Frank Neumann

Professor Frank Neumann

ARC Externally-Funded Research Fellow (E)

School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Frank Neumann is a professor and the leader of the Optimisation and Logistics group at the University of Adelaide. His current position is funded by the Australian Research Council through a Future Fellowship and focuses on AI-based optimisation methods for problems with stochastic constraints. Frank has been the general chair of the ACM GECCO 2016 and co-organised ACM FOGA 2013 in Adelaide. He is an Area Editor of the journal "ACM Transactions on Evolutionary Learning and Optimization" and an Associate Editor of the journal "Evolutionary Computation" (MIT Press). In his work, he considers algorithmic approaches in particular for combinatorial and multi-objective optimization problems and focuses on theoretical aspects of evolutionary computation as well as high impact applications in the areas of cybersecurity, renewable energy, logistics, and mining.

  • artificial intelligence
  • bio-inspired computing
  • cybersecurity
  • machine learning
  • optimization
  • renewable energy
  • supply chain management
  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2016 - ongoing Professor The University of Adelaide
    2015 - 2016 Associate Dean (Research) The University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2015 Associate Professor The University of Adelaide
    2011 - 2012 Senior Lecturer The University of Adelaide
    2008 - 2010 Coordinator of the group "Bio-Inspired Computation” Max Planck Institute for Informatics (MPG)
    2006 - 2008 Postdoctoral Researcher Max Planck Institute for Informatics (MPG)
    2002 - 2006 Research Assistant Kiel University
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2006 Kiel University Germany PhD
    2002 Kiel University Germany Diplom
  • NHMRC Ideas Grant "Optimising time use for health and wellbeing", National Health and Medical Research Council, 2020-2023 (led by Dorothea Dumuid at the University of South Australia, several investigators).
  • ARC Discovery Project "Evolutionary diversity optimisation", Australian Research Council, 2019-2021 (with Tobias Friedrich).
  • Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, 2019-2021.
  • ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources, Australian Research Council, 2019-2023 (several chief investigators and industry partners).
  • Project "Detection and classification of malicious virtual grassroots influence campaigns in social media", Australia-Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme, 2020-2021 (with Lewis Mitchell, Christian Grimme, Mewish Nasim, Derek Weber, Dennis Assenmacher, Lena Adam, Heike Trautmann).
  • Research Consortium – Unlocking Complex Resources through Lean Processing, Research Consortia Program, State Government of South Australia, 2017-2021 (several chief investigators and industry partners).
  • ARC Discovery Project "Bio-inspired Computing for Problems with Dynamically Changing Constraints", Australian Research Council, 2016-2018 (with Zbigniew Michalewicz, Tobias Friedrich, Marc Schoenauer)
  • Project "Modelling and optimisation of submerged buoys for improved ocean wave energy production", Interdisciplinary Research Fund, The University of Adelaide, 2015 (with Markus Wagner, Boyin Ding, Benjamin Cazzolato, Maziar Arjomandi).
  • ARC Discovery Project "Parameterised analysis of bio-inspired computing - from theory to high performing algorithms", Australian Research Council, 2014-2016 (with Tobias Friedrich)
  • ARC Discovery Project "Advanced planning systems for vertically integrated supply chain management", Australian Research Council, 2013-2015 (with Zbigniew Michalewicz and Adam Ghandar)
  • Project "Exploring the evolutionary diversity of Australia's marine snakes to develop a bio-mimetic sea snake robot", Interdisciplinary Research Fund, The University of Adelaide, 2013-2014 (with Lei Chen, Kate Sanders, Amy Watson, Gustavo Carneiro, Brett Goodman, Marc Jones)
  • Evolutionary Computation, semester 2, 2018
  • Grand Challenges in Computer Science, semester 2, 2017
  • Evolutionary Computation, semester 1, 2017
  • Mining Big Data, semester 1, 2017.
  • Evolutionary Computation, semester 2, 2016
  • Mining Big Data, semester 1, 2015.
  • Mining Big Data, semester 1, 2014.
  • Evolutionary Computation, semester 2, 2013.
  • Advanced Algorithms, semester 1, 2013.
  • Evolutionary Computation, semester 2, 2012.
  • Algorithm and Data Structure Analysis, semester 1, 2012.
  • Evolutionary Computation, semester 2, 2011.
  • Data Structures and Algorithms, semester 2, 2011.
  • Data Structures and Algorithms, semester 1, 2011.
  • Algorithms and Data Structures, winter semester, 2009/2010. (Saarland University, Germany)
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Leveraging Machine Learning Agents for Military Application Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Josh Dylan Francis
    2024 Principal Supervisor Heuristic search algorithms for complex optimisation problems in space and energy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Liam Joshua Wigney
    2023 Co-Supervisor Maximising Mill Throughput using Machine Learning Techniques and Evolutionary Algorithms. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Zahra Ghasemi
    2022 Principal Supervisor Bio-inspired Computing for Problems with Chance Constraints Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Xiankun Yan
