Conference: Student Support Program for the 2026 Modeling, Estimation, and Control Conference (MECC 2026); Phoenix, Arizona; 25-28 October 2026

This grant provides funding to support student participation in the 2026 Modeling, Estimation, and Control Conference (MECC 2026), which will be held 25–28 October 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. MECC is a premier conference held annually and serves the scientific and engineering communities in the cross-disciplinary areas of modeling, estimation, and control of dynamical systems. The conference provides a platform for the dissemination and discussion of state-of-the-art research in dynamics and control and creates opportunities for networking and collaboration among researchers from academia, industry, and government laboratories. The conference features contributed sessions, invited sessions, workshops, special sessions, plenary talks, keynote speeches, student and young professional programs, industry programs, and conference awards ceremonies. Funding will empower students with high academic potential in the early stages of their research development by providing opportunities to attend the conference and engage directly with researchers at the forefront of dynamical systems and control. Such early engagement is expected to help build a strong pipeline of future researchers and leaders in modeling, estimation, and control. The award will also support educational activities for high school students by introducing them to the fields of dynamical systems, control, and robotics. Ultimately, this grant will significantly expand the horizon and impact of MECC 2026 on both the scientific community and society at large. Student participation support focuses on reaching a broadened student body by enabling high school, undergraduate, and early-stage graduate students with high academic potential to observe first-hand outcomes from state-of-the-art research and to develop professional networks with researchers and practitioners in their fields. Multiple events and activities will be supported as part of this grant, including: i) outreach activities in systems, control, and robotics for high school students, developed in collaboration with academic and industry partners; ii) professional networking lunches and panel sessions that coach participants on building professional networks and identifying pathways for academic and industry careers; and iii) special poster sessions that provide students with opportunities to present research interests and receive personalized feedback and mentoring to help shape their research trajectories and enhance their technical and professional development. Participant support is expected to strengthen students’ scientific, technical, and professional preparation. Broadening access to MECC 2026 will have a lasting impact on the future development of the modeling, estimation, and control community and will help foster a culture for future conferences that better connect education, research, and technology development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.