Rong Qu

Contact

• workRoom C71 Computer Science
  Jubilee Campus
  Wollaton Road
  Nottingham
  NG8 1BB
  UK
• workn/a
• rong.qu@nottingham.ac.uk
• http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~rxq

Expertise Summary

Real world applications:

• Transport Logistic Scheduling, Vehicle Routing
• Cyber Security for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs)
• Personnel Scheduling, Portfolio Optimization, Multicast Network Routing (Network Coding), Timetabling

Algorithms / techniques:

• Automated Algorithm Design; Hyper-heuristics; Evolutionary Algorithms; Meta-heuristics
• Machine Learning supported Evolutionary Algorithms
• Constraint Programming; Integer Programming, Case Based Reasoning

Teaching Summary

* Introduction to Artificial Intelligence * Selected Topics in Artificial Intelligence * Constraint Logic Programming * Artificial Intelligence Methods * Decision Support Methodologies

Research Summary

Real world applications:

• Transport Logistic Scheduling, Vehicle Routing
• Cyber Security for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs)
• Personnel Scheduling, Portfolio Optimization, Multicast Network Routing (Network Coding), Timetabling

Algorithms / techniques:

• Hyper-heuristics; Evolutionary Algorithms; Meta-heuristics
• Constraint Programming; Integer Programming, Case Based Reasoning

Selected Publications

• QU, R, BURKE, E.K, MCCOLLUM, B, MERLOT, L.T.G. and LEE, S.Y., 2009. A Survey of Search Methodologies and Automated System Development for Examination Timetabling Journal of Scheduling. 12(1), 55-89
• QU, R., BURKE, E.K. and MCCOLLUM, B., 2009. Adaptive automated construction of hybrid heuristics for exam timetabling and graph colouring problems European Journal of Operational Research. 198(2), 392-404
• QU, R. and BURKE, E.K., 2009. Hybridisations within a graph-based hyper-heuristic framework for university timetabling problems Journal of the Operational Research Society. 60, 1273-1285
• BURKE, E.K., CURTOIS, T.E., POST, G., QU, R. and VELTMAN, B., 2008. A hybrid heuristic ordering and variable neighbourhood search for the nurse rostering problem European Journal of Operational Research. 188(2), 330-341

• View all publications

Past Research

Artificial Intelligence methods (i.e. heuristics, meta-heuristics and hyper-heuristics) integrated with machine learning for real world scheduling and optimization problems.

Future Research

Modeling and fundamentals of evolutionary algorithms towards automated algorithm design for optimisaiton problems.

