Workshop: CDC 2008 Student Travel Support. To be held in Fiesta Americana Hotel, Cancun, Mexico, on December 7-11, 2008.

从飞机和其他航天飞行器的新型飞行控制或制导系统，到先进的制造技术，再到系统生物学和高速通信网络，系统理论在技术进步中发挥着关键作用。通过更好地了解基本模型、它们的局限性以及它们的潜力，系统理论的不同分支正在成为应对新出现的挑战的工具，特别是在大型复杂系统的建模和控制领域。例如，大型通信网络和电力系统特别容易受到故意和意外干扰的影响。它们相互关联的结构意味着，孤立的事件可能会在整个网络中级联，带来灾难性的影响。系统观点在生物学或量子计算等其他重要领域也显示出巨大的潜力。长期以来，IEEE决策与控制会议(CDC)为此类讨论提供了最好的科学论坛，因为它汇集了来自世界各地的研究人员，并促进了他们的互动。今年，美国疾病控制与预防中心首次在拉丁美洲(墨西哥坎昆)举行。我们预计2008年疾病控制与预防中心将吸引约1300人参加。他们中的许多人将是科学界的杰出成员，其他人将是经验丰富的研究人员和实践者，而其他人将是即将开始他们职业生涯的研究生。我们特别关注这些年轻的参与者，因为他们构成了我们的未来。认识到这一群体的重要性，CDC？08的运行委员会和控制系统协会的领导层愿意支持和鼓励研究生的参与。我们已经制定了一项特别的研究生注册费，是常规参会者的一半。在这项提案中，我们要求国家科学基金会继续其支持本次会议的长期传统，提供可用于研究生旅行支助的资金。学术价值：考虑到会议的范围、前所未有的国际合作和气息、大量关键的全体和半全体讲座以及旨在向科学界提供关于4种新兴技术的最新观点的辅导会议，CDC 08为未来的控制教师和研究人员提供了一个非同寻常的智力和培训机会。我们相信，参加这次关于学生与会者和控制系统研究的未来的会议所带来的智力益处将是相当重要的，值得所有感兴趣的各方大力支持。更广泛的影响：这样的场所对于新的研究人员和研究生在系统和控制方面的培训特别重要。今年，大量的全体会议、互动会议、教程，以及在举办会议方面的国际合作的深度，将为学生提供一个独特的培训机会，远远超过典型的会议。一笔成功的学生旅行补助金将验证目前的学生协会领导层继续支持学生活动、为未来几代学生提供支持的承诺。多年来，国家科学基金会一直支持这些活动，为参加会议的研究生提供部分旅行支助。在这项提案中，我们要求国家科学基金会继续这一悠久的传统，并为将参加CDC 08的研究生提供旅行支持。

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 to systems biology 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 communication networks 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 or quantum computing. The IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) has long provided the best scientific forum for such deliberations as it brings researchers from all over the world and facilitates their interaction. This year, and for the first time ever the CDC is being held in Latin America (Cancun, Mexico). We anticipate that CDC 2008 will draw approximately 1300 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?08, 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. Intellectual Merit:Given the scope of the conference, its unprecedented international cooperation and breath, its large number of key plenary and semi-plenary lectures as well as tutorial sessions aimed at providing state of the art view to the scientific community on 4 emerging technologies, CDC 08 provides an exceptional intellectual and training opportunity for prospective control faculty and researchers. We believe that the intellectual benefits of attending this conference on student attendees and the future of the control systems research will be quite significant and worthy of substantial support by all interested parties. Broader Impact: Such venues are of special importance for the training of new researchers and graduate students in systems and control. This year, the large number of plenary talks, interactive sessions, tutorials, as well the depth of the international cooperation in staging of the conference will provide students with a unique opportunity for training, far beyond a typical conference. A successful Student Travel Grant will validate the commitment of current CSS leadership in continued support of student activities for future generations of students. The National Science Foundation has consistently supported these activities over the years by providing partial travel support for graduate students participating in the Conference. In this proposal we are asking that NFS continue this long-standing tradition and provide travel support for graduate students who will be participating in the CDC 08.