Charles Audet – författare

Global optimization aims at solving the most general problems of deterministic mathematical programming: to find the global optimum of a nonlinear, nonconvex, multivariate function of continuous and/or integer variables subject to constraints which may be themselves nonlinear and nonconvex. In addition, once the solutions are found, proof of its optimality is also expected from this methodology. Therefore, with these difficulties in mind, global optimization is becoming an increasingly powerful and important methodology. Essays and Surveys in Global Optimization is the most recent examination of its mathematical capability, power, and wide ranging solutions to many fields in the applied sciences.

Global optimization aims at solving the most general problems of deterministic mathematical programming: to find the global optimum of a nonlinear, nonconvex, multivariate function of continuous and/or integer variables subject to constraints which may be themselves nonlinear and nonconvex. In addition, once the solutions are found, proof of its optimality is also expected from this methodology. Therefore, with these difficulties in mind, global optimization is becoming an increasingly powerful and important methodology. Essays and Surveys in Global Optimization is the most recent examination of its mathematical capability, power, and wide ranging solutions to many fields in the applied sciences.

The second edition of Derivative-Free and Blackbox Optimization offers a comprehensive introduction to the field of optimization when derivatives are unavailable, unreliable, or impractical. Whether you’re a student, instructor, or self-learner, this book is designed to guide you through both the foundations and advanced techniques of derivative-free and blackbox optimization. This new edition features significantly expanded exercises, updated and intuitive notation, over 30 new figures, and a wide range of pedagogical enhancements aimed at making complex concepts accessible and engaging. The book is structured into five parts. Part 1 established foundational principles, including an expanded chapter on proper benchmarking. Parts 2, 3, and 4, take an in-depth look at heuristics, direct search, and model based approaches (respectively). Part 5 extends these approaches to specialised settings. Finally, a new appendix contributed by Sébastien Le Digabel, details several real-world applications of blackbox optimization, and links to software for each application. Whether used in the classroom or for independent exploration, this book is a powerful resource for understanding and applying optimization methods – no gradients required.

This book is designed as a textbook, suitable for self-learning or for teaching an upper-year university course on derivative-free and blackbox optimization. The book is split into 5 parts and is designed to be modular; any individual part depends only on the material in Part I.  Part I of the book discusses what is meant by Derivative-Free and Blackbox Optimization, provides background material, and early basics while Part II focuses on heuristic methods (Genetic Algorithms and Nelder-Mead).  Part III presents direct search methods (Generalized Pattern Search and Mesh Adaptive Direct Search) and Part IV focuses on model-based methods (Simplex Gradient and Trust Region).  Part V discusses dealing with constraints, using surrogates, and bi-objective optimization. End of chapter exercises are included throughout as well as 15 end of chapter projects and over 40 figures.  Benchmarking techniques are also presented in the appendix.