• CASTILLO-SALAZAR, J. ARTURO, LANDA-SILVA, DARIO and QU, RONG, 2016. Workforce Scheduling and Routing Problems Literature Survey and Computational Study Annals of Operations Research. 239(1), 39-67
• KENDALL, G., BAI, R., BLAZEWICZ, J., CAUSMAECKER, P. D., GENDREAU, M., JOHN, R., LI, J., MCCOLLUM, B., PESCH, E., QU, R., SABAR, N., BERGHE, G. V. and YEE, A. S. V., 2016. Good Laboratory practice for Optimisation Research Journal of Operational Research Society. 66(11), 1-14
• Z. WANG, H. XING, T. LI, Y.YANG, R. QU, AND Y. PAN, 2016. A Modified Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm for Network Coding Resource Minimization IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation. (In Press.)
• J. ARTURO CASTILLO-SALAZAR, D. LANDA-SILVA, R. QU, 2016. Workforce scheduling and routing problems: literature survey and computational study Annals of Operations Research. (In Press.)
• BINHUI CHEN, RONG QU, RUIBIN BAI AND HISAO ISHIBUCHI, 2016. A Variable Neighbourhood Search Algorithm with Compound Neighbourhoods for VRPTW: 2016 International Conference on Operations Research and Enterprise Systems (ICORES'16) In: 2016 International Conference on Operations Research and Enterprise Systems (ICORES'16).
• YAN JIN, RONG QU, JASON ATKIN, 2016. Constrained Portfolio Optimisation: the state-of-the-art Markowitz Models In: 2016 International Conference on Operations Research and Enterprise Systems (ICORES'16).
• F. HE, 2016. Hybridising Local Search with Branch-and-Bound for Cnonstrained Portfolio Selection Problems In: The 30th EUROPEAN Conference on Modelling and Simulation (ECMS'16).
• RL PINHEIRO, D LANDA-SILVA, R. QU and E YANAGA, 2016. Towards an Efficient API for Optimisation Problems Data Avoiding the Drawback of Relying on Built-in Garbage Collectors In: The 18th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems (ICEIS'16).
• 2016. Domain Transformation in Nurse Scheduling In: National Innovation and Invention Competition Through Exhibition 2015 (iCompEx'15).
• HUANLAI XING, YING XU, RONG QU, LEXI XU, 2016. A PBIL for Load Balancing in Network Coding Based Multicasting In: 16th International on Conference Computational Science and Its Applications. LNCS 9787. 34-44
• SABAR, N. R., M. AYOB, KENDALL, G. and QU, R., 2015. A Dynamic Multi-Armed Bandit-Gene Expression Programming Hyper-Heuristic for Combinatorial Optimization Problems IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics. 45(2), 217 - 228
• N. R. SABAR, M. AYOB, G. KENDALL and R. QU, 2015. The Automatic Design of Hyper-heuristic Framework with Gene Expression Programming for Combinatorial Optimization problems IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation. 19(3), 309 - 325
• J. LI, R. BAI, Y. SHEN and R. QU, 2015. Search with Evolutionary Ruin and Stochastic Rebuild: a Theoretic Framework and a Case Study on Exam Timetabling European Journal of Operational Research. 242(3), 798-806
• R. QU, N. PHAM, R. BAI and G. KENDALL, 2015. Hybridising Heuristics within an Estimation Distribution Algorithm for Examination Timetabling Applied Intelligence. 42(4), 679-693
• Y. WANG, L. SUN, R. QU, G. LI, 2015. Price and Service Competition with Maintenance Service Bundling Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering. 24(2), 168-189
• Z. WANG, H. XING, T. LI, Y. YANG, R. QU, 2015. An Improved MOEA/D for QoS Oriented Multimedia Multicasting with Network Coding In: 8th International Conference on Mobile Multimedia Communications (MOBIMEDIA 2015).
• T. CUI, R. BAI, A.J. PARKES, F. HE, R. QU, J. LI, 2015. A Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for a Two-Stage Stochastic Portfolio Optimization With Uncertain Asset Prices In: The 2015 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC'2015).
• F. HE R. QU, AND R. JOHN, 2015. A Compromise Based Fuzzy Goal Programming Approach for Multi-objective Portfolio Optimisation In: 29th European Conference on Modelling and Simulation (ECMS 2015).
