Preface

Abstract

This special issue contains selected papers presented at the Second International Conference on Numerical Analysis and Optimization: Theory, Methods, Applications and Technology Transfer (NAOII2011) held during the period January 3-6, 2011 at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Muscat, Oman. The conference was sponsored by SQU, The Research Council (TRC) of Oman, The International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) of Italy, Microsoft (Middle East and Africa Division); and the local sponsors the British Council (Oman), Bank Muscat, the Al-Anan Press, and Al-Roya Newspaper.
Following on from the success of the previous conference on Numerical Analysis and Optimization (NAO2008) also held at SQU during the period April 6-8, 2008, the second conference brought again together prominent mathematicians, worldwide experts and active researchers from Oman, USA, South America, UK, Europe, Asia and Arab countries to meet at SQU. It was a great opportunity for researchers to share knowledge and to stimulate the communication of new ideas, scientific exchange and to discuss possibilities of further cooperation, networking and mobility of senior and young researchers and research students. NAOII2011 was inaugurated by HE Dr. Hilal bin Ali Al-Hinai, the Secretary General of TRC and HE Dr. Ali bin Saud Bemani, the Vice Chancellor of SQU. Fourteen world leading researchers gave keynote lectures in fourteen Technical Sessions of the conference. In total, fourty international participants gave contributed talks. More information is available at: http://www.squ.edu.om/Portals/87/Conference/Conference2011/index.htm.
Twenty of the conference papers were selected for two special issues 17(1) and 17(2) of the SQU Journal for Science highlighting the two themes of the conference Numerical Optimization and Numerical Analysis; eleven papers were selected for issue 17(1) on Numerical Optimization, and nine papers were selected for issue 17(2) on Numerical Analysis. We wish to express our gratitude to all contributors. We are also indebted to many anonymous referees for the care taken in reviewing the papers submitted for publication.