Enhancing Defense Through Intelligent Optimization

Abstract:  

This seminar will briefly explore several research efforts for improvement of defense systems involving computational intelligence that the speaker has led. Highlights from each
application along with lessons learned will be covered. These include swarm intelligence for operational ad hoc communications support, drone material handling in defense manufacturing environments, genetic algorithm multi-objective optimization for air mission operations, using bi-objective evolutionary strategies for design of airfoils of fixed winged drones, and implementation of military supply networks involving drones and trucks using intelligent optimization. These are realistic applications which all benefit from the use of pragmatic computational intelligence. The speaker will also briefly touch on a few current research projects funded by defense / security agencies that provide support concerning the value of computational intelligence in the defense and security realm.

Bio:

Alice E. Smith is the Joe W. Forehand, Jr. Distinguished Professor of the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at Auburn University with a joint appointment with the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering. Her research focus is analysis, modeling, and optimal design of complex systems with a focus on intelligent computation. She holds one U.S. patent and several international patents and has authored publications with over 18,000 citations an H Index of 52. Dr. Smith is the Editor in Chief of INFORMS Journal on Computing and an Area Editor of Computers & Operations Research. Dr. Smith has been a principal investigator on over $12 million of sponsored research with funding by Department of Homeland Security, NASA, U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency, National Security Agency, NIST, U.S. Department of Transportation, Frontier Technologies Inc., Lockheed Martin, Bombardier Transportation, the Ben Franklin Technology Center of Western Pennsylvania, and U.S. National Science Foundation, from which she has been awarded 18 distinct grants including a CAREER grant and an ADVANCE Leadership grant. She is a four-time Fulbright Scholar with residencies in Turkey, Chile, and Colombia. Dr. Smith is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Fellow of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS), a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), a senior member of the Society of Women Engineers, a member of Tau Beta Pi, and a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Alabama.