Generation Hyper-Heuristics for Automated Design, Configuration and Selection

Abstract:
Automated algorithm design, configuration and selection of machine learning and search algorithms (AutoDes) has made an impact on computational intelligence contributing to the advancement of the field. Generation hyper-heuristics, while in some ways still in their infancy, have proven to be effective for AutoDes. The application of generation hyper-heuristics in AutoDes range from creating new heuristics and operators to generating components of algorithms. The webinar will present an overview of generation hyper-heuristics in AutoDes, highlighting the advances and challenges. The webinar will also highlight future research directions in this field.

Biography:
Nelishia Pillay is a Professor at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She holds the Multichoice Joint-Chair in Machine Learning and SARChI Chair in Artificial Intelligence. She is chair of the IEEE Technical Committee on Intelligent Systems Applications, IEEE Task Force on Hyper-Heuristics and the IEEE Task Force on Automated Algorithm Design, Configuration and Selection. Her research areas include hyper-heuristics, automated design of machine learning and search techniques, combinatorial optimization, genetic programming, genetic algorithms and deep learning for and more generally machine learning and optimization for sustainable development. These are the focus areas of the NICOG (Nature-Inspired Computing Optimization) research group which she has established.