Profile
Personal details
E-mail Address: 
Website: https://alandefreitas.github.io/
Github: https://github.com/alandefreitas
Short bio
Professional
Staff Engineer at the C++ Alliance
Education
- Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, on the field of Computational Intelligence, from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, University of Sheffield, and ORT Braude College of Engineering (Split Ph.D.).
- M.S. and B.S. in Computer Science from the Federal University of Ouro Preto.
Recent Work
- Open source foundational libraries and tools for the C++ ecosystem, particularly focused on Asynchronous Networking and Scientific Computing. Our most recent library is Boost.URL
- Research on data structures for Pareto fronts and Archives, whose results were published in 2021 in Swarm and Evolutionary Computation (Impact Factor 7.177 / Rank #2/378 in Mathematics).
- Previously coordinating research groups focused on the development of compilers and solvers for innovative symbolic modeling languages, which can represent and solve gray-box optimization problems.
- In 2019, our recent paper on Symbolic Gray-Box Evolutionary Algorithms received the best paper award in the track of Genetic Algorithms at the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO).
Research Interests
- Asynchronous Networking
- Symbolic Data Structures
- Artificial and Computational Intelligence
- Mathematical, Gray-Box, and Multi-objective Optimization
- Matheuristics
- Evolutionary Algorithms
- Computer Music
- Logic and Epistemology
Experience
- Previously been an associate professor for 10 years, where I taught coursed on advanced programming in C++.
- Visiting professor at the University of Montreal and McGill University in 2014, where we developed applications for the design of Permanent Magnet Motors.
- Previously worked at the Rolls-Royce Control & Systems University Technology Centre and a Marie Curie researcher within the Seventh Framework Program of the European Commission. At the time, we developed the method of Aggregation Trees for the design of aircraft engines.
Teaching
- Several introductory and advanced programming courses in C++ (undergraduate and graduate programs).
- Science Methods course (graduate program).
- Coordinator, as an educationalist, of the project "Aluno Integrado", which has taught computer programming to more than 10 thousand students from low-income regions of Brazil.
Education
Ph.D. (2010-2013)
Dimensionality Reduction in Many-Objective Problems: An Application in Algorithmic Composition
Federal University of Minas Gerais, University of Sheffield, ORT Braude College of Engineering (Split-PhD)
Electrical Engineering / Computational Intelligence
M.S. (2009-2010)
Evolutionary Music: A Computational Approach for Algorithmic Composition
Federal University of Ouro Preto
Computer Science / Operations Research
B.Sc. (2005-2009)
Solving the TSP via GRASP with SOM Neural Networks
Federal University of Ouro Preto
Computer Science / Computational Intelligence
Experience
Staff Engineer
The C++ Alliance (2021 – present)
Developing Open Source Libraries
Associate Professor
Federal University of Ouro Preto (2013 – 2021)
Courses: 2013-Present: Computer Programming, Algorithms, and Data Structures. 2015-2021: Logic, Epistemology, and Scientific Methods. 2014-2020: Evolutionary Computation. 2013-2015: Numerical Analysis.
Activities: 2014-2019: Coordinator of the Course on Computer Programming, Algorithms, and Data Structures. 2014-2018: Member of the Graduate Program Committee. 2013-2016: Coordinator of the Course on Numerical Analysis.
Researcher
Marie Curie researcher within the Seventh Framework Program (FP7) of the European Commission CORDIS (2012-2016)
Visiting Professor
Université de Montreal (2014)
Adjunct Professor
Federal University of Sao Joao Del-Rei (2013)
Courses: 2013-2013: Algorithms and Data Structures
Researcher
Rolls-Royce University Technology Center, Department of Control and Systems Engineering. UK. (2012-2013)
Researcher
ORT Braude College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering. Israel. (2012)
Internship
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Electrical Engineering (2011 - 2012)
Internship
Federal University of Ouro Preto , Department of Computer Science Brazil (2010)
Developer
Australian Link Global Trading (2007-2008)
Languages
English
Fluent: Conversationally fluent
Lived, studied, and worked in Australia, the UK, and Canada. Currently affiliated to the C++ Alliance, located in the USA.
