Purdue University Institute for Control, Optimization and Networks

Modern society relies on a vast number of systems, including manufacturing plants, transportation networks, supply chains, healthcare systems, power and communication systems, and social networks. These systems are rapidly growing in scale and complexity, driven by advances in autonomy and connectivity. This trend will only continue with the advent of new application domains such as robotic swarms and smart cities. Understanding how to better design and control these complex, connected, and autonomous systems remains a grand challenge. Affiliated with the broader Purdue's Strategic Initiative on Autonomous and Connected Systems, the mission of the Institute for Control, Optimization and Networks (ICON) at Purdue University is to integrate diverse expertise in the pursuit of innovative solutions to such grand challenges. In particular, ICON brings together researchers from across Purdue to: 1) Establish foundational knowledge and develop advanced techniques for controlling and optimizing complex dynamical systems; 2) Offer customizable curricula and leverage diverse delivery approaches to meet emerging educational needs; 3) Collaborate with industry, governmental agencies, and national labs to tackle national and global priorities. As one of the largest research institutes at Purdue University, ICON has about 100 affiliated faculty from five colleges and more than 10 departments under the leadership of co-directors Shaoshuai Mou and Shreyas and assistant directors Phillip Paré and Ziran Wang.