Special Session on Problem Modeling in Heuristic Optimization at EvoApplications 2026

[Elena Raponi]

Dear COSEAL Community,

 

At the next Evo* conference (Toulouse, France, 8-10 April 2026), Carlos Fonseca and I will organize a special session on

 

Problem Modeling in Heuristic Optimization [https://www.evostar.org/2026/evoapps/pmho/]

 

If you are interested in

1. understanding how problem formulation influences solver performance,
2. contributing to a discussion that bridges the gap between modeling choices and optimization outcomes, and
3. helping define new standards for representing problems to interface more effectively with solvers,

 

…then we invite you to submit a paper to our special session!

 

This session highlights the often overlooked but crucial role of problem formulation in determining solver performance. We welcome contributions that examine how modeling decisions affect optimization results, including benchmarks, case studies, foundational work, and practical applications.

 

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

 

• Model-solver interaction in heuristic optimization
• Case studies showing the impact of modeling choices on solver performance
• Landscape feature extraction for problem/model analysis
• Parametrization, proxy functions, and multi-fidelity formulations
• Standardization of interfaces between problem models and solvers
• Benchmark design and biases introduced by modeling choices
• Algorithmic developments inspired by modeling constraints or features
• Solver feedback for adaptive or online modeling
• Best practices and methodologies for effective heuristic modeling

 

Submission deadline: 1 November 2025

 

We look forward to your submissions and to engaging discussions at Evo* 2026!

 

Best regards,

Elena