Wolf Bein

SYLLABUS

CSC 789.001 Genetic Algorithms and Neural Networks

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Spring 05, call#37265
TR 4:00 - 5:15 pm, BHS 204

Course Objective

Evolutionary computing has been used in engineering, particularly in optimization, to solve computationally hard problems. With experience, genetic algorithms can be applied as a general purpose method across disciplines. The course introduces the concept of genetic algorithms, shows how and why these algorithms work, and discussed some of the recent software tools such as MIT's GALib. The course proceeds to include other adaptive methods, such as simulated annealing, tabu search, and neural networks, especially as they relate to genetic algorithms.

Professor

Dr. Wolfgang W. Bein
Phone: (702) 895-1477
Internet: bein@cs.unlv.edu, http://www.cs.unlv.edu/~bein
Office: TBE B 372 E
Office Hours: Tuesday, 5:30 - 6:30 pm, Wednesday 2:00 - 3:00 pm, Thursday 2:45 - 3:45 pm

Course Page

http://www.cs.unlv.edu/~bein/teaching/adaptive/

Textbook

Goldberg, Genetic Algorithms, Addison Wesley, 1989, ISBN 0-201-15767-5

Mitchell, An Introduction to Genetic Algorithms, MIT Press, 1998, ISBN 0-262-63185-7

Examinations and Assignments

a number of problem sets. (40\%)

three in-class tests. (60\%, two midterm and one final examination) Thursday, March 3, 4:00 pm; Tuesday April 12, 4:00 pm; and Tuesday, May 10 at 6:00 pm

Programming

For a number of programming examples the students are required to write code under C++ using g++ and GALib.

Topics

An Overview of Combinatorial Optimization

An Introduction to Genetic Algorithms

Theoretical Foundations of Genetic Algorithms

Genetic Algorithms in Engineering and Optimization

Genetic Algorithms in Natural Evolution

Simulated Annealing and Tabu Search

Artificial Neural Networks

Evolving Neural Networks Implementing Genetic Algorithms:

GALib
Genetic Algorithm Optimization Toolbox (GAOT) under Matlab.

Extra Reading

Aarts (Editor), Lenstra (Editor), Local Search in Combinatorial Optimization, Wiley-Interscience Series in Discrete Mathematics and Optimization. John Wiley \& Sons, 1997

Flake, The Computational Beauty of Nature, MIT Press, 1998.

Golden, Mathematical Methids for Neural Network Analysis and Design. MIT Press, 1996

Mitchell, An Introduction to Genetic Algorithms. MIT Press, 1998 (paper)

von Neumann, The Computer and the Brain. Yale University Press, 1958



A students who has a documented disability that may require assistance, will
need to contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) for coordination in
his/her academic accomodations. The Disability Resource Center is located
in the Reynolds Student Services Complex, room 137.
The DRC phone number is 895-0866 or TDD 895-0652.