Rudolf E. Kalman and His Students [Historical Perspectives]

This article presents a series of essays written by former Ph.D. students of Rudolf Kalman, arranged chronologically by year of graduation. The influence of Rudolf Kalman´s work in control theory is vast, deep, and wide. Indeed, it is fair to say that many of the most fundamental concepts in our field trace their lineage to him. An aspect of Rudolf Kalman´s legacy that is perhaps less known is the influence that he had on the careers of his collaborators and students. As the essays collected here amply demonstrate, Rudolf Kalman has always been a stimulating source of novel ideas, inspiration, and challenging problems. Moreover, he inspired his students in the pursuit of excellence and originality in scientific research.