Schedule

CS 5073 — Artificial Neural Networks and Evolution — Spring 2024

(Subject to Change)

Week
Date
Topic
Reading
Out
Due
1

Jan
16
No Class Due to Weather


Jan
18
Class Policies & Course Overview
Syllabus
Large Project Tech Papers
2

Jan
23
Intro to Computational Intelligence
E 1
F&M Preface, 6–6.2
Z 1

Topic ¶*
(on Monday)

Jan
25
Artificial Neurons
E 2
F&M 3–3.6
Hagen et al. Ch 4
Z 2
HW1
References*
(on Friday
or Monday)
3

Jan
30
Supervised Learning Neural Networks
Hagen et al. Ch 4
E 3
F&M 3.8
Z 3
PR1


Feb
1
Performance Issues in Supervised Learning

E 7
Z 4
HW2
HW1
Draft Project Proposal
4

Feb
6
Unsupervised Learning Neural Networks
E 4
F&M 3.7
Z 5

Draft Tech Review 1

Feb
8
Reinforcement Learning in Neural Networks
E 6
F&M 3.9
Canvas RL in NNs
Z 17

Draft Tech Review 1
HW2
5

Feb
13
Deep Learning in Neural Networks
Deep Learning 1, II, 6, 9

HW2
PR1

Feb
15
Fundamentals of Evolution and Evolutionary Computation
Hougen et al. Slides
F&M 1, 1.12

HW2
Feedback on Draft Tech Review 1
6

Feb
20
Intro to Evolutionary Computation
E A, 8
F&M 1.1–1.10
HW3
Feedback on Draft Tech Review 1
Final Project Proposal

Feb
22
Genetic Algorithms (GAs), Basics
E 9.1–9.4
F&M 1.11†
Z 16
PR2
Draft Tech Slides
7

Feb
27
GAs, Variants & Advanced Topics
E 9.5–9.7
F&M 1.22
HW4
Draft Tech Slides
HW3

Feb
29
Evolving Programs
E 10–11
Canvas Evolving Programs

Draft Tech Review 2
8

Mar
5
Advanced Topics in Evolutionary Computation
E 15
F&M 1.24–1.25
Canvas EC Advanced

Draft Tech Review 2
HW4

Mar
7
Neuroevolution of Weights, Topology, or Both
F&M 3.10, 4–4.1, 4.3–4.5, 4.6 intro, 4.6.3, 4.7, 4.8.1
Canvas Neuroevo Surveys
Canvas TWEANNS
HW5
PR2
9

Mar
12
Neuroevolution of Weights and Topology
and
Neuroevolution of Learning Rules
Canvas SANE, … DSE
F&M 3.10.1
Canvas Evo. of Learning
Z 14

Feedback on Draft Tech Slides

Mar
14
Neuroevolution of Deep Neural Networks
and
Neuroevolutionary Robotics
Canvas Deep Neuroevolution
and
F&M 6.7–6.14, 7.5–7.9
Z 15
HW6
HW5
X

Mar
19
No Class (Spring Break)




Mar
21
No Class (Spring Break)



10

Mar
26
Advanced Topics in Neuroevolution

Canvas Pavlov, Hebb, Bees, and Risk

Feedback on Draft Tech Review 2

Mar
28
Review
Above

HW6
11

Apr
2
Take Home Exam
Above
Exam
Project Status Report

Apr
4
Take Home Exam
Above

12

Apr
9
Take Home Exam

Above
Z 6

Draft Project Slides

Apr
11
Take Home Exam

Above
Z 7

Exam
13

Apr
16
Tech Presentations 1–5

TBD
Z 8

Final Tech Slides

Apr
18
Tech Presentations 6–10

TBD
Z 9

Draft Project Report
14

Apr
23
Tech Presentations 11–15

TBD
Z 10

Final Tech Reviews

Apr
25
Tech Presentations 16–20

TBD
Z 11

Tech Presentation Responses
15

Apr
30
Final Project Presentations 1–5

TBD
Z 13

Final Project Slides

May
2
Final Project Presentations 6–10
TBD

Final Project Report
Finals
Friday
May 10
8:00am–
10:00am
Final Project Presentations 11–18
TBD

Project Presentation Responses

* If you choose a different topic for your Large Project and your Tech Paper Assignments, then you will need to turn in two separate topic paragraphs and two lists of references (one for your Large Project and one for your Tech Paper Assignments). Otherwise, a single topic paragraph and a single list of references will suffice.

† Note that we will not cover the F&M material on evolutionary electronics (F&M 1.13–1.21, 1.23) in class. However, this material does present a nice case study in using evolutionary computation and you should read it on your own. It may be on the exam.