Optimization has become a key ingredient in many engineering disciplines and has been experiencing a fast growth in recent years due to innovations in optimization algorithms and techniques, coupled with rapid development in computer hardware and software capabilities. The growing popularity of optimization in engineering applications is driven by ever-increasing competition pressure, where optimised products and/or processes can offer improved performance and cost effectiveness which are difficult to achieve with a traditional design approach. However, there are still many open challenges for optimization to be used routinely for engineering applications.

This awareness seminar brought together practitioners and academics in all relevant disciplines to share their knowledge and experiences, to discuss problems and challenges, and to facilitate further improvements in optimization techniques for engineering applications.