About ISTE
Legal Information ISTE is registered in the Netherlands (Delft).
Chamber of Commerce (KvK): 71835237 | RSIN:858868039
Our Legacy and Evolution
The International Society of Transdisciplinary Engineering (ISTE) is the global successor to the International Society for Productivity Enhancement (ISPE). While our name has evolved to reflect the complexities of the 21st century, our commitment to excellence in engineering remains unchanged.
A Journey of Innovation
Our story began in 1984 with the founding of ISPE in the USA. Originally established to accelerate the international exchange of technological knowledge, the society evolved in 2004 (as ISPE, Inc.) to focus on the integration of new knowledge with emerging technologies to boost global productivity and quality of life.
Why Transdisciplinary?
In 2018, the society was formally reorganized and registered in Delft, the Netherlands, as ISTE. This transition marked a pivotal shift in our philosophy:
We recognize that traditional technological approaches alone are no longer enough.
To solve today’s complex global challenges and achieve truly sustainable solutions,
engineering must transcend its own boundaries.
Our Purpose Today
ISTE continues the legacy of its predecessors by stimulating the development and dissemination of cross-disciplinary research. By unifying our operations, financial foundations, and digital presence in the Netherlands, we provide a stable, formal platform for a global community of scholars, practitioners, and innovators.
A Legacy of Innovation: The History of ISPE
Founded in 1984 in the United States, the International Society for Productivity Enhancement (ISPE) was established to bridge the gap between theoretical research and industrial application. From its inception, the society has served as a global catalyst for the exchange of scientific knowledge and pioneering ideas in technological development.
In 2004, the society reached a significant milestone by formally incorporating as ISPE Inc., a registered non-profit organization in New York. Since then, we have dedicated ourselves to a multi-faceted mission:
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Knowledge Integration: Bridging new discoveries with existing technologies to create smarter, more efficient systems.
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Strategic Advancement: Developing resources and methodologies that enhance the productivity and global competitiveness of both product and service providers.
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Social Impact: Ultimately aiming to improve the global quality of life through the practical application of excellence.
Today, ISPE Inc. continues to champion research, education, and professional growth. We achieve this through our world-class conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and a vibrant community of international scholars and industry leaders.
The Evolution of Transdisciplinary Engineering
From Concurrent to Transdisciplinary
Transdisciplinary Engineering (TE) represents the natural evolution of Concurrent Engineering (CE). While CE revolutionized the industry by integrating people, processes, and enterprise collaboration, it has now matured into the foundation for a more expansive paradigm.
Where Concurrent Engineering focused on integrating specific multidisciplinary solutions, TE goes further—transcending traditional boundaries to foster a unified approach to innovation.
Driving Forces of Modern Research
The shift toward TE is propelled by a rapidly changing global landscape. Current research is no longer dictated solely by technical feasibility, but by:
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Global Interconnectivity: Navigating the complexities of international collaboration and decentralized production.
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Environmental Stewardship: Integrating sustainability and circular economy strategies into the core design process.
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Human-Centric Demand: Responding to sophisticated customer needs and the "user-in-the-loop" philosophy.
Bridging Engineering and Social Science
Modern engineering challenges—such as overcoming natural catastrophes, developing sustainable mobility (EVs), and managing intensive data processing—cannot be solved by a single discipline.
Transdisciplinary Engineering acknowledges that no single field possesses all the knowledge necessary to solve the complex problems of our era. To succeed, engineering must now incorporate:
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Social Science Methodologies: To deeply understand user contexts and cultural nuances.
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Mixed-Method Research: Combining the empirical rigor of natural sciences with the qualitative insights of the humanities.
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Integrated Design: Moving beyond "product features" to implement solutions that are truly needed, wanted, and socially viable.
The Future of Innovation:
Transdisciplinarity is the hallmark of modern research. By integrating natural and social sciences, we create a robust framework for the future evolution of all engineering disciplines.
Meet The ISTE Board
The Board governs the society according to the statutory rules. The board can be supported by all kinds of committees for supporting and promoting the society and its goal.
