Computational Optimization Techniques

Metaheuristics, in their original form, are guided local improvement procedures to perform a robust search of a solution space. New developments in metaheuristic methods are proved to be so remarkably effective, that they have moved into the spotlight in recent years for solving complex combinatorial problems, particularly those encountered in practice. This course is designed to provide doctoral students with a broad coverage of the concepts and instrumentalities of this important and evolving area of optimization. In doing so, I hope to encourage an even wider adoption of metaheuristics for assisting in various research areas.