Preface: Special issue SAGO08

Abstract

The international workshop, Stochastic and Applied Global Optimization, was held during 19–22 July 2008. What made this workshop different to those previously held in global optimization, was the opportunities offered to the participants to view the game and natural beauty of South Africa alongside discussing research. The workshop was organized in the Skukuza Camp of the South African national game reserve, the Kruger National Park. The Skukuza Camp is located in the southern part of the Kruger National Park and is well known for its lion sightings. The presentations were scheduled in single stream sessions in such a way that there was ample time for the participants to view game in the mornings and late evenings. The participants were treated to the rare sight of each of the ‘big five’ (Lion, Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Elephant and Leopard). Round trips from Johannesburg to the Skukuza Camp were organized for the all participants to see the spectacular scenic beauties of South Africa. A total of 46 scholars from twelve countries attended the workshop. The participants were invited to submit their contribution to a special issue. Papers dealing with all aspects of global optimization, ranging from theories to applications, were submitted. The usual referee process, where three experts per paper were invited to referee, led to the final acceptance of six papers. Papers in both stochastic and heuristic methods for global optimization, in combinatorial optimization, in scheduling, and application areas such as location analysis are representative of the special issue. We are grateful to Professor Panos Pardalos, the Editor-in-chief of the Journal of Global Optimization, for granting this special issue and for his encouragement and guidance during the preparations and publication of the issue.