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(Control is still alive!) This is the 5th in a series of workshop sponsored by CFINS over the years at  Tsinghua which feature both local and international scholars (may 7th, 2015). By local I mean primarily Chinese system  and control research units in Beijing-Xian and elsewhere. But internationally, we always had distinguished system/control scholars  from abroad attending. For example, at the 4th workshop in 2014 we introduced the newest  principle scientist of CFINS, chaired professor of the U.  Of Illinois Academician, Tamer  Basar. During the 3rd workshop in 2013,  the entire administrative committee of the IEEE control system society participated.
This year, in order to be provocative, I deliberately  chooses my opening remarks of the workshop the essence of my recent blog article “Is  Control Dead (2)?”. Happily , each of the speaker, academicians  Tamer Basar  of Tsinghua/UIUC, Hanfu  Chen of CAS-MSSI, Huang Lin of Beida, Li Yanda of Tsinghua, and Professor X.H. Guan of Xian Jiaotong Univeristy gave  resounding responses that “control is alive and well”in disparate areas of biology, energy,  and networks. However, instead of feeling refuted, I feel my views in my two articles are being vindicated. Basically, all the speakers agree  (in my view) on the following:
1.            The days of differential equation based  dynamic model of systems ( the mainstream model of control research for the past half century)  are over. We need to broaden my mind view of “system” of include networks, DEDS, biologically complex and other distributed systems.  Theoretical study based on linear DE models is  “dead”.
2.            We need to also broaden our study of the concept of control to include multi-person control, I,e, game and team theory.  Computationally, our concept of algorithms needs  to be broadened.
3.            Subject of biological control, distributed c ontrol,  and other complex systems are difficult disciplines unlike the centralized Newtonian  systems  of aerospace inspired systems of the  past. Steeped learning curve and unknown  knowledge abound. Serious investment in effort  will be required to achieve breakthrough and another golden age of system control. This is the  challenge to the younger generation of workers.

Thus while the prognosis for the patient  are good, revival and rejuvenation will have to endure the test of time. Best wishes to all  young workers in these areas. (PS. since I am travelling, photos of the event will have to wait upon my return to the States at end of May. Here they are 6/1/2015)

workshop scene

Academician Basar delivering address

One of his slides

Academician Han-Fu Chen lectures