Speaker: Dr Christian Blum is Senior Research Scientist with the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (IIIA-CSIC), Bellaterra, Spain

Title: Hybrid metaheuristics: two recent examples from our work

Synopsis: In this talk, I will present two successful examples of our
recent work on developing efficient algorithms for solving large-scale
combinatorial optimization problems. Both algorithms belong to the
class of hybrid metaheuristics, as they make use of exact techniques
for solving reduced problem instances at each algorithm iteration. The
first example concerns an extension of the metaheuristic ant colony
optimization by a negative learning mechanism. The second example is
about an award-winning algorithm known as construct, merge, solve &
adapt (CMSA). Example applications of both algorithms will be
presented. Finally, we will shortly present a new tool for visualizing
algorithm behaviour based on search trajectory networks (STNs). This
tool potentially helps to understand algorithm behaviour and can be
downloaded by anyone interested in using it.

Bio:Christian Blum received a PhD degree in Applied Sciences from the 
Free University of Brussels, Belgium, in 2004. He is currently a
Senior Research Scientist with the Artificial Intelligence Research
Institute (IIIA-CSIC), Bellaterra, Spain. His research interests
include solving difficult optimization problems using swarm
intelligence techniques and combinations of metaheuristics with exact
techniques. He currently acts as editor for the journal Computers &
Operations Research. In 2021, he won the SEIO-FBBVA award (a Spanish
national award) for the best methodological contribution in Operations
Research. During his career, he has published more than 200 papers in
journals, books, and conference proceedings. According to Google
Scholar, his work has been cited more than 17.000 times.

WED 25 MAY 4 PM – 5 PM AEST; 8 AM – 9 AM CEST SPAIN

ZOOM Meeting ID: 873 1557 5255; Password: 778635