Past Leadership
Honoring the legacy, service, and strategic guidance of our past ISTE Board Members President: Prof. Linda Newnes, University of Bath, UK Vice President: Dr. Josip Stjepandić, Prostep AG, Darmstadt, Germany Treasurer: Prof. Fredrik Elgh, Jönköping University, Sweden Vice Treasurer: Prof. Arthur Petersen, University College London, London, UK General Secretary: A/Prof. Wim Verhagen, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia Vice Secretary: Dr. Susan Lattanzio, University of Bath, UK Conference Coordinator: Prof. Margherita Peruzzini, University of Bologna, Italy
The Board is supported by an international Council of 25 members representing diverse regions.
While all Board and Council members serve in a voluntary capacity without compensation, the Society provides modest honoraria for specific operational roles, such as the Newsletter Editor, Website Manager, and Conference Proceedings Editor. Detailed descriptions of these roles are available in our By-Laws.
Meet The ISTE Council
According to the statutory rules, the council is an advisory committee, that is free to develop initiatives for advancing the society under the responsibility of the board.
Our members include Ass. Prof. John Bang Matthiasen, Aarhus University, School of Business and Social Sciences, Denmark Prof. Teruaki Ito, Okayama Prefectural University, Japan Ass. Prof. Milton Borsato, Federal University of Technology – Parana, Curitiba, Brazil Prof. Chun-Hsien Chen, Nanyang Technology University, Singapore Prof. Shut-Yan Chou, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan Prof. Richard Curran, City University, London, UK Prof. Shuichi Fukuda, Keio University, Japan Prof. Gloria-Lucia Giraldo, National University of Colombia Ass. Prof. Kazuo Hiekata, University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Japan Prof. George Q. Huang, University of Hong Kong, China Prof. Masato Inoue, Meiji University Ikuta Campus, Japan Prof. Ricardo Jardim Gonçalves, Uninova, Lissabon, Portugal Ass. Prof. Pisut Koomsap, Asian Institute of Technology, School of Engineering and Technology, Pathumthani, Thailand Dr. Geilson Loureiro, INPE, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil Prof. John Mo, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia Prof. Jerzy Pokojski, Warsaw University of Technology (SIMR), Warsaw, Poland Prof. David Romero, School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico Prof. Keiichi Sato, Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute of Design, USA / University of Tromso, Dept. of CS, Norway Prof. Essam Shehab, Cranfield University, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, UK Prof. Gang Shen, Huazong University of Science and Technology, China Prof. Amy Trappey, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan Prof. German Urrego, Antioquia University, Medelling, Colombia Prof. Cees Bil, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia Dr. Adam Cooper, University College London, UK Prof. Federico Trigos, Tecnologico de Monterrey, EGADE Business School, Mexico
Board Roles & Responsibilities
The roles outlined below define Board responsibilities in accordance with our Statutes and Bylaws. These guidelines serve to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective leadership within the ISTE Society.
President
Leads the Society’s governance by chairing meetings, validating voting outcomes, and signing official records.
Vice-President
Serves as a statutory representative, assists with conference planning, and manages the preparation of official proceedings.
Secretary
Ensures smooth operations by handling Dutch Chamber of Commerce registration, meeting agendas and minutes, website management, and conference coordination.
Vice-Secretary
Ensures smooth operations by handling Dutch Chamber of Commerce registration, meeting agendas and minutes, website management, and conference coordination.
Treasurer
Acts as a statutory representative and financial controller, responsible for budgeting, daily accounts, and supporting the annual audit review.
Vice-Treasurer
Supports the Society’s financial governance by assisting with statement preparation and publishing the accounts ratified at the AGM.
Conference Coordinator
Serves as a statutory representative and monitors the entire conference organization process.
Acknowledgements
Our sincere thanks to the ISTE Communications Team for their outstanding voluntary efforts in strengthening our communications and helping make the community more engaging. We also extend our appreciation to our Creative Strategist, Dr. Aprille Chua, for designing the ISTE website and newsletters. Her creativity and dedication played an important role in making this possible.