All sciences are increasingly relying on computational support and the growth of many branches of science has only become possible due to the availability of efficient computational methods. The common basis of such methods are; numerical methods and high performance computing. Topics for this unit include: Numerical Methods, High Performance and Parallel Computing, Optimisation and Operations Research Bioinformatics, Simulation, Visualisation and Modelling.
Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:
(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:
(b.) Additional requirements (all students):
Completion of the Bachelor of Computer Science or equivalent to the entry requirements for the Honours program. Students must also have enrolment approval from the Honours Coordinator.
Aldeida Aleti
Julian Garcia
Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. The University’s student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.
For more information on Monash’s educational strategy, see:
www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/ and on student evaluations, see: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html
Student feedback has shown the unit is structured well. To make sure materials are current lecture notes have been updated and new visual references have been added.
If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp
| Week | Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Review recommended reading | No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0 |
| 1 | Evolutionary Computation for Optimisation and Simulation | |
| 2 | Combinatorial Problems and Computational Complexity | |
| 3 | Systematic, Local and Stochastic Search | |
| 4 | Fitness Landscape Analysis | |
| 5 | Parameter Control for Evolutionary Algorithms | |
| 6 | Constrained Problems and Constraint-Handling Techniques | Problem Set 1 due Week 6, Friday, 5pm |
| 7 | Co-evolution, Co-evolutionary algorithms, Evolutionary Models | |
| 8 | Fundamentals of Game Theory | |
| 9 | Evolutionary dynamics I | |
| 10 | Evolutionary dynamics II | |
| 11 | Agent-based models of evolution and applications | |
| 12 | Project presentations | Research Project due Week 12; Problem Set 2 due Week 14, Friday, 5pm |
| SWOT VAC | No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC | |
| Examination period | LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/ academic/education/assessment/ assessment-in-coursework-policy.html |
*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.
Assignment and Examination, relative weight depending on topic composition. When no exam is given students will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge by solving practical problems and maybe required to give an oral report.
| Assessment Task | Value | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Set 1 | 40% | Week 6, Friday, 5pm |
| Problem Set 2 | 40% | Week 14, Friday, 5pm |
| Research Project | 20% | Week 12 |
Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/assessment-hurdles.html)
Academic Integrity - Please see resources and tutorials at http://www.monash.edu/library/skills/resources/tutorials/academic-integrity/
Marks will be awarded based on the criteria listed below. The questions listed indicate the kind of questions that will be asked when your work is assessed.
- Logical structure: is the proposal or presentation well structured? Does it present its material in a logical and clear way?
- Writing quality: does every word count? Has the author avoided padding out the text with waffle in order to get to the necessary word count? Are the main points of the paper clear and convincing, with solid arguments and proper referencing to the literature?
- Language, spelling and grammar: has the paper been proof-read? Are there spelling mistakes? Do sentences make sense? Are there any grammatical errors? Is it easy to establish what the writer is trying to say?
- Quality of analysis: how well has the topic being researched? How clearly does it establish the important points and arguments. Are the references appropriate and adequate?
- Original contribution: what does the paper contribute to the topic beyond just listing opinions or work done by others? How original is the paper?
Sean Luke (2009): "Essentials of Metaheuristics", Lulu, Available for free download at: http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~sean/book/metaheuristics/
A.E. Eiben and J.E. Smith (2007): "Introduction to Evolutionary Computing", (2nd Edition) Springer, Natural Computing Series
Stochastic Local Search, Foundations and Applications, by Holger H. Hoos and Thomas Stützle, http://www.sls-book.net/
How to Solve It: Modern Heuristics, by Zbigniew Michalewicz and David B. Fogel, http://www.amazon.com/How-Solve-It-Modern-Heuristics/dp/3540224947
M.A Nowak (2006): "Evolutionary dynamics: exploring the equations of life". Havard University Press. http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674023383
Monash Library Unit Reading List (if applicable to the unit)
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html
Faculty of Information Technology Style Guide
Examination/other end-of-semester assessment feedback may take the form of feedback classes, provision of sample answers or other group feedback after official results have been published. Please check with your lecturer on the feedback provided and take advantage of this prior to requesting individual consultations with staff. If your unit has an examination, you may request to view your examination script booklet, see http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/procedures/request-to-view-exam-scripts.html
Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.
You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html
It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/student-academic-integrity-managing-plagiarism-collusion-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz). Please note that it is your responsibility to retain copies of your assessments.
If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.
Access to a C, C++ or Java compiler and IDE environment. These are available in University computer labs.
Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash’s Education Policies at: www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html
Key educational policies include:
Important student resources including Faculty policies are located at http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/
The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at http://www.monash.edu.au/students. For Malaysia see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/.
The Monash University Library provides a range of services, resources and programs that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Malaysia, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.