Book excerpt: The proposed book presents recent breakthroughs for the control of distributed parameter systems and follows on from a workshop devoted to this topic. It introduces new and unified visions of the challenging control problems raised by distributed parameter systems. The book collects contributions written by prominent international experts in the control community, addressing a wide variety of topics. It spans the full range from theoretical research to practical implementation and follows three traverse axes: emerging ideas in terms of control strategies (energy shaping, prediction-based control, numerical control, input saturation), theoretical concepts for interconnected systems (with potential non-linear actuation dynamics), advanced applications (cable-operated elevators, traffic networks), and numerical aspects. Cutting-edge experts in the field contributed in this volume, making it a valuable reference source for control practitioners, graduate students, and scientists researching practical and theoretical solutions to the challenging problems raised by distributed parameter systems.