This proposed text appears to be a good introduction to evolutionary computation for use in applied statistics research. The authors draw from a vast base of knowledge about the current literature in both the design of evolutionary algorithms and statistical techniques. Modern statistical research is on the threshold of solving increasingly complex problems in high dimensions, and the generalization of its methodology to parameters whose estimators do not follow mathematically simple distributions is underway. Many of these challenges involve optimizing functions for which analytic solutions are infeasible. Evolutionary algorithms represent a powerful and easily understood means of approximating the optimum value in a variety of settings. The proposed text seeks to guide readers through the crucial issues of optimization problems in statistical settings and the implementation of tailored methods (including both stand-alone evolutionary algorithms and hybrid crosses of these procedures with standard statistical algorithms like Metropolis-Hastings) in a variety of applications. This book would serve as an excellent reference work for statistical researchers at an advanced graduate level or beyond, particularly those with a strong background in computer science.
From the book reviews:
"After the introductory Chapter 1, in Chapter 2, a detailed review of evolutionary computation is presented. Chapters 3-7 then discuss applications in regression, time series, design of experiments, outlier detection, and cluster analysis. Evolutionary techniques have been successfully used to solve optimization problems in several challenging applications, consequently this book may be useful to many applied statisticians." (Snigdhansu Chatterjee, Technometrics, Vol. 54 (4), November, 2012)
"The monograph under review is ... to provide a sort of guide through the world of evolutionary computation for optimization problems in statistics and related implementation issues in a variety of applications. It represents a comprehensive reference work for advanced graduate students and researchers working in the rich field at the intersection between statistics, evolutionary computation, and computer science. ... It is self-contained, each chapteris nicely introduced by a summary of the main contents and a comprehensive list of references is provided." (Marcello Sanguineti, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2012 d)
"After the introductory Chapter 1, in Chapter 2, a detailed review of evolutionary computation is presented. Chapters 3-7 then discuss applications in regression, time series, design of experiments, outlier detection, and cluster analysis. Evolutionary techniques have been successfully used to solve optimization problems in several challenging applications, consequently this book may be useful to many applied statisticians." (Snigdhansu Chatterjee, Technometrics, Vol. 54 (4), November, 2012)
"The monograph under review is ... to provide a sort of guide through the world of evolutionary computation for optimization problems in statistics and related implementation issues in a variety of applications. It represents a comprehensive reference work for advanced graduate students and researchers working in the rich field at the intersection between statistics, evolutionary computation, and computer science. ... It is self-contained, each chapteris nicely introduced by a summary of the main contents and a comprehensive list of references is provided." (Marcello Sanguineti, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2012 d)