PhD position: Time complexity Analysis of Bio-Inspired Computation/ University of Sheffield,Department of Computer Science-UK 05/06/2015
The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
Department of Computer Science
PhD position: Time complexity Analysis of Bio-Inspired Computation
Bio-inspired meta-heuristics are general purpose algorithms that mimic powerful mechanisms from
nature such as the natural evolution of species or the collective intelligence of animals with the
goal of solving complex optimisation problems. They have been applied to a broad range of
problems in various disciplines with remarkable success. They are particularly useful in settings
where no knowledge on the problem is available (black-box optimisation) and evaluating candidate
solutions is the only means of learning about the problem at hand.
However, the reasons behind their success are often elusive: their performance often depends
crucially, and unpredictably, on design choices and parameters. Furthermore, given a class of bioinspired
algorithms it is unclear on which kind of problems it performs well and on which it
performs poorly.
In recent years theoretical analyses have emerged that provide results about the performance of
bio-inspired algorithms. They rigorously estimate the expected time required by the algorithms to
find a satisfactory solution for various optimisation problems. Such analyses use mathematical
techniques drawn and extended from the fields of randomised algorithms, probability theory and
computational complexity. The results allow for insights into the working principles of bioinspired
meta-heuristics, enable the assessment of parameter choices and design aspects while
contributing to the design of more powerful algorithms.
This studentship offers a valuable opportunity to work within this very active, challenging and
exciting field of research at the intersection between computational complexity and bio-inspired
computation. The successful applicant will also have the opportunity to collaborate with project
partners, including, amongst others, research groups at the University of Birmingham, UK, at the
Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in Copenaghen, Denmark and at the University of
Adelaide, Australia.
The Candidate
The successful applicant must have excellent analytical and computational skills. He/She must be
an excellent team player who can work independently and communicate well with others. Since the
project is theoretically challenging, strong mathematical and probability theory skills are required.
Interest and enthusiasm for bio-inspired computing are essential while experience with
computational complexity analyses and modern meta-heuristics such as evolutionary algorithms
are desirable.
The Studentship
Duration: Three years full-time (subject to satisfactory progress).
Payments: The award covers tuition fees plus a living stipend at the standard UK research rate -
currently £13,863 per annum. Funding is available for conference attendance and research visits
to partner organisations.
For further information contact Dr. Pietro Oliveto at p.oliveto@sheffield.ac.uk
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