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 biannual national event with a few guests invited from abroad. 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.

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 2011, 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 runned the conference that surprisingly survived fiveteen years.

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.

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:

2009 March 27-28
2007 April 20-21
2005 October 21-22
2003 October 1-2
2001 November 28-29
1999 May 18-20

Topics of SIBCON include:

1. The Fundamental Problems of Communication and Control Theory.
2. Subsurface Radar and Remote Sensing.
3. Semiconductor Materials, Sensors, and Electron Devices.

More difficult was the issue of program coordination and personal trust was decisive here, as usual. In 1998 Professor Boris Kapilevich proposed idea of organizind 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 foreing participants. Such a situation lasted until 2005. Several conferences were convened in
English only.

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, 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.

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

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 became a meeting place 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.