Special issue on “Stochastic Local Search: Recent developments and trends”

• Published date: 01 September 2020
• Author: Marie‐Eléonore Kessaci,Nadarajen Veerapen,Thomas Stützle,Holger Hoos,Laetitia Jourdan
• Date: 01 September 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/itor.12791

Intl. Trans. in Op. Res. 27 (2020) 2685–2686

DOI: 10.1111/itor.12791

INTERNATIONAL

TRANSACTIONS

IN OPERATIONAL

RESEARCH

Call for Papers

Special issue on “Stochastic Local Search: Recent

developments and trends”

Holger Hoosa, Laetitia Jourdanb, Marie-El´

eonore Kessacib, Thomas St¨

utzlecand

Nadarajen Veerapenb

aUniversity of Leiden, The Netherlands

bUniversity of Lille, France

cUniversit´

e Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium

Stochastic local search (SLS) algorithms are among the most powerful techniques for solving com-

putationally hard problems in many areas of computer science, operational research, and engineer-

ing. SLS techniques range from rather simple constructive and iterative improvement algorithms to

general-purpose methods, also widely known as metaheuristics, such as ant colony optimization,

evolutionary computation, iterated local search, memetic algorithms, simulated annealing, tabu

search, and variable neighborhood search.

In recent years, it has become evident that the development of effective SLS algorithms is a com-

plex engineering process that typically combines aspects of algorithm design and implementation

with empirical analysis and problem-specific background knowledge. The difficulty of this process

is in part due to the complexity of the problems being tackled and in part due to the large number

of degrees of freedom researchers and practitioners face when developing SLS algorithms. This

development process needs to be assisted by a sound methodology that addresses the issues arising

in the phases of algorithm design, implementation, tuning, and experimental evaluation. In addi-

tion, more research is required to understand which SLS techniques are best suited for particular

problem types and to better understand the relationship betweenalgorithm components, parameter

settings, problem characteristics, and performance.

This special issue of the International Transactions in Operational Research (ITOR) is devoted

to recent research, current developments, and applications of Stochastic Local Search (SLS). This

includes the principles and the practice of the design, implementation, and analysis of stochastic

local search algorithms, with a focus on automated algorithm design and analysis approaches.

Although we strongly encourage authors who presented work in these areas at the International

Workshop SLS2019 on Stochastic Local Search Algorithms (held in Lille on September 12–13,

2019, https://sls2019.sciencesconf.org) to submit their manuscripts, this Call for Papers is also

open to the entire community of academics and practitioners.

C

2020 The Authors.

International Transactionsin Operational Research C

2020 International Federation ofOperational Research Societies

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