By Makoto Iwasaki, General Co-Chair, IEEE ISIE 2026

The 35th IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (ISIE 2026) was successfully held in Nagoya, Japan, from 23–26 June 2026, at WINC AICHI, one of the largest conference venues in central Japan. Organized by the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES) and co-sponsored by five major Japanese professional societies, ISIE 2026 welcomed 400 participants from 35 countries and regions, including 365 international participants, making the symposium a truly global gathering of the industrial electronics community.

Prof. Makoto Iwasaki, General Co-Chair of IEEE ISIE 2026, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan, welcoming participants to Nagoya.
Opening Ceremony of IEEE ISIE 2026 featuring the celebration of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society’s 75th Anniversary. Welcome remarks were delivered by Prof. Milos Manic, IES Junior Past President.

 

A Comprehensive Technical Program

ISIE 2026 provided an outstanding forum for researchers, engineers, and students to exchange the latest advances in industrial electronics. The symposium covered a broad spectrum of topics, including power electronics, renewable energy systems, electric drives, motion control, robotics, industrial automation, digital twins, cyber-physical systems, artificial intelligence, and industrial cybersecurity.

The conference received 357 paper submissions, of which 281 papers were accepted for presentation. The technical program featured:

  • 28 Regular Technical Sessions
  • 18 Special Sessions
  • 14 Tutorials
  • 2 Work-in-Progress (WIP) Sessions

In addition, ISIE 2026 introduced two new technical initiatives. The IES Journals Interface Presentations enabled authors of recently published IES journal papers to present their latest results to the conference audience, strengthening the synergy between IES journals and conferences. The Work-in-Progress (WIP) sessions provided an opportunity for researchers to present emerging ideas and receive early feedback from the international community.

 

Distinguished Keynote Speakers

Three internationally recognized researchers delivered inspiring keynote lectures highlighting future directions in industrial electronics.

  • Prof. Toshio Fukuda (Nagoya University, Japan / Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Egypt) presented “Embodied Intelligence and Robot from Coevolution and Self-organization.”
  • Prof. Valeriy Vyatkin (Aalto University, Finland / Luleå University of Technology, Sweden) discussed “Will LLM-based Coding Change Software Engineering in Industrial Automation, Just as It Did in General-Purpose Programming?”
  • Prof. Akshay Kumar Rathore (National University of Singapore) presented “Electrification in Singapore and the Role of Wide Band Gap Power Electronics.”

Each keynote attracted a large audience and stimulated lively discussions throughout the conference.

Keynote lecture by Prof. Toshio Fukuda (Nagoya University, Japan; IEEE President & CEO, 2020), entitled “Embodied Intelligence and Robot from Coevolution and Self-organization.”

 

Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of IEEE IES

One of the most memorable highlights of ISIE 2026 was the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society.

The Opening Ceremony featured a special anniversary celebration honoring the history and achievements of the Society. Throughout the conference, distinguished current and former IES leaders participated in dedicated anniversary sessions and panel discussions, reflecting on the Society’s remarkable journey over the past 75 years and discussing future challenges and opportunities for industrial electronics.

These events provided an exceptional opportunity for members from different generations to celebrate the Society’s accomplishments while strengthening the sense of community within IEEE IES.

Panel discussion celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society. From left to right: Prof. Milos Manic, Prof. Aylin Yener, Dr. Eiichi Takahashi, Prof. James Verboncoeur, Prof. Geraldo Barbosa, Prof. Thomas Martin, Prof. Hiroshi Haneda, Prof. Kiyoshi Ohnishi, Prof. Juan José Rodríguez-Andina, and Prof. Don Tan (displayed on screen).

 

Strong Industry Participation

As the center of one of the world’s leading manufacturing regions, Nagoya provided an ideal venue for strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.

The conference featured an active Industry Forum together with an exhibition where four leading Japanese industrial companies and two IEEE IES-related groups showcased their latest technologies, products, and Society activities. The exhibition area became a lively meeting place for technical discussions among researchers, engineers, students, and industrial practitioners, promoting future international collaborations.

 

Supporting Diversity, Young Professionals and Membership

ISIE 2026 continued IEEE IES’s strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and professional development through several official Society activities, including:

  • Women in IES (WiE) Forum
  • Student and Young Professionals (SYP) Forum
  • Chapter Chairs Meetup
  • Membership activities and networking events

These events provided valuable opportunities for students, young professionals, women in engineering, chapter leaders, and volunteers to exchange ideas, expand their professional networks, and strengthen the global IES community.

Student and Young Professionals (SYP) Award Ceremony during the conference banquet.

 

Awards were presented by Prof. Chathurika S. Wickramasinghe, Chair of the IEEE IES Student and Young Professionals Activities Committee, and Prof. Yajun Pan, IEEE IES Vice President for Membership Activities.

 

Networking and Japanese Hospitality

The conference banquet, held at ESPACIO Nagoya Castle, offered participants an enjoyable opportunity to experience Japanese hospitality while strengthening friendships across the global industrial electronics community.

The gala dinner venue offered an amazing view on the Nagoya Castle.

 

Participants also enjoyed the rich culinary culture of Nagoya, including its well-known local specialties, creating memorable experiences beyond the technical program.

 

Welcome remarks and the banquet toast were delivered by Prof. Juan José Rodríguez-Andina, IEEE IES President, and Prof. Terry Martin, IES Past President.

 

Excellent Feedback from Participants

Feedback received from participants was overwhelmingly positive.

Attendees highly appreciated the technical quality of the keynote speeches, Special Sessions, Regular Sessions, Tutorials, and Industry Forum, noting the excellent level of scientific discussion throughout the symposium.

The Student and Young Professionals (SYP) activities received particularly positive comments for providing meaningful networking opportunities and encouraging international collaboration among young researchers.

The IES 75th Anniversary Celebration was widely recognized as one of the conference highlights, bringing together past and present Society leaders in a memorable series of events.

Participants also expressed their appreciation for the outstanding organization of the conference, the warm hospitality provided by the Japanese organizing committee and student volunteers, and the welcoming atmosphere throughout the event.

Participants enjoying the conference banquet at ESPACIO Nagoya Castle.

 

Looking Forward

ISIE 2026 successfully brought together researchers, engineers, industry leaders, and students from around the world to discuss emerging technologies and future challenges in industrial electronics. Beyond the technical program, the symposium fostered new international collaborations, strengthened partnerships between academia and industry, celebrated the 75-year history of IEEE IES, and further expanded the Society’s global community.

On behalf of the Local Organizing Committee, we sincerely thank all authors, keynote speakers, tutorial instructors, special session organizers, reviewers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and IEEE IES officers whose dedication made ISIE 2026 a great success.

We look forward to welcoming the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society community to ISIE 2027 in Paris, France.