Systems Interpolarity and the Negotiation of Competing Requirements

Prof. James H. Lambert (IEEE Fellow)

University of Virginia, USA

Chair: Prof. Mariagrazia Dotoli, Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy    

Room:"Aula Magna Attilio Alto"

Abstract

“Rub out the word.” — Brion Gysin, artist, writer, and originator of the cut-up method in the mid-twentieth century.

This keynote explores a relationship between knowledge automation and the evolving roles of human and machine agency in emerging control, decision, and information technologies. The talk describes systems interpolarity, with distinctions of animate and inanimate forms of intelligence that are jointly beneficial to management of technology-based systems.

Drawing on ideas associated with Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno, the keynote considers how technologies designed for optimization and efficiency can amplify human judgment, ethical awareness, embodied understanding, and sensitivity to social and cultural contexts. Several themes will be discussed, including the reinvention of legacy technologies, ambiguities of intent and purpose, and the uses of for dialogue and reflection in routine systems design practices.

The presentation will address implications for monitoring, testing, and evaluation of distributed and multi-scale engineering systems across their full lifecycles. Examples will draw from recent applications in energy, healthcare, aerospace, logistics, communications, economic development, manufacturing, and security systems.

For the CoDIT 2026 community, the talk encourages both research innovation and practical approaches for balancing competing goals, requirements, and perspectives across varied technical and knowledge domains.

Biography of Prof.  James H. Lambert

 Prof. James H. Lambert is the Janet Scott Hamilton & John Downman Professor at the University of Virginia, USA. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis, and a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is known for pioneering research in risk analysis addressing the disruption of system order. He is a recipient of several international service and educator awards, and best-paper awards from the IEEE and other venues. He served as President of the worldwide Society for Risk Analysis. He served for eleven years as Editor-in-Chief of a Springer journal of systems engineering. He is an Associate Editor of the IEEE Open Journal of Systems Engineering, and is an Area Editor of the Wiley journal Risk Analysis.