In this combination of retrospection and projection, it is interesting to recall what has changed and what has not in the ensuing quarter of a century. On 20th anniversary of SIBCON what can one project about the future of the conference and what changes, if any, are indicated?

The origins of the International Siberian Conference on Control and Communications go back to 1995. The conference was originally proposed by Research Department of TUSUR as a biennial national event with a few guests invited from abroad. In 1995 the wisdom and foresight of those who had initiated this meeting to meet the need for sharing ideas among allied systems of electronics was already well confirmed. The first Symposium firstly named "The International Scientific Conference on Use of Research Conversion Results in the Siberian Institutions of Higher Education for International Cooperation" (SIBCONVERS'95), held from 4 to 6 October 1995. It was sponsored by State Committee of Higher Education of the Russian Federation. SIBCONVERS provides a forum for the exchange of information on the conversion of researches and developments for using in peaceful purposes. Participants of the Siberian Institutions of Higher Education having defense research experience (Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk, Irkutsk, Barnaul and the other cities) and military-industrial complex representatives was presented. Attendance at the SIBCONVERS swelled to more than 200 attendees.

The Symposium was organized by a group of a few scientists and researchers from TUSUR and Tomsk State University. From this group, only Oleg Stukach have continued their active involvement with the Symposium until 2017, and later in honorary functions. Others changed interest in the meantime, or passed away. It is thus natural that founder of Tomsk joint IEEE Chapter running the conference that surprisingly survived more 20 years.

The first conference was held in Tomsk, TUSUR, with between 100 and 200 attendees. In the early years, the conference proceedings was more like a digest with half-page abstracts for each paper. The technical committee reviewed all submitted papers, but the acceptance criteria were very low. Once, a very well-respected committee member proposed that any paper showing a device characteristic be accepted so that the technical community could hear how the device was fabricated. The conference developed the reputation as the place to report the latest developments. The general format of the meeting had been established and its reputation as the leading technical forum for the announcement of new technical developments was developing rapidly.

After the 1999 Symposium, we pressed to make the SIBCON conference as both gathered first-hand experience in successful international collaboration on technical matters and felt that internationalization of the SIBCON would be beneficial to all. Oleg Stukach participated in an international projects and was actively involved in the TUSUR international activity.

During the early 2000s, new highspeed technologies became more mainstream and more frequent topics at the symposium. To reflect this, in 2001 the symposium’s name was changed. With its new name, the SIBCON has continued the electronics legacy of top-quality papers in a congenial atmosphere.

It was some difficulties to make SIBCON international, as low income of domestic participants and sponsors. One should remember that in Russia, divided by the cold-war iron curtain, there was no such event organized on a regular basis. With time, however, the idea of organizing an international conference in Siberia found wide appreciation, creating an international fraternity interested in the development of the art and science of control and communications.

Since 1999 SIBCON is the largest IEEE co-sponsored meeting in Siberia. Last conferences were held:

Topics of SIBCON include:

1. The Fundamental Problems of Communication and Control Theory.
2. Semiconductor Materials, Sensors, and Electron Devices.
3. Topiv suggested by hosting organization (IoT, Radar, Future Enegry, Electromechanics etc).

More difficult was the issue of program coordination and personal trust was decisive here, as usual. In 1998 Professor Boris Kapilevich proposed idea of organizing IEEE Chapter in Tomsk. A first step to join people to Chapter was the conference. It was thus with no surprise that he supported the concept of the closest collaboration of Tomsk and ED-S IEEE. To implement this idea, consultations with ED-S as the Symposium sponsor were needed. Five years later we established good relations with MTT-S and ComSoc.

Hectic preparations took place in 2001. Structure of the conference has been made close to a regular international event. The conference became truly international, with English and Russian as its official languages. Papers were accepted and printed in English only. During sessions, simultaneous interpretation was offered to foreign participants. Such a situation lasted until 2005. Several conferences were convened in English only.

Now SIBCON has remained a premier symposium at which to present state-of-the-art results for both device and circuit technology of control. State-of-the-art device technology has included ultrahigh-speed as well as ultrahigh-power applications. Over the years, SIBCON have hosted papers on state-ofthe-art of IC, power and efficiency amplifiers, sample and hold circuit speed, mmwave IC power, gigabit IC performance, and many other benchmarks. The conference also showcases the latest advances in modeling and manufacturing technology. Neither a technical conference nor an individual can be all things to all people. But the interdependence and the anticipated need for tighter coupling among the elements of the technical program suggest the responsibility to expand the scope of those SIBCON activities which augment the presentation of individual research and development results.