Portuguese
Fluent: Conversationally fluent
More specifically, Brazilian Portuguese.
Spanish
Intermediate: Comprehends and reads well
I have also studied Spanish and have had friends who speak Spanish since I was a child.
French
Basic: Reads Well
I have studied French as a child and spent a long periods of time in France. I haven't been using the language so I can read well but have difficulty speaking.
Japanese
Basic: Comprehends Reasonably, Speaks Little
I've had close friends from Japan for decades and that got me into studying the language and spending lengthy periods of time in Japan. While I still understand the grammar well, I haven't used the language at all and lost all my vocabulary.
Repositories
Academic
Publications
- P3236R0: Please reject P2786 and adopt P1144.
- Gray-Box Local Search with Groups of Step Sizes.
- A Constrained Portfolio Optimization Model using MAD: A Study on the Impact of Cardinality and Frontier Constraints. Modelo de Otimização de Portfólios Restrito Usando MAD: Um Estudo Do Impacto das Restrições de Cardinalidade e de Fronteira.
- A Multiobjective Evolutionary Model for Affective Algorithmic Composition. Um Modelo Evolutivo Multiobjetivo para Composição Algorítmica Afetiva.
- Mono-objective Evolutionary Model for Affective Algorithmic Composition.
- Local Search with Groups of Step Sizes.
- Efficient user-oriented Pareto fronts and Pareto archives based on spatial data structures.
- Probabilistic (k,l)-Context-Sensitive Grammar Inference with Gibbs Sampling Applied to Chord Sequences.
- An abstract interface for large-scale continuous optimization decomposition methods.
- Herde: A Game for the Teaching the Promotion of Environmental Consciousness. Herde: Um Jogo para o Ensino a Promoção de Consciência Ambiental.
- Design and development of a serious game for musical education. Design e desenvolvimento de um jogo sério para educação musical.
- Strong: Development and Evaluation of a Game to Auxiliary in the Treatments in the Autism Spectrum. Strong: Desenvolvimento e Avaliação de um Jogo para Auxiliar no Tratamento do Espectro do Autismo.
- A Predictive Model for the Diet Problem Modelo Preditivo para o Problema da Dieta.
- An Interactive Model for the Diet Problem Modelo Interativo para o Problema da Dieta.
- Multi-heap constraint handling in gray box evolutionary algorithms.
- A symbolic evolutionary algorithm software platform.
- User-Oriented Objective Prioritization for Meta-Featured Multi-Objective Recommender Systems.
- Island-cellular model differential evolution for large-scale global optimization.
- A Multicriteria Evaluation of Hybrid Recommender Systems: On the Usefulness of Input Data Characteristics.
- A Hybrid Model of Population Distribution for the Differential Evolution Algorithm. Um Modelo Híbrido de Distribuição Populacional para o Algoritmo de Evolução Diferencial.
- Visualization and Analysis of Trade-offs in Many-Objective Optimization: A Case Study on the Interior Permanent Magnet Motor Design.
- Visualization and Analysis of Trade-offs in Many-Objective Optimization: A Case Study on the Interior Permanent Magnet Motor Design.
- A New Perspective on Channel Allocation in WLAN: Considering the Total Marginal Utility of the Connections for the Users.
- Scaling Objective Functions Considering the Phenotypical Diversity in Population Algorithms. Escalonamento de Funções Objetivo Considerando Diversidade Fenotípica em Algoritmos Populacionais.
- Channel Allocation with Maximum User Utility in Local Wireless Networks. Alocação de Canais com Utilidade Máxima para Usuários em Redes Locais Sem Fio.
- A communitarian microgrid storage planning system inside the scope of a smart city.
- Average Aggregation Trees for the Analysis and Optimization of the Many-Objective Vehicle Routing Problem with Flexible Time Windows Árvores de Agregação Média para Análise e Otimização do Problema de Roteamento de Veículos com Muitos Objetivos e Janelas de Tempo Flexíveis.