• E.K. BURKE, R. QU and A. SOGHIER, 2014. Adaptive Selection of Heuristics for Improving Exam Timetables Annals of OR. 218(1), 129-145
• P. BRUCKER and R. QU, 2014. Network Flow Models for Intraday Personnel Scheduling Problems Annals of OR. 218(1), 107-114
• H. XING, R. QU, G. KENDALL and R. BAI, 2014. A Path-Oriented Encoding Evolutionary Algorithm for Network Coding Resource Minimization Journal of the Operational Research Society. 65, 1261–1277
• XING, H., QU, R., L BAI and Y JI, 2014. On Minimizing Coding Operations in Network Coding Based Multicast: An Evolutionary Algorithm Applied Intelligence. 41(3), 820-836
• K. LWIN, R. QU and G. KENDALL, 2014. A learning-guided Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm for Constrained Portfolio Optimization Applied Soft Computing. 757–772
• F. HE and R. QU, 2014. A Two-Stage Stochastic Mixed-Integer Program Modelling and Hybrid Solution Approach to Portfolio Selection Problems Information Sciences. 190-205
• YAN JIN, RONG QU and JASON ATKIN, 2014. A Population-based Incremental Learning Method for Constrained Portfolio Optimisation In: 16th International Symposium on Symbolic and Numeric Algorithms for Scientific Computing (SYNASC 2014).
• EDWARD KENT, JASON ATKIN and RONG QU, 2014. Vehicle Routing in a Forestry Commissioning Operation Using Ant Colony Optimisation Lecture Notes in Computer Science: Theory and Practice of Natural Computing. 8890, 95-106
• E.K. BURKE, T. CURTOIS, R. QU AND G. VANDEN BERGHE, 2013. A Time Pre-defined Variable Depth Search for Nurse Rostering INFORMS Journal on Computing. (In Press.)
• S.K.N. ABDUL RAHIM, A. BARGIELA, R. QU, 2013. Domain Transformation Approach to Deterministic Optimization of Examination Timetables Artificial Intelligence Research. 2(1), 122-138
• H. XING, R. QU, 2013. A Non-dominated Genetic Algorithm for Bi-objective Network Coding based Multicast Routing Information Sciences. 233, 36–53
• Y. XU, R. QU, R. LI, 2013. A Simulated Annealing based Genetic Local Search Algorithm for Multi-objective Multicast Routing Problems Annals of Operations Research. 260, 527–555
• M.HADWAN, M. AYOB, N.R. SABAR, R. QU, 2013. A Harmony Search Algorithm for Nurse Rostering Problems Information Sciences. 233, 126–140
• K. LWIN, R. QU, 2013. Hybrid Algorithm for Constrained Portfolio Selection Problem Applied Intelligence. 39(2), 251-266
• SABAR, N. R., AYOB, M., KENDALL, G. and QU, R., 2013. Grammatical Evolution Hyper-heuristic for Combinatorial Optimization problems IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation. 17(6), 840-861
• BURKE, E.K., GENDREAU, M., HYDE, M., KENDALL, G., OCHOA, G., 'OZCAN, E. and QU, R., 2013. Hyper-heuristics: A survey of the state of the art Journal of the Operational Research Society. 64(12), 1695-1724
• SABAR, NASSER R., AYOB, MASRI, KENDALL, GRAHAM and QU, RONG, 2013. Grammatical Evolution Hyper-Heuristic for Combinatorial Optimization Problems IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EVOLUTIONARY COMPUTATION. 17(6), 840-861
• BURKE, EDMUND K., CURTOIS, TIMOTHY, QU, RONG and BERGHE, GREET VANDEN, 2013. A Time Predefined Variable Depth Search for Nurse Rostering INFORMS JOURNAL ON COMPUTING. 25(3), 411-419
• SOGHIER, AMR and QU, RONG, 2013. Adaptive selection of heuristics for assigning time slots and rooms in exam timetables APPLIED INTELLIGENCE. 39(2), 438-450
• N.R. SABAR, M. AYOB, G. KENDALL, R. QU, 2012. A Honey-bee Mating Optimization Algorithm for Educational Timetabling Problems European Journal of Operational Research. 216(3), 533-543
• XU Y. AND QU R., 2012. A Hybrid Scatter Search Meta-heuristic for Delay-constrained Multicast Routing Problems Applied Intelligence. 36(1), 229-241
• H. XING AND R. QU, 2012. A Compact Genetic Algorithm for the Network Coding Based Resource Minimization Problem Applied Intelligence. 36(4), 809-823
