Research in the formulation, solution and analysis of mathematical programs has grown tremendously over the last 25 years. In 1980, optimization on engineering problems beyond linear programming were often viewed as a curious novelty without much benefit. Now, optimization applications are essential in all areas of process systems engineering including design, identification and control, estimation, scheduling and planning. Advances in scientific computing, both in hardware and software engineering, need to be harnessed to develop new optimization algorithms. Currently, many engineering modeling platforms are being redesigned to exploit these advances in parallel computing architectures and object oriented programming. This allows a window of opportunity to improve the performance of optimization algorithms and their links to greater and more complex engineering models.

Given these challenges, research in optimization remains as exciting and active in our field as ever before. Coupled with fundamental research is also the application of optimization into domains that extend far beyond traditional engineering processes into areas such as biotechnology. ADRESS maintains its sight focused in optimization formulations and algorithms that have had significant impacts in these field as well.

Selected Reference:

Alcocer – García, H., Segovia – Hernández, J.G., Prado – Rubio, O.A., Sánchez – Ramírez, E., Quiroz – Ramírez, J.J., 2020, Multi-Objective Optimization of Intensified Processes for the Purification of Levulinic Acid Involving Economic and Environmental Objectives. Part II: A Comparative Study of Dynamic Optimization Approaches, Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification, 147, 107745.