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Mission Statement
We feel that algorithms research benefits from a certain breadth of
topics, and we have been aiming to cover that breadth in a particular
way that we want to continue to explore. In terms of computer science
methods, our interest ranges from hard combinatorial and geometric
optimization problems across data structures for large data sets and
complex operations to distributed data handling and processing. In
terms of application scenarios, we plan to continue the study of
transportation problems such as railway optimization and control; of
mobile phone antenna optimization problems such as placement,
frequency assignment, and adaptivity; of proteomics problems such as
database search and data analysis problems; of web related problems
such as fault tolerant data handling and processing in a large
network. All of these problems will be studied under a variety of
conditions and objectives. In terms of mode of operation, we feel that
it is important to be part of a research effort already in the
modelling phase, carry all the way through the abstraction and
solution phase to the phase of implementing and experimenting with
algorithms and data structures. We are aware of the danger inherent in
such an approach: Too much breadth certainly comes with a lack of
depth, and too little breadth leads to a lack of cross-fertilizing
experience. Our goal is to balance both in a way that allows us to do
fundamental research and application development at the same time, and
not disregard the area in between.
