Alexander Nebylov was born in Leningrad in 1947. He graduated from the faculty of Computer and Radioelectronic Systems of the Leningrad Institute of Aircraft Instrumentation in 1971. In 1974 he gained his candidate scientific degree and in 1985 his doctoral degree in information processing and control systems, together with his professor title. Since 1986, he has been a professor in the Computer and Radioelectronic Systems Department and Aviation Instruments Department at Saint-Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation. Since 1998 he has also been the Director of the International Institute for Advanced Aerospace Technologies for this University.

The sphere of his interests are Motion Control Theory, Control Systems, and Integrated Systems. He has written 12 books, published more than 200 scientific papers and produced many inventions. A. Nebylov is a member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and of the Presidium of the Academy of Navigation and Motion Control. He is a vice-chairman of the United Council of Marine Craft and Special Vehicles Motion Control, and the Russian representative in IFAC Aerospace TC.

Philip Wilson was educated at the universities of Leicester and Glasgow where he studied Mathematics and Astronautics. After working for Plessey Underwater Marine on acoustic propagation from ships and submarines he joined the University of Southampton nearly thirty years ago. He is currently the professor of Ship Dynamics and lectures on Ship Manoeuvring, Fluid Dynamics and Control.

He has research interests in the areas of wing in ground effect vehicles, cars, planes and boats and in many areas of ship dynamics. He is currently actively researching the problems of predicted and assessment of ship wash from high speed ships in shallow water. He has published more than 150 books, papers and conference papers.