Onbehalf oftheProgram andtheOrganizing Committees ofthe2006Annual North American FuzzyInformation Processing Society Conference, itismygreat pleasure to welcome youtoMontreal. We areespecially proud tobeholding theconference inour newEngineering andComputer Science building atConcordia University.
Kudret Demirli · 2006
We anticipate a veryexciting anda remarkable conference thisyear. Thisyear's conference features over130high-quality papers focusing onvarious aspects offuzzy theory anditsapplications. We haveparticipants from20different countries allaround theworld whowill find aforumtoexchange newideas andpossibly identify promising newdirections. Itisourdistinct pleasure tobestarting thetechnical program withaKeynote Speech by Lotfi Zadeh, whohasbeenproviding usthevision foroverforty years andwhohasbeen atremendous inspiration forall ofusinthefuzzy community. Ourprogram also includes fourplenary presentations bydistinguished fuzzy researchers Witold Pedrycz, Burhan Turksen, Bernard De BaetsandMadanGupta. Therewillbefourparallel sessions running resulting inatotal of32sessions, sixofwhich areinvited sessions. We havecontinued theNAFIPStradition ofsupporting andinvesting inournew generation ofresearcher. We havewaivedtheregistration feeforallthestudent participants. We areveryhappy toseethat there areover40student papers accepted for theconference -over30%oftotal papers accepted. Inorder torecognize andfoster their accomplishments, weareoffering best student paper tothestudent authors ofselected top five papers. Iwouldlike tothank allmembers oftheprogram andorganizing committee fortheir inspiration, support andhardworkinorganizing theconference. Weexpress ourgratitude toLotfi Zadeh -Honorary Chair. Without hisvision this conference wouldnothavebeen possible. Iwouldlike tothank Witold Pedrycz -NAFIPS, President, forhistremendous helpandsupport atevery step oftheway,andDimitar Filev -NAFIPS, President Elect, forhishelp withIEEESMC.ThomasSudkamp hasdoneanexcellent jobastheSpecial Sessions Chair. Iwouldlike toparticularly thank AliAkgunduz andWenfang Xiewho bothworked diligently inallaspects oftheorganization process. Ialso wanttoexpress mythanks toAlebachew D.Yimerandall other student volunteers fortheir help. Iamgrateful toDeanN.Esmail, DeanofEngineering andComputer Science Faculty at Concordia University, whohasprovided thefacilities andthestaff fortheconference and also sponsored theWelcome Reception. Iwouldalso like toacknowledge thehelp ofMs. Clara Paradisis andMs.Luisa Buffone fortheir help withtheorganizations. Lastbutnotleast, ourthanks gototheInstitute ofElectrical andElectronic Engineers (IEEE) andIEEESystems, Man& Cybernetics Society forsponsoring ourconference