Dr. Xin-She Yang stands as a distinguished scholar and thought leader in computational intelligence and algorithmic innovation. Currently serving as Reader in Modelling and Simulation and Optimization at Middlesex University London, he brings over twenty-five years of extensive experience in academic research and teaching excellence. His academic journey commenced with the attainment of a DPhil in Applied Mathematics from the prestigious Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford in 1998, establishing a robust foundation for his future contributions. Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Yang distinguished himself as a Senior Research Scientist at the Mathematics and Scientific Computing Division of the UK's National Physical Laboratory, where he honed his expertise in advanced computational methodologies. This trajectory of academic achievement and professional development has positioned him at the forefront of his field.
Dr. Yang's most transformative contributions to science include the creation of several groundbreaking nature-inspired optimization algorithms that have revolutionized engineering and computational problem-solving approaches worldwide. In 2008, he introduced the firefly algorithm, followed by the cuckoo search algorithm in 2009, the bat algorithm in 2010, and the flower pollination algorithm in 2012, each representing paradigm-shifting methodologies in metaheuristic optimization. These algorithms have achieved remarkable scholarly impact, with over one thousand peer-reviewed research papers citing his foundational work on the firefly algorithm and cuckoo search alone. His research has earned him recognition as a Highly Cited Researcher in the top 0.1% of scientists globally according to Web of Science for ten consecutive years since 2016, underscoring the extraordinary influence of his contributions. The widespread adoption of his algorithms across diverse scientific and engineering disciplines demonstrates their versatility and effectiveness in solving complex optimization challenges.
Beyond his seminal research contributions, Dr. Yang has profoundly shaped the academic landscape through his influential editorial leadership and professional service to the scientific community. He serves as co-Editor for Springer's esteemed book series on Nature-Inspired Computing and maintains editorial board positions with multiple high-impact journals including Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Journal of Computational Science, both indexed in Web of Science. His professional standing has been recognized through election as a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (2021), Fellow of the Asian Computational Intelligence Society (2023), and Fellow of the Soft Computing Research Society (2025). Additionally, his decade-long service as Chair of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Task Force on Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management (2015-2020) highlights his commitment to advancing interdisciplinary applications of computational intelligence. Currently, Dr. Yang continues to mentor aspiring researchers and explore innovative frontiers in artificial intelligence, mathematical modeling, and engineering simulation, ensuring his enduring impact on the evolution of computational science.
