Since 1986, ISFA has promoted research activities in various areas of flexible automation by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, presentation of technological achievements, and discussion of future directions. In 1998, ISFA established three awards - the Young Investigator Award and two Best Paper Awards (one for theory and one for application) for recognizing outstanding achievements by Symposium participants. A new award, the Outstanding Investigator Award, was introduced in the 2000 Symposium. The Outstanding Investigator Award was later on renamed to Hideo Hanafusa Outstanding Investigator Award to honor Dr. Hideo Hanafusa, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the First Symposium of 1986 and the first winner of the Outstanding Investigator Award.
*The recipients of the Hideo Hanafusa Outstanding Investigator Award and the Young Investigator Award will be announced at the Symposium
Hideo Hanafusa Outstanding Investigator Award
One individual will be selected biennially from those who have made significant contribution(s) to the field of flexible automation. This award is open to all investigators working or having worked in the areas related to flexible automation. While we expect the awardee to be an active participant of the past symposia, this award is based not only on papers presented at the symposium but on contributions made elsewhere. Contributions may be technical or scientific publications, theses, patents, inventions, or combinations of the above in the field of automation.
Young Invesigator Award
One individual will be selected biennially from the outstanding young contributors of automation who are 35 years old or younger at the time of awarding. This award is open to all young investigators working in the areas related to flexible automation including those listed in the Call for Papers. While we expect the awardee to be an active participant of the past symposia, this award is based not only on papers presented at the symposiums but on contributions made elsewhere. Contributions may be technical or scientific publications, theses, patents, inventions, or combinations of the above in the field of automation.
Best Paper Awards (Theory/Application)
Two awards are selected for the two best papers appearing in the Proceedings and presented at the 2024 Symposium. One award emphasizes contribution to theory, and the other emphasizes significant or innovative applications/practice. The papers must be presented by the author or one of the co-authors. Criteria for selection include the quality of the written and oral presentation, the technical contribution, timeliness, and practicality.
Each award will consist of a certificate and an honorarium. If a winning paper has multiple authors, a certificate will be issued to each author and the honorarium will be divided equally among authors.
Nomination and Selection Process
Nominations for the Hideo Hanafusa outstanding investigator award and the Young Investor Award should be sent to: isfa24.award@gmail.com by May 15, 2024.
Each nomination package should include a completed nomination form, not more than five supporting letters, and any reference materials submitted to support the qualifications of nominees. Nominee's involvement in the Symposium must be documented.
See the nomination form for further details:
If there are any questions, please contact ISFA 2024 Advisory Committee at isfa24.advisory@gmail.com.
The winners of the Hideo Hanafusa outstanding investigator award and the Young Investor Award will be selected by the ISFA 2024 Advisory Committee.
The program committee will nominate papers for the Best Paper Awards.