• E.K. BURKE, J. LI AND R. QU, 2012. A Pareto-Based Search Methodology for Multi-objective Nurse Scheduling Annals of OR. 196(1), 91-109
• N.R. SABAR, M. AYOB, G. KENDALL, R. QU, 2012. A Graph Coloring Constructive Hyper-Heuristic for Examination Timetabling Problems Applied Intelligence. 37(1), 1-11
• E.K. BURKE, N. PHAM, R. QU, J. YELLEN, 2012. Linear Combinations of Heuristics for Examination Timetabling Annals of OR. 194(1), 89-109
• J. LI, E.K. BURKE AND R. QU, 2012. A Pattern Recognition Based Intelligent Search Method: Two Case Studies on the Assignment Problem Applied Intelligence. 36(2), 442-453
• J. LI, E.K. BURKE, T. CURTOIS, S. PETROVIC AND R. QU, 2012. The Falling Tide Algorithm: a New Multi-objective Approach for Complex Workforce Scheduling Omega – International Journal of Management Science. 40(3), 283-293
• BAI, R., KENDALL, G., QU, R. and ATKIN, J., 2012. Tabu assisted guided local search approaches for freight service network design Information Sciences. 189, 266-281
• QU, R., XU, Y., CASTRO, J., LANDA-SILVA, D. and , 2012. Particle swarm optimization for the Steiner tree in graph and delay-constrained multicast routing problems Journal of Heuristics. 19(2), 317-342
• B. MCCOLLUM, P. MCMULLAN, A.J. PARKES, E.K. BURKE and R. QU, 2012. A New Model for Automated Examination Timetabling Annals of Operations Research. 194(1), 291-315
• Y. XU and R. QU, 2012. An Iterative Local Search Approach based on Fitness Landscapes Analysis for the Delay-constrained Multicast Routing Problem Computer Communications. 35, 352-365
• J. A. CASTILLO-SALAZAR, D. LANDA-SILVA, AND R. QU, 2012. A Survey on Workforce Scheduling and Routing Problems. In: The 9th International Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling
• J. LI, R. QU, AND Y. SHEN, 2012. Evolutionary Ruin and Stochastic Recreate: a Case Study on the Exam Timetabling Problem. In: 26th European Conference on Modelling and Simulation
• BRUCKER P, QU R and BURKE E.K., 2011. Personnel Scheduling: Models and Complexity European Journal of Operational Research. 210(3), 467-473
• H. XING AND R. QU, 2011. A Population Based Incremental Learning for Delay Constrained Network Coding Resource Minimization In: The 8th European Event on the Application of Nature-inspired Techniques for Telecommunication Networks (EvoCOMNET'11) at EvoStar'2011.
• H. XING AND R. QU, 2011. A Population Based Incremental Learning for Network Coding Resources Minimization IEEE Communication Letters. 99, 1-3
• RYAN, B., QU, R., SCHOCK, A. and PARRY, T., 2011. Integrating human factors and operational research in a multidisciplinary investigation of road maintenance Ergonomics. 54(5), 436-452
• BURKE, E.K., LI, J. and QU, R., 2010. A hybrid model of integer programming and variable neighbourhood search for highly-constrained nurse rostering problems European Journal of Operational Research. 203(2), 484-493
• P. BRUCKER, E.K. BURKE, T. CURTOIS, R. QU* AND G. VANDEN BERGHE, 2010. A Shift Sequence Based Approach for Nurse Scheduling and a New Benchmark Dataset Journal of Heuristics. 16(4), 559-573
• E.K. BURKE, R. QU AND A. SOGHIER, 2010. Adaptive Selection of Heuristics for Improving Constructed Exam Timetables In: The 8th International Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling (PATAT 2010).
• E.K. BURKE, T. CURTOIS, R. QU AND G. VANDEN BERGHE, 2010. A Scatter Search for the Nurse Rostering Problem Journal of Operational Research Society. 61, 1667-1679
• Y. XU AND R. QU, 2010. Solving Multi-objective Multicast Routing Problems by Evolutionary Multi-objective Simulated Annealing Algorithms with Variable Neighborhoods Journal of Operational Research Society. 62, 313-325
• J. LI, E.K. BURKE AND R. QU, 2010. Integrating Neural Networks and Logistic Regression to Underpin Hyper-heuristic Search Knowledge-Based Systems. 24(2), 322-330