- An Analysis of the Performance Trade-off in Island Model Configurations in Differential Evolution. Uma Análise do Trade-off de Desempenho das Diferentes Configurações do Modelo em Ilhas Usando Evolução Diferencial.
- Visualization and Dimension Reduction in Many-Objective Optimization.
- A Brief Overview of Migratory Flows in Island Model for Evolutionary Algorithms.
- Optimizing two-level reverse distribution networks with hybrid memetic algorithms.
- Aggregation Trees for Visualization and Dimension Reduction in Many-Objective Optimization.
- PSA Based Multi Objective Evolutionary Algorithms.
- A study on the configuration of migratory flows in island model differential evolution.
- On the visualization of trade-offs and reducibility in many-objective optimization.
- Objective Selection in the Vehicle Routing Problem with Flexible Time Windows. Seleção de Objetivos no Problema de Roteamento de Veículos com Janelas de Tempo.
- A study on self-configuration in the differential evolution algorithm.
- Memetic self-adaptive evolution strategies applied to the maximum diversity problem.
- Differential Evolution and Perceptron Decision Trees for Fault Detection in Power Transformers.
- Genetic Algorithms Applied to Reverse Distribution Networks.
- A Non-parametric Harmony-Based Objective Reduction Method for Many-Objective Optimization.
- Automatic Evaluation Methods in Evolutionary Music: An Example with Bossa Melodies.
- Differential Evolution and Perceptron Decision Trees for Classification Tasks.
- Ideas in Automatic Evaluation Methods for Melodies in Algorithmic Composition.
- Performance Comparison of Parameter Variation Operators in Self-Adaptive Differential Evolution Algorithms.
- Logística Reversa Capacitada em Dois Níveis - Uma Abordagem Utilizando Algoritmos Genéticos.
- A Ranking Strategy based on Diversity in Genetic Algorithms. Uma estratégia de Ranking baseada em diversidade em Algoritmos Genéticos.
- Pareto Optimal Sensitivity Bounds for a Strongly Interacting 2-Loop Brazing Temperature Control System.
- Data Classification via Perceptron Trees Generated with Differential Evolution. Classificação de Dados Através de Árvores de Perceptrons Geradas por Evolução Diferencial.
- Originality and diversity in the artificial evolution of melodies
- Melody Harmonization in Evolutionary Music using Multiobjective Genetic Algorithms.
- Multi-objective Evolutionary Computation for Melody Harmonization. Computação Evolutiva Multiobjetivo para Harmonização de Melodias.
- A Cooperative Co-evolutionary Algorithm for the Configuration of Wireless Sensor Networks. Um Algoritmo Coevolutivo Cooperativo para Configuração de Redes de Sensores sem Fio.
- Generating Original Melodies with Genetic Algorithms. Geração de Melodias Originais Usando Algoritmos Genéticos.
- When Darwin Meets Bossa: An Evolutionary Samba.
- A Comparison of Heuristics Applied to the Maximum Diversity Problem. Comparação de Heurísticas Aplicadas ao Problema da Diversidade Máxima.
- Solving the Traveling Salesman Problem via GRASP with Construction based on Self-Organizable Neural Networks. Resolvendo o Problema do Caixeiro Viajante Via GRASP com Construção Baseada em Redes Neurais Auto-Organizáveis.
- GRASP e Self-Organizable Neural Networks: A Meta-Heuristic for the Solution of the TSP. GRASP e Redes Neurais Auto-Organizáveis: Uma Meta-Heurística para a Solução do TSP.
Reviewer
- Information Sciences
- IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation
- Operational Research
- Sensors
- IET Generation Transmission & Distribution
- Latin-American Conference on Computational Intelligence
- Brazilian Symposium on Intelligent Automation
- Brazilian Symposium on Operations Research
Grants and awards
Best Paper Award
GA Track, Association for Computing Machinery - GECCO. 2019.
