Brian Anderson), and many names are instantly recognisable at the forefront of developments in control theory. It also has major industrial processes in minerals, petrochemicals, food and agricultural processing; in manufacturing; in transport; and in communications that look to control for safety, efficiency and reduced environmental impacts. The education of engineers in the various aspects of control is thus of vital importance to Australia, as it is to all developed and developing countries.