Bhubaneswar: The first IEEE International Conference on Emerging Trends in Advancements and Applications of Computational Intelligence Techniques (ETAACT 2026) concluded at the SOA Deemed to be University on April 11. The two-day event, held in a hybrid format, brought together a global community of scientists, industry experts, and academics to explore the future of computational intelligence.
Organized by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), the conference received technical sponsorship from IEEE, the IEEE Bhubaneswar Section, and the IEEE Consumer Technology Society Chapter. The gathering focused on a wide array of specialized fields, including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Deep Learning, Cloud and Fog Computing, and the Internet of Things.
The event saw a massive response from the international research community, with approximately 2000 papers submitted from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Malaysia, and Jordan. These submissions were categorized into seven technical tracks ranging from Applied Machine Learning and Blockchain to Federated Learning and Information Retrieval.
Prominent keynote speakers included Prof. Sung-Bae Cho from Yonsei University, South Korea; Prof. Amitava Mukherjee from BITS Pilani’s Dubai Campus; Prof. Somnath Tripathy of IIT Patna; and Prof. Bibhudatta Sahoo of NIT Rourkela. Their discussions delved into complex topics such as Neural Networks, optimization techniques, and security technologies.
The inaugural ceremony featured senior leadership from SOA and ITER, including Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Dean Prof. Pradeep Kumar Sahoo, and HOD Prof. Debahuti Mishra. The successful execution of the program was led by Program Chair Dr. Rasmita Dash, TPC Chair Dr. Rajashree Dash, and Organizing Chair Dr. Rasmita Rautray, with representation from the IEEE Bhubaneswar Section provided by Dr. Niranjan Kumar Ray.
By hosting ETAACT 2026, Bhubaneswar has further established its reputation as a rising center for technological innovation and academic research, providing a vital platform for global collaboration in the digital age.