The Conference on Systems Engineering Research (CSER) was established in 2003 by the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) to advance the field of systems engineering through rigorous academic research. Over the years, CSER has become a premier international forum for researchers, practitioners, and educators to share innovations, challenges, and solutions in systems engineering. Each year, CSER attracts thought leaders from academia, industry, and government to explore emerging topics and technologies shaping complex systems across domains.
The CSER 2026 theme, Intelligent Digital Twin-enabled Systems Engineering for 21st Century Sociotechnical Systems, reflects the growing importance of integrating digital twin technologies with systems engineering practices. As systems become increasingly complex, interconnected, and adaptive, digital twins offer a powerful means to simulate, monitor, and optimize performance across the lifecycle. This theme emphasizes the need for innovative approaches to design, analysis, and decision-making in sociotechnical environments—where complex systems
principles converge with human, organizational and technological factors.
