Abstract:

This talk will explore several research efforts for improvement of defense systems involving computational intelligence that the speaker has led.  Highlights from each application along with lessons learned will be covered.  These include swarm intelligence for operational ad hoc communications support, genetic algorithm multi-objective optimization for air mission operations, using bi-objective evolutionary strategies for design of airfoils of fixed winged drones, and implementation of military supply networks involving drones and trucks using intelligent optimization.  These are realistic applications which all benefit from the use of pragmatic computational intelligence.  The speaker will also briefly touch on a few current research projects funded by defense / security agencies that provide support concerning the value of computational intelligence in the defense and security realm.

Biography:

ALICE E. SMITH is the Joe W. Forehand, Jr. Distinguished Professor of the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at Auburn University, where she served as Department Chair from 1999-2011.  She also has a joint appointment with the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering.  Previously, she was on the faculty of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh from 1991-99, which she joined after industrial experience with Southwestern Bell Corporation.  Dr. Smith has degrees from Rice University (BSCE), Saint Louis University (MBA), and Missouri University of Science and Technology (PhD) along with a recent BA in Spanish from Auburn University.

Dr. Smith’s research focus is analysis, modeling, and optimization of complex systems with emphasis on computation inspired by natural systems integrated with traditional operations research and statistical approaches.  She holds one U.S. patent and several international patents and has authored publications which have garnered over 17,500 citations, an H Index of 50, and an i10 Index of 126 (Google Scholar).  Dr. Smith is on the top half of the List of Top 2% of Scientific Researchers worldwide recently compiled by Stanford University based on publishing impact.  Her books include Women in Computational Intelligence: Key Advances and Perspectives on Emerging Topicsand Women in Industrial and Systems Engineering: Key Advances and Perspectives on Emerging Topics, both published by Springer. Several of her papers are among the most highly cited in their respective journals including the most cited paper of Reliability Engineering & System Safety and the 4th most cited paper of IEEE Transactions on Reliability.

Dr. Smith has been a principal investigator on over $10 million of sponsored research with funding by Department of Homeland Security, NASA, U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency, National Security Agency, NIST, U.S. Department of Transportation, Frontier Technologies Inc., Lockheed Martin, Adtranz (now Bombardier Transportation), the Ben Franklin Technology Center of Western Pennsylvania, and U.S. National Science Foundation, from which she has been awarded 18 distinct grants including a CAREER grant and an ADVANCE Leadership grant.  She is a four-time Fulbright Scholar (2013, 2016, 2017, 2020) with residencies in Turkey, Chile, and Colombia. 

For accomplishments in research, education, and service she was named the Joe W. Forehand, Jr. Distinguished Professor in 2023 and previously she was the Joe W. Forehand / Accenture Distinguished Professor, the H. Allen and Martha Reed Professor, and the Philpott‐ WestPoint Stevens Professor, all at Auburn University.  Dr. Smith is a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Fellow of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS) and of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), and a senior member of the Society of Women Engineers, a member of Tau Beta Pi, and a Registered Professional Engineer.  She is a current IEEE Distinguished Lecturer and has given numerous keynote/plenary talks at international conferences.  Dr. Smith is a current IEEE CIS Ad Com member and her leadership roles in conferences sponsored by IEEE are numerous.