Enrique Alba

Enrique Alba
Born 23 October 1968
Benamocarra, Málaga, Spain
Nationality Spanish
Fields Computer Science
Institutions University of Málaga

Dr. Enrique Alba is a professor of computer science at the University of Málaga, Spain. He got his Ph.D. degree on designing and analyzing parallel and distributed genetic algorithms. His current research interests involve the design and application of evolutionary algorithms, ant colony optimization, particle swarm optimization,[1] and other bio-inspired systems to real problems[2] including telecommunications, software engineering, combinatorial optimization, and bioinformatics among others. The main focus of all his work is on parallel metaheuristics and multiobjective optimization for complex problems.

As to parallel metaheuristics,[3] they are a new class of algorithms in that they are not just fast versions of sequential solvers, but they are usually running different numerical operations leading to different numerical solutions.[4] This is why researchers should be careful in their development, performance assessment, and comparisons. These algorithms can combine numerical advances and physically parallel execution (GPUs, FPGAs, multicores, clusters, grids, and cloud) able of solving open problems and to take existing techniques to new scales of efficiency and accuraty.

Work

Prof. Alba leads the NEO (Networking and Emerging Optimization) group at the university of Málaga, Spain.

His ongoing research includes the fields of ad hoc metropolitan network optimization, optimal design of GSM networks, logistics, vehicle routing, natural language tagging, software engineering, DNA fragment assembly, gene microarrays, cutting/packing, software testing and validation, and in general combinatorial problems lying in the base of real world problems. New fields like multiobjective techniques with high scalability, grid/P2P/Internet platforms, dynamic optimization of problems whose definition change in time,[5] and heterogeneous algorithms are dealt with as part both of basic and applied research. Recently, he has been involved in several projects and Ph.D. theses dealing with the construction and utilization of vehicular ad hoc networks.

As for techniques, Alba and his group are dealing mainly with metaheuristics, either bio-inspired or not, and also hybridization with other (possibly exact) methods. Specifically, genetic algorithms, particle swarm, ant colonies, simulated annealing, branch and bound, differential evolution, variable neighborhood search, and related solvers are used.

Prof. Alba has published 7 books on metaheuristics and bio-inspired techniques, more than 50 papers indexed in ISI impact journals, and more than 200 conference papers. He has coordinated several Spanish national research projects like TRACER, OPLINK, M*, DIRICOM and the new roadME initiative. His work has achieved internationalization via his participation in bilateral projects with INRIA like PERFOM, MOID, Robust&Green, and European CELTIC projects like CARLINK or FP7 COADVISE. He holds active collaborations by joining publications and exchanges with more than 20 international universities and labs, and his research in Málaga is also provoking industrial transferences to several companies including TARTEC S.A., OPTIMI, Arelance, NOVASOFT, ETRA I+D, Moviquity, VTT, and Synergiums.

Alba works in the program committee of well-known important conferences in several fields, including ACM GECCO, IEEE CEC, PPSN, Evo*, IPDPS, as well as organizing international events frequently. He also works as a reviewer for the IEEE Transactions Journals on Evolutionary Computation, Education, and Parallel and Distributed Systems. Besides, he is an active reviewer for SMC, JPDC, PARCO, Journal of Heuristics, JMMA, EJOR, Computer Communications, MIT Evolutionary Computation, Software Practice and Experience, and Information Sciences.

According to Publish or Perish, he currently has an H Index of 36, and more than 6000 cites to his work.

See also

References

External links

Cites

  1. ↑ E. Alba, B. Dorronsoro, Cellular Genetic Algorithms, Springer-Verlag, ISBN 978-0-387-77609-5, 2008
  2. ↑ Alba E., Blum C., Isasi P., León C. Gómez J.A. (eds.), Optimization Techniques for Solving Complex Problems, Wiley, ISBN 978-0-470-29332-4, 2009
  3. ↑ E. Alba, Parallel Metaheuristics: A New Class of Algorithms, Wiley, ISBN 0-471-67806-6, July 2005
  4. ↑ G. Luque, E. Alba, Parallel Genetic Algorithms. Theory and Real World Applications, Springer-Verlag, ISBN 978-3-642-22083-8, July 2011
  5. ↑ E. Alba, A. Nakib, P. Siarry (eds.), Metaheuristics for Dynamic Optimization, Springer-Verlag, 2012 (to appear)