CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS


The AAAI-15 Workshop on Algorithm Configuration (AlgoConf 2015)

Austin, Texas, January 25-29, 2015
Website: aaai15ws.aclib.net
E-mail: algoconf.organizers@gmail.com

Workshop Overview:

Algorithm configuration is the task of determining settings of an algorithm’s parameters that optimize its performance on a specific type of instances. This task has traditionally been performed by domain experts in a tedious & time-consuming manual optimization process. Recently, modern algorithm configuration procedures are used to perform this task automatically.

The aim of this workshop is to bring together researchers working on algorithm configuration procedures and those using them, initiate dialogue, provide an empirical foundation for research in the field, discuss the respective strengths and weaknesses of different approaches, and determine promising directions for future research.

We encourage submissions on all aspects of algorithm configuration, including:

- new methodologies in parameter tuning & algorithm configuration
- benchmarks for parameter tuning & algorithm configuration
- case studies for parameter tuning & algorithm configuration
- parameter control
- blackbox function optimization
- algorithm selection for parameter optimization
- performance prediction
- benchmark generation for selection & configuration and
- instance features for selection & configuration.

We particularly encourage the submission of papers that introduce algorithm configuration benchmarks. Challenge papers that point out problems and tasks where the application of existing approaches has not led to improvements are also welcome.

We also encourage 2-page submissions on preliminary results and works in progress, hoping that this will help spark discussions on the strengths and weaknesses of algorithm configuration techniques, as well as the challenges we should tackle next.

Authors will have the choice to label their submissions as "just-for-presentation" if they should not be included in the AAAI tech report (e.g., since they have already been accepted or submitted elsewhere, or because publication may jeopardize the chances of the work getting published as a conference paper later on). 

Each accepted paper will be presented as a poster (with short oral spotlight), and selected papers will be chosen for an oral presentation.

Important Dates:

- October 30, 2014: Submission deadline [extended]
- November 14, 2014: Notification of acceptance
- November 30, 2014: Camera ready copy due (Please submit as described in the e-mail from Carol Hamilton (Nov 23rd))
- January 25-29, 2015: AAAI 2015

Paper submission:

Full papers should be at most 7 pages in AAAI format (including references).
Short papers should be at most 2 pages in AAAI format plus references.

Each paper will be reviewed by at least two researchers in the field. Submission are handled through EasyChair; please see the workshop website for details: aaai15ws.aclib.net

Invited speakers:

- Kevin Leyton-Brown
- Meinolf Sellmann
- Franco Mascia

Organizers:

- Frank Hutter
- Marius Lindauer 
- Yuri Malitsky