• P. BRUCKER AND R. QU, 2010. Network Flow Models for Intraday Personnel Scheduling Problems In: The 8th International Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling (PATAT 2010).
• B. MCCOLLUM, P. MCMULLAN, B. PAECHTER, R. LEWIS, A. SCHAERF, L. DI GASPERO, A. J. PARKES, R. QU, AND E.K. BURKE, 2010. Setting the Research Agenda in Automated Timetabling: The Second International Timetabling Competition INFORMS Journal of Computing. 22(1), 120-130
• BURKE, EK, ECKERSLEY, AJ, MCCOLLUM, B, PETROVIC, S and QU, R, 2010. Hybrid Variable Neighbourhood Approaches To University Exam Timetabling European Journal Of Operational Research. 206(1), 46-53
• G. OCHOA, R. QU AND E.K. BURKE, 2009. Analyzing the Landscape of a Graph Based Hyper-heuristic for Timetabling Problems In: The Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO'09). 341-348
• QU, R. and BURKE, E.K., 2009. Hybridisations within a graph-based hyper-heuristic framework for university timetabling problems Journal of the Operational Research Society. 60, 1273-1285
• R. QU, F. HE AND E.K. BURKE, 2009. Hybridizing Integer Programming Models with an Adaptive Decomposition Approach for Exam Timetabling Problems In: The 4th Multidisciplinary International Scheduling: Theory and Applications 2009 (MISTA 2009). 435-446
• S. KHATIJAH NOR ABDUL RAHIM, A. BARGIELA, RONG QU, 2009. Granular Modelling of Exam to Slot Allocation In: The 23rd EUROPEAN Conference on Modelling and Simulation.
• Y. XU AND R. QU, 2009. A GRASP approach for the delay-constrained multicast routing problem In: The 4th Multidisciplinary International Scheduling: Theory and Applications 2009 (MISTA 2009). 93-104
• QU, R, BURKE, E.K, MCCOLLUM, B, MERLOT, L.T.G. and LEE, S.Y., 2009. A Survey of Search Methodologies and Automated System Development for Examination Timetabling Journal of Scheduling. 12(1), 55-89
• QU, R., BURKE, E.K. and MCCOLLUM, B., 2009. Adaptive automated construction of hybrid heuristics for exam timetabling and graph colouring problems European Journal of Operational Research. 198(2), 392-404
• G. BASKARAN, A. BARGIELA AND R. QU, 2009. Hierarchical Method for Nurse Rostering based on Granular Pre-processing of Constraints In: The 23rd EUROPEAN Conference on Modelling and Simulation.
• E.K. BURKE, R. QU AND A. SOGHIER, 2009. Adaptive Selection of Heuristics within a GRASP for Exam Timetabling Problems In: The 4th Multidisciplinary International Scheduling: Theory and Applications 2009 (MISTA 2009). 409-423
• F. HE AND R. QU, 2009. Constraint-directed Local Search to Nurse Rostering Problems In: 6th International Workshop on Local Search Techniques in Constraint Satisfaction (LSCS 2009), CP'09.
• R. QU, Y. XU, G. KENDALL, 2009. A Variable Descent Search Algorithm for Delay-Constrained Least-Cost Multicast Routing In: Learning and Intelligent OptimizatioN (LION 3), Lecture Notes in Computer Science 5851. 15-29
• BURKE, E.K., CURTOIS, T.E., POST, G., QU, R. and VELTMAN, B., 2008. A hybrid heuristic ordering and variable neighbourhood search for the nurse rostering problem European Journal of Operational Research. 188(2), 330-341
• R. QU, F. HE, 2008. A Hybrid Constraint Programming Approach for Nurse Rostering Problems In: The Twenty-eighth SGAI International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI-2008). 211-224
• BURKE, E.K., MCCOLLUM, B., MEISELS, A., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2007. A graph-based hyper-heuristic for educational timetabling problems European Journal of Operational Research. 176(1), 177-192
• AYOB, M., MD. AB. MALIK A,, ABDULLAH, S., HAMDEN, A.R., KENDALL, G. and QU, R., 2007. Solving a Practical Examination Timetabling Problem: A Case Study: Proceedings of Computational Science and Its Applications - ICCSA 2007 Lecture Notes in Computer Science. 611-624
• R. QU* AND E.K. BURKE, 2007. Adaptive Decomposition and Construction for Examination Timetabling Problems In: Proceedings of the 3rd Multidisciplinary International Scheduling: Theory and Applications 2007 (MISTA 2007). 418-425
