Research

Research Experience:

a) Undergraduate
Inspired by the IEEE spectrum's article written by Dr. David Fogel, I worked on writing a simulation program combining evolutionary computation and neural networks for game study applications. Two games were investigated; Othello and Chinese Chess.

b) Masters
For my MEngSc thesis at MMU, I have studied various aspects on evolving neural networks for strategic decision-making. In particular, the game of Othello was chosen as a test-bed for the investigations. Most of the research effort went to studying several important aspects in co-evolving the neural networks that can learn to play the game on their own, especially on the design of neural networks, the importance of strategy diversity in the population, as well as the effects and importance of self-adaptation in optimizing the neural network's weights. In addition to that, one of the most important observation made on the simulation is the discovery of interesting Othello strategies among the ENNs, and how the population neural networks co-evolved from playing in a random manner, to positional, and finally to mobility strategies.

c) PhD
I have worked for a PhD degree under the supervision of Prof. Xin Yao and Dr. Peter Tino. The PhD study is concerned with three main research issues in the study of co-evolutionary learning, i.e., measuring generalization performance, the relationship between generalization performance and diversity, and understanding how co-evolutionary learning scales to more complex problems. The PhD study contributes to each of these three research issues. First, a theoretical framework has been established to estimate generalization performance in co-evolutionary learning. Second, the relationship between generalization performance and diversity has been studied quantitatively and that the condition where diversity can be exploited to improve generalization performance has been identified. Third, the co-evolutionary learning of more complex games has been studied in detail to understand how co-evolutionary learning scales to more complex problems. The IPD games have been used to in these studies as examples.

Thesis Written:

1. Evolutionary Neural Network To Play Chinese Chess (B.Eng)

2. Training Neural Networks Using Evolutionary Computational Techniques (M.Eng.Sc)

3. Generalization and Diversity in Co-evolutionary Learning (PhD) (IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award)

Publications:

Journals:

1. P. Tino, S. Y. Chong, and X. Yao, ``Complex Co-evolutionary Dynamics - Structural Stability and Finite Population Effects,'' IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, Accepted Jan. 2013.

2. S. Y. Chong, P. Tino, D. C. Ku, and X. Yao, ``Improving Generalization Performance in Co-evolutionary Learning,'' IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 70-85, Feb. 2012.

3. C. W. Kheng, S. Y. Chong, and M. H. Lim, ``Centroid-Based Memetic Algorithm: Adaptive Lamarckian and Baldwinian Learning,'' International Journal of Systems Science, Vol. 43, No. 7, pp. 1193-1216, 2012 (Special Issue on Computational Intelligence Optimisation in the Presence of Uncertainties).

4. S. Y. Chong, P. Tino, and X. Yao, ``Relationship Between Generalization and Diversity in Co-evolutionary Learning,'' IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 214-232, Sep. 2009.

5. S. Y. Chong, P. Tino, and X. Yao, ``Measuring Generalization Performance in Co-evolutionary Learning,'' IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 479-505, Aug. 2008 (IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation Outstanding Paper Award).

6. S. Y. Chong and X. Yao, ``Multiple Choices and Reputation in Multiagent Interactions,'' IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, Vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 689-711, Dec. 2007.

7. S. Y. Chong and X. Yao, ``Behavioral Diversity, Choices, and Noise in the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma,'' IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, Vol. 9, No. 6, pp. 540-551, Dec. 2005 (Special Issue on Evolutionary Computation and Games).

8. S. Y. Chong, M. K. Tan, and J. D. White, ``Observing the Evolution of Neural Networks Learning to Play the Game of Othello,'' IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 240-251, Jun. 2005.

Refereed Papers in Conference Proceedings:

1. P. Tino, S. Y. Chong, and X. Yao, ``On Reliability of Simulations of Complex Co-evolutionary Process,'' Proc. of the 24th European Conference on Modelling and Simulation (ECMS 2010), pp. 258-264, 1-4 June, 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

2. C. W. Kheng, M. H. Lim, and S. Y. Chong, ``A Study on Lamarckian and Baldwinian Learning on Noisy and Noiseless Landscapes,'' Proc. of the 24th European Conference on Modelling and Simulation (ECMS 2010), pp. 323-329, 1-4 June, 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Best Paper Award).

3. S. Y. Chong, C. Hill, and X. Yao, ``Co-evolutionary Learning of Contextual Asymmetric Actors,'' Proc. of the 23rd European Conference on Modelling and Simulation (ECMS 2009), pp. 827-833, 9-12 June, 2009, Madrid, Spain.

4. C. W. Kheng, S. Y. Chong, and A. Bargiela, ``Multi-resolution Optimisation: Application of Meta-heuristic in Function Remodelling,'' Proc. of the 23rd European Conference on Modelling and Simulation (ECMS 2009), pp. 834-840, 9-12 June, 2009, Madrid, Spain.

5. C. M. Frayn, A. N. Pryke, and S. Y. Chong, ``Exploring the Effect of Proximity and Kinship on Mutual Cooperation in the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma,'' Proc. of the 9th International Conference on Parallel Problem Solving from Nature (PPSN IX), Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 4193, pp. 701-710, Reykjavik, Iceland, 2006.

6. S. Y. Chong and X. Yao, ``Self-Adapting Payoff Matrices in Repeated Interactions,'' Proc. of the 2006 IEEE Symposium on Computational Intelligence and Games (CIG 2006), pp. 103-110, IEEE Press, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 22-24 May 2006, Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA.

7. S. Y. Chong and X. Yao, ``The Impact of Noise on Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma with Multiple Levels of Cooperation,'' Proc. of the 2004 Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC 2004), pp.348-355, IEEE Press, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 19-23 June 2004, Portland, Oregon, USA.

8. S. Y. Chong, D. C. Ku, H. S. Lim, M. K. Tan, and J. D. White, ``Evolved Neural Networks Learning Othello Strategies,'' Proc. of the 2003 Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC 2003), pp.2222-2229, IEEE Press, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 8-12 December 2003, Canberra, Australia (IEEE Student Travel Grant).

Books/Proceedings (Edited):

1. G. Kendall, X. Yao, and S. Y. Chong (eds), The Iterated Prisoners' Dilemma: 20 Years On, Volume 4 in Advances in Natural Computation, World Scientific, Singapore, 2007.

Book Chapters:

1. D. Gairola and S. Y. Chong, ``An Economics-Inspired Noise Model in Spatial Games with Reputation,'' In Advances in Intelligent Modeling and Simulation: Artificial Intelligence-based Models and Techniques in Scalable Computing, J. Kolodziej, S. U. Khan, and T. Burczynski (eds), Volume 422 in Studies in Computational Intelligence, Chapter 12, pp.271-293, 2012.

2. S. Y. Chong, J. Humble, G. Kendall, J. Li and X. Yao, ``The iterated prisoner's dilemma: 20 years on,'' In The Iterated Prisoners' Dilemma: 20 Years On, G. Kendall, X. Yao and S. Y