    2022 Principal Supervisor Evolutionary Algorithms for Solving Chance Constrained Combinatorial Optimization Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Saba Sadeghi Ahouei
    2022 Co-Supervisor Bio-inspired Computing for Problems with Chance Constraints Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Kokila Perera
    2022 Principal Supervisor Bio-inspired algorithms for stochastic multi-component problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Thilina Pathirage Don
    2021 Co-Supervisor Maximising throughput through intelligent online sensing and health monitoring Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Zeqi Li
    2021 Co-Supervisor Rapid updating of resource knowledge with sensor information including structures Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sultan Abulkhair
    2021 Principal Supervisor Is complexity an evolutionary response to selection change? Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr Gabor Zoltai
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Evolutionary Diversity Optimisation for Combinatorial Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Adel Nikfarjam
    2020 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Analysis of Search Heuristics for Diverse Solutions to Combinatorial Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Viet Anh Do
    2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Mathematical Optimisation for Vision-based Problems in Space Domain
    Awareness
    Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Chee Kheng Chng
    2018 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Bio-Inspired Computing for Chance-Constrained Combinatorial Optimisation Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yue Xie
    2018 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Application of Bio-inspired Algorithms to Selected Real-World Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Hirad Assimi
    2017 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Bio-Inspired Computing for Complex and Dynamic Constrained Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Vahid Roostapour
    2017 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Differential Evolution for Dynamic Constrained Continuous Optimisation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Maryam Hasani Shoreh
    2017 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Towards Exposing Coordinating Inauthentic Groups on Social Media Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Derek Christopher Weber
    2015 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Ambulatory Monitoring using Passive RFID Technology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Asanga Wickramasinghe
    2015 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Exact and Heuristic Approaches for Multi-component Optimisation Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Junhua Wu
    2013 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Diversity Optimization and Parameterized Analysis of Heuristic Search Methods for Combinatorial Optimization Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Wanru Gao
    2013 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Parameterised Complexity Analysis of Evolutionary Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Mojgan Pourhassan
    2012 - 2015 Principal Supervisor Parameterized Analysis of Bio-inspired Computation and the Traveling Salesperson Problem Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Samadhi Nethmini Nallaperuma
    2012 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Feature-Based Selection of Bio-Inspired Algorithms for Constrained Continuous Optimisation Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Shayan Poursoltan
    2011 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Particle swarm optimization: Theoretical analysis, Modifications, and Applications to Constrained Optimization Problems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Mohammadreza Bonyadi
    2011 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Theory and Applications of Bio-Inspired Algorithms Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time APrf Markus Wagner
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2016 - 2016 Chair General Chair Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference 2016 - United States
    2013 - 2013 Co-Chair Chair Foundations of Genetic Algorithms 2013 - Australia
  • Consulting/Advisories

    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2018 - ongoing Daitum - Business and professional Australia
    2015 - ongoing Complexica - Business and professional Australia
    2015 - ongoing Optimatics - Business and professional Australia
    2014 - 2016 Project SAGE Speed of Adaptation in Population Genetics and Evolutionary Computation - Scientific research United Kingdom
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2017 - ongoing Associate Editor IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation - -
    2014 - ongoing Associate Editor Evolutionary Computation - -
  • Position: ARC Externally-Funded Research Fellow (E)
  • Phone: 83134477
  • Email: frank.neumann@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134366
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Ingkarni Wardli, floor 4
  • Org Unit: Computer Science

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