As a rule, SIBCON includes a three-day, dual-track technical program, two short courses, and a technology exhibition. Also the conference offer a student paper contest. The technical program includes approximately 200 high-quality papers and topical panel sessions. The process is seamless and completely turnkey, enabling the conference to manage the process swiftly and effectively.

From the very beginning, the SIBCON conference offered various social activities, including get-together parties, excursions, bowling, and artistic performances.

At the same time, the SIBCON has maintained its reputation for excellent short courses, primers, and panel sessions. Throughout the history of the conference, these features, substantial innovations at the time of their introduction, have been continuously expanded and have contributed greatly to its effectiveness. Interaction with some allied topics could well prove fruitful. For that reason, one can expect that in the years ahead as the needs of those pursuing the field of control in communications continue to change regardless of the rapidity - the SIBCON will respond appropriately.

The conference could not be created, exist, and develop without support of numerous individuals and organizations. First of all, the backing of the Russian Foundation for Basic Researches (RFBR), Tomsk Polytechnic University, AlparySoft R&D, Radar R&D was crucial. Liaison with Radar R&D goes back to the second 1997 event, when S.P. Lukyanov was among the Symposium guests. Radar R&D offered financial support for young scientists' participation.As usual, behind organizational facades were committed people. O.A. Kozhemyak, S.P. Lukyanov, A.D. Gelman, T.M. Orzechowski played a decisive role. The SIBCON owes a great deal to a number of members of Scientific Program Committee as A.A. Shelupanov, A.V. Tyazhev, I.J. Immoreev, V.S. Panko, C.M. Stallo, L.A. Fokin, A.G. Dubinsky, A.K. Baranovski, R.P. Khudeev. Professor B.Yu. Kapilevich, founder of Novosibirsk Joint Chapter supported the event for many years. It is worth noting that B.Yu. Kapilevich organized the IEEE Russia Siberia Section in 2003. Officers of the IEEE Russia Siberia Section - A.N. Fionov, N.A. Dvurechenskaya, A.V. Gridchin deserves special mention. They initiated financial support of the main section events. The IEEE support materialized through the activities of Book Broker Program and Pat Tompson as chair of the program. SIBCON has been a common endeavor of many individuals, too many to list all of them here. Without their imagination and invaluable hard work behind the scenes, the conference would not be possible.

The SIBCON has now celebrated its 20th anniversary and without question in one of the most dynamic and most important conferences sponsored by the IEEE and its units. An important factor in its success has been the availability of all technical papers. Many of the conference speakers at SIBCON were not accustomed to publishing in refereed scholarly publications. After the rigorous refereing and selection process for presentation at SIBCON, it was necessary to work rather carefully with the prospective authors to encourage them for future effort to achieve the results for adequate publication in a major IEEE journals.

Working for over a year on a conference is a real investment of time and often personal passion and talent. The years that have passed since the inception of the SIBCON witnessed many changes. About ten generations of electronic technologies appeared. Some generations of engineers left universities to start professional carriers. The iron curtain disappeared. We always tried to bring together individuals interested in various fields, theory and practical applications, to enable their interaction in the belief that new ideas often sparkle on the borders of different fields of activity. As a result, Tomsk Chapter became a meeting venue of people involved in the different researches: wave propagation and antennas, control and management, communications and spectrum engineering. It worked and people were supportive to such a wide range of topics. It is worth noting that during these years, his working contacts transformed into friendship with the many participants which lasted up to present.

What has changed since and what seems to remain invariant? Now, as then, the sessions are supported by well-informed audience. The leading colleagues in the field contribute substantially to success in many ways, including taking the responsibility for ensuring that the technical program is indeed state-of-the-art and international in scope. Far more people are now involved in selecting papers, and some change has occurred in the Program Committee. But the primary reason for a continued vitality is networking and consideration SIBCON as a basis of the networking. Many of organizers have changed over the years, as well as some of its important operating details, but the underlying objectives and ideology remain essentially the same. Further effort in meeting the responsibility noted can evolve naturally and rather easily from the present form of the SIBCON. What form should the change take? This depends largely on the technical content involved and the people leading the effort.