****************************************************************************** ICANNGA95 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS and GENETIC ALGORITHMS Preceded by a one-day Introductory Workshop ECOLE DES MINES d'ALES , FRANCE 18th - 21st April 1995 Call for Papers and Invitation to Participate Purpose and Scope of the Conference Artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms are two areas of emerging technology, with their origins in the field of biology. Independently or in conjunction, approaches based on these techniques have produced interesting and useful results in many fields of application. The conference has two purposes, namely to bring together established workers in the fields and also to provide an opportunity for those wishing to gain understanding and experience of these areas. Thus the conference will be preceded by a one-day workshop. At this workshop, introductory presentations covering the basic concepts and recent developments will be given, with lectures based on printed course notes. The language of instruction will be English, but it is expected that assistance will be available in French and German. "Hands-on" experience will be available and the workshop fee will include the cost of some introductory software. Workshop participants will be able to register as listeners for the conference itself at a reduced rate. This conference follows the highly successful ICANNGA93 held at Innsbruck, Austria in April 1993. Owing to the exceptionally high quality of publications and friendly atmosphere evident at the 1993 conference, the organisers have decided to continue the conference theme with a conference every two years. As a result the Ecole des Mines d'Ales is honoured and delighted to be chosen to host the second of this conference series, in close collaboration with the organisers of ICANNGA93 from the University of Innsbruck and Coventry University. Call for Papers The conference will focus on both the theoretical and practical aspects of the technologies. Accordingly, contributions are sought based on the following list, which is indicative only. 1 Theoretical aspects of Artificial Neural Networks. Novel paradigms, training methods, analysis of results and models, trajectories and dynamics. 2. Practical applications of Artificial Neural Networks. Pattern recognition, classification problems, fault detection, optimisation, prediction, risk assessment, data compression and image processing, process monitoring and control, financial forecasting, etc... 3. Theoretical and computational aspects of Genetic Algorithms. New algorithms/processes, performance measurement. 4. Practical applications of Genetic Algorithms. Optimisation, scheduling and design problems, classifier systems, application to artificial neural networks, etc... Authors wishing to contribute to the conference should send an abstract of 600-1000 words of their proposed contribution before 31st August 1994. Abstracts should be in English and three typewritten copies should be sent to the address below. David Pearson Laboratoire d'Electronique d'Automatique et d'Informatique Ecole des Mines d'Ales 6, avenue de Clavieres 30319 Ales Cedex France Alternatively abstracts may be sent by electronic mail to either of the following email addresses. 1. dpearson@soleil.ENSM-ALES.FR (Ales) 2. NSTEELE@cov.ac.uk (Coventry) Refereeing of abstracts submitted before the deadline date will take place on a regular basis, allowing early decisions to be taken in order to help contributors plan their visit. ADVISORY COMMITTEE R. Albrecht, University of Innsbruck D. Pearson, Ecole des Mines d'Ales N. Steele, Coventry University. Accommodation charges are not included in the fees. Details on hotel reservation will be available later in 1994. For further information on the conference or workshop please contact :- Nigel Steele Department of Mathematics Coventry University Priory Street Coventry CV1 5FB UK tel: +44 203 838568 fax: +44 203 838585 email: NSTEELE@cck.cov.ac.uk or David Pearson Laboratoire d'Electronique d'Automatique et d'Informatique Ecole des Mines d'Ales 6, avenue de Clavieres 30319 Ales Cedex France tel: +33 66785249 fax: +33 66785201 email: dpearson@soleil.ENSM-ALES.FR General Information Ales-en-Cevennes is situated at the South-Eastern outcrop of the Massif Central between the "garrigues" of Languedoc and the Cevennes mountains and owes its existence to its abundant mineral resources. Means of access: Ales is located 40 kilometres from Nimes, 70 kilometres from Avignon, Montpellier and the Mediterranean beaches and 150 kilometres from Marseille. By road: The "Nimes-Ouest" exit on the Lyon-Barcelona and the Marseille-Barcelona motorways. By train: The Paris-Lyon-Nimes TGV (high speed train, 4.5 hours from Paris to Nimes), connection by train or bus to Ales from Nimes. By plane: Marseille and Montpellier international airports, Nimes national airport with several daily flights from Paris. More detailed information on the various means of access will be available later in 1994.  -- ========================== Nigel Steele Chairman, Division of Mathematics School of Mathematical and Information Sciences Coventry University Priory Street Coventry CV1 5FB United Kingdom. tel: (0203) 838568 +44 203 838568 email: NSTEELE@uk.ac.cov.cck (JANET) or NSTEELE@cck.cov.ac.uk (EARN BITNET etc.) fax: (0203) 838585 +44 203 838585