Gray-box Methods and HPC for Large-Scale Optimization Models
The State Funding Agency of Minas Gerais (2022)
Population and Exact Optimization Methods in Many-Objective Problems
CNPq 402956/2016-8 (2016-2022)
Multiobjective Optimization in the Context of Practical Many-Objective Problems
The State Funding Agency of Minas Gerais APQ-00040-14 (2014-2019)
Introduction to C++ Video Course
Extension (2014)
Aluno Integrado 2014
Extension (2014)
New Horizons for Multi Criteria Decision Making
PIRSES-GA-2011-295152 (2012-2016)
Heuristic and Exact Approaches for Combinatorial Optimization Problems
PROCAD-CNPq/National Council for Scientific and Technological Development 552289/2011-6 (2011-2015)
Developing Efficient Techniques for Optimizing and Planning Operations
The State Funding Agency of Minas Gerais PRONEM (2011-2015)
Investigating Theoretical Aspect of Evolutionary Optimization
The State Funding Agency of Minas Gerais PRONEM (2010-2012)
Academic advisory
- Ph.D.: Henrique B. Lopes (2018-Present)
- Master's: Eduardo C. Chagas (2020-2023)
- Master's: Wemerson G. Lima (2019-2023)
- Master's: Carla S. N. Santos (2020-2022)
- Master's: Glauber S. Santos (2018-2022)
- Ph.D.: Rodolfo A. Lopes (2016-2021)
- Teaching Internship: Henrique Barros Lopes (2019-2019)
- Teaching Internship: Thiago M. Gomes (2017-2017)
- Teaching Assistant: Douglas X. Souza (2018-2018)
- Teaching Assistant: Tuani M. Assaf (2018-2018)
- Teaching Internship: Leonardo de Souza Cimino (2018-2018)
- Teaching Internship: Ana R. M. Nascimento (2017-2017)
- Teaching Internship: Rodolfo A. Lopes (2016-2017)
- Bachelor's Monograph: Gessé A. Silva (2016-2017)
- Scientific Initiation Project: Luiz G. P. Melo (2017-2018)
- Teaching Assistant: Paula S. Dutra (2017-2017)
- Teaching Assistant: Thiago Ferreira (2017-2017)
- Teaching Internship: Leonardo S. Cimino (2016-2017)
- Teaching Internship: Ademir R. M. Guedes (2016-2016)
- Teaching Assistant: Luiz G. P. Melo (2016-2017)
- Scientific Initiation Project: Anderson M. Morais (2015-2015)
- Scientific Initiation Project: Marcus V. L. Quadros (2015-2016)
- Scientific Initiation Project: Charllon L. Almeida (2015-2015)
- Teaching Internship: Thieres N. Dias (2015-2015)
- Teaching Internship: Lucas C. O. Matsueda (2015-2015)
- Teaching Assistant: Marcus V. L. Quadros (2015-2015)
- Teaching Assistant: Anderson M. Morais (2015-2015)
- Master's: Thiago A. Luiz (2014-2015)
- Master's: Lucas C. O. Matsueda (2014-2015)
- Bachelor's Monograph: Dhiego S. Andrade (2014-2015)
- Scientific Initiation Project: Fernando H. Pimenta (2014-2015)
- Scientific Initiation Project: Paulo H. Almeida (2013-2016)
- Bachelor's Monograph: Guilherme P. Pacheco (2013-2013)
- Bachelor's Monograph: Marcus V. Oliveira (2012-2012)
- Teaching Assistant: Eduardo O. Ferreira (2014-2015)
- Teaching Assistant: Klevison D. O. Ribeiro (2014-2014)
- Teaching Assistant: Arthur M. Negreto (2014-2014)
- Teaching Assistant: Filipe C. Barbosa (2014-2014)
- Teaching Assistant: Ian C. M. Machado (2014-2014)
- Extension Program: Joyce I. S. Fonseca (2014-2015)
- Extension Program: Pedro A. Menezes (2014-2015)
- Extension Program: Ivan S. Ibrahim (2014-2015)
- Extension Program: Christian F. A. Teixeira (2014-2015)
- Extension Program: Anna F. S. M. Oliveira (2014-2015)
- Extension Program: Débora N. Diniz (2014-2015)
- Extension Program: Juciander L. Moreira (2014-2015)
- Teaching Assistant: Marina R. Nunes (2013-2013)