• J.R. CARRINGTON, N. PHAM, R. QU, J. YELLEN, 2007. An Enhanced Weighted Graph Model for Examination / Course Timetabling In: Proceedings of 26th Workshop of the UK Planning and Scheduling Special Interest Group 2007 (PlanSIG 2007).
• BURKE, E.K., MACCARTHY, B.L., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2006. Multiple-retrieval case-based reasoning for course timetabling problems Journal of the Operational Research Society. 57(2), 148-162
• BURKE, E.K., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2006. Case-based heuristic selection for timetabling problems Journal of Scheduling. 9(2), 115-132
• BURKE, E., DROR, M., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2005. Hybrid Graph Heuristics Within a Hyper-Heuristic Approach to Exam Timetabling Problems OPERATIONS RESEARCH COMPUTER SCIENCE INTERFACE SERIES. VOL 29, 79-92
• QU, R. and BURKE, E., 2005. Hybrid variable neighbourhood hyper-heuristics for exam timetabling problems In: Meta-heuristic International Conference 2005 (MIC'05).
• BRUCKER, P., QU, R., BURKE, E. and POST, G., 2005. A decomposition, construction and post-processing approach for a specific nurse rostering problem In: 2nd Multi-disciplinary International Conference on Scheduling: Theory & Applications. MISTA 2005. 397-406
• BURKE, E., ECKERSLEY, A., MCCOLLUM, B., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2004. Analysing similarity in exam timetabling In: 5th International Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling (PATAT04). 89-106
• BURKE, E., ECKERSLEY, A., MCCOLLUM, B., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2003. Similarity measures for exam timetabling problems In: 1st Multidisciplinary International Conference on Scheduling: Theory and Applications (MISTA 2003). 120-136
• BURKE, E., ECKERSLEY, A., MCCOLLUM, B., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2003. Using simulated annealing to study behaviour of various exam timetabling data sets In: 5th Metaheuristics International Conference 2003 (MIC2003).
• BURKE, E.K., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2002. Case-based heuristic selection for examination timetabling In: 4th Asia-Pacific Conference on Simulated Evolution and Learning - SEAL'02. 277-281
• PETROVIC, R. and QU, R., 2002. Case-Based Reasoning as a Heuristic Selector in a Hyper-Heuristic for Course Timetabling Problems In: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Knowledge-Based Intelligent Information Enginee.
• BURKE, E., MACCARTHY, B., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2002. Knowledge Discovery in a Hyper-Heuristic for Course Timetabling Using Case-Based Reasoning In: PATAT 2002, 4th international conference on the Practice And Theory of Automated Timetabling.
• BURKE, E.K., MACCARTHY, B., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2001. Case-based reasoning in course timetabling: an attribute graph approach In: Case-Based Reasoning Research and Development : 4th International Conference on Case-Based Reasoning, ICCBR 2001, Vancouver, BC, Canada, July 30 - August 2, 2001, Proceedings. 90-104
• BURKE, E.K., MACCARTHY, B., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2000. Structured cases in case-based reasoning-re-using and adapting cases for time-tabling problems Knowledge Based Systems. 13(2-3), 159-165
• BURKE, E. K., MACCARTHY, B., PETROVIC, S. and QU, R., 2000. Structured Cases in CBR - Re-using and Adapting Cases for Time-Tabling Problems RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS. [NO] 16, 191-203
• N.R. SABAR, M. AYOB, G. KENDALL AND R. QU, Roulette wheel graph colouring for solving examination timetabling problems In: The 3rd Annual International Conference on Combinatorial Optimization and Applications (COCOA'09), Lecture Notes in Computer Science 5573. 463-470