Going to a conference is always an opportunity to establish contacts with other
researchers and to grow culturally. Often, from informal conversations fostered by
the conference’s social programme, synergies are generated, leading to new ideas
and partnerships. Indeed, networking is the fundamental reason for being present at
any conference. Moreover, every time we visit a new country, distinct realities are
observed and a kind of mild acculturation happens. Experiences gathered from
travelling shape our vision of the world and promote cultural enrichment.
The CONTROLO 2020 Conference was intended not only to be a scientific event,
but also to give the opportunity for the control community to know Bragança, the
Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, and to network face-to-face in friendly, safe,
stimulating and international environment. The city was prepared to receive this
scientific community, with a welcome reception at the Castle of Bragança and a
gala dinner at the gardens of the Abade de Baçal Museum, providing all the
participants to get in touch with some of the most important landmarks of the
Bragança cultural heritage. The ideal situation would be to communicate in person
but, due to the current pandemic situation, the CONTROLO 2020 Conference was
forced to change to an online event. In spite of all these difficulties, the decision to
maintain the date of this event has demonstrated the resilience of APCA in adapting
to extreme conditions. In addition, it was also important in this decision-making, to
ensure that the dissemination of the research and development works, submitted
and accepted for publication, would be made public in due time.
A total of 93 papers, originating from 39 different countries, were submitted for
publication, from which 76 were accepted, after an evaluation process that totalled
more than 300 reviews. Besides its six special sessions and a MATLAB course, the
CONTROLO 2020 Conference had the honour of having five of the most relevant
personalities in automatic control community in its five plenary sessions, namely
professors André Preumont, Eduardo Camacho, Karl Johansson, Kevin Passino and
Sebástian Dormido. We hope that all interested readers can benefit scientifically
from this conference proceedings.
