Heuristic search and other forms of combinatorial search are very active areas of inquiry in artificial intelligence (AI). Such problem-solving techniques are studied in AI planning, robotics, constraint programming, operations research, bioinformatics and in many other areas of computer science. The SoCS series of symposia aims to bring together researchers from these different communities to exchange ideas and to cross-fertilize the field.
In 2022, SoCS is co-located with the 31st International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence and the 23rd European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI-ECAI 2022).
Abstract submission deadline: February 28, 2022 March 14, 2022 (11:59PM UTC-12)
Paper submission deadline: March 4, 2022 March 18, 2022 (11:59PM UTC-12)
Author response period: April 4-6, 2022 April 20-22, 2022
Notification: April 14, 2022 May 2, 2022
Early registration deadline: TBD
Camera-ready version due: May 13, 2022 May 16, 2022
SoCS 2022 conference: July 21-23, 2022
The above deadlines are for all submission types, including technical and position papers and extended abstracts.
Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
Adversarial search
Analysis of search algorithms
Automated synthesis of lower bounds
Bounding and pruning techniques
Combinatorial optimization
Combinatorial puzzles
Continuous problem solving
Constraint search
External-memory and parallel search
Heuristic search
Incremental and active learning in search
Machine and deep learning in search
Meta reasoning and search
Methodology and critiques of current practice
Model-based search
Portfolios of search algorithms
Problem compilation
Problem solving using search
Random vs. systematic search strategy selection
Real-life applications
Real-time search
Reinforcement learning and search
Search in goal-directed problem solving
Search space discretization for continuous state-space problems
Search-based diagnosis
Search in boolean satisfiability
Search in big data
Search in robotics
Self-configuring and self-tuning algorithms
Symmetry handling
Time, memory, and solution quality trade-offs
We encourage researchers to submit three categories of papers to the symposium:
Technical papers. Original long (up to 8 pages plus up to one page of references) and short (up to 4 pages plus up to one page of references) papers are the standard category. We welcome technical papers that report substantial original research in search or in related areas that are not under review in other archival conferences or journals.
Position papers. In addition to the main technical track, we encourage authors to submit original long (up to 8 pages plus up to one page of references) and short (up to 4 pages plus up to one page of references) position papers discussing ideas and concepts related to heuristic and combinatorial search. Examples of position papers could include thoughtful critiques or bold new perspectives of the field, historical perspectives and analysis, technical discussions of various implementation techniques, methodological contributions, and insightful reports on new and demanding applications.
Extended abstracts. To foster the exchange of ideas at SoCS, we encourage authors to submit extended abstracts of original work, work-in-progress, or work which has appeared in or is under review at other venues such as AAAI/ICAPS/IJCAI.
Please read the section Requirements for formatting and submission requirements.
Papers must be submitted through EasyChair at the following link: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=socs22
All submissions must be formatted in the AAAI style. Style guidelines are available at the following link.
Original Long and Short Papers (both Technical and Position Papers)
Original papers will be rigorously peer-reviewed. SoCS 2022 will follow a double-blind review process for original papers, and hence authors of original papers are required to omit author information from their submissions and anonymize obvious self-references. Non-anonymous submissions may be rejected without review.
Long papers may be up to 8 pages in length, plus an additional page for references only. Short papers may be up to 4 pages, plus an additional page for references. Long and short original papers should be new work which has not been published (nor is currently simultaneously under review) in any other archival publication venue. Papers that do not follow these requirements will be rejected without review.
Extended Abstracts
The publication of a research abstract in the SoCS 2022 proceedings does not preclude publication of a full paper on the same topic at future SoCS conferences.
The extended abstract submissions will be lightly reviewed in order to ensure that they are of interest to the SoCS community. The submitted version of the extended abstract can be up to 8 pages, plus an additional page for references only. However, if the extended abstract submission is accepted, only 2 pages (including references) will be allocated in the SoCS 2022 proceedings. If the extended abstract submission derives from a previously published paper longer than 8 pages, authors can submit the 2-pages paper, and submit the original published paper as supplementary material.
Extended abstracts of papers which are under double-blind review in another conference must be anonymous (names and affiliations must not appear in the submitted PDF).
We are monitoring the situation regarding the global pandemic and associated travel restrictions. We will offer a virtual presentation option if the conference cannot take place fully in presence in Vienna due to the global pandemic or if registered authors cannot attend the conference.
For any questions, please contact the conference chairs.
Lukáš Chrpa, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic, chrpaluk@fel.cvut.cz
Alessandro Saetti, University of Brescia, Italy, alessandro.saetti@unibs.it
Andrea Micheli, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Italy, amicheli@fbk.eu
Pavel Surynek, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic, pavel.surynek@fit.cvut.cz