Optimization Days is an annual conference organized alternately by the Groupe d'Études et de Recherche en Analyse des Décisions (GERAD) and the Centre for Research on Transportation (C.R.T.). The aim of the meeting is to survey current research trends in optimization methods and their applications, and to provide an opportunity for interaction between various research groups from around the world. Topics of interest include, but are not restricted to:

Mathematical programming; heuristics; constraint programming; optimal control theory; numerical methods of optimization; statistical methods; applications to engineering, management science, transportation, economics, urban and environmental problems, resource management, biology, telecommunications networks, robotics, expert systems, energy modeling, etc.

All those interested in optimization methods and their present or potential applications are invited to participate. We are especially interested in talks on new methods of optimization and their applications. The languages of the conference will be English and French.

In 2005, Optimization Days will be held at HEC Montréal, 3000 chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, near the Campus of the Université de Montréal.

Plenary speakers:

• GERAD 25th Anniversary invited speaker,
  John F. Nash, Jr, Nobel Prize in Economics, Princeton University, USA
  
  
• Vasek Chvátal, Concordia University, Montréal
  TSP Cuts that do not follow the template paradigm
• Berç Rustem, Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, UK
  Worst-Case Robust Design and Minimax
• Grazia Speranza, Università di Brescia, Italy
  The split delivery vehicle routing problem: properties and algorithms

• Marielle Christiansen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
  Optimization of Maritime Transportation
• Javier de Frutos, Universidad de Valladolid, Spain
  Efficient methods in numerical finance
• André Girard, GERAD & INRS-EMT et
  Brunilde Sansò, GERAD & École Polytechnique de Montréal
  Optimization models for the reliable design of telecommunications networks
• Peter Kort, Tilburg University, The Netherlands
  Strategic Investment under Uncertainty: Merging Real Options with Game Theory
• Dominique Orban, GERAD & École Polytechnique de Montréal
  Interior-point methods for nonlinear programming

Please send to the organizers, before March 31, 2005, a 50 word abstract containing no mathematical notation. All abstracts should contain the authors' full postal address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. The preliminary program should be available on our Web site in early April 2005.

Abstract submissions are also accepted online. Please consult the Speakers directives to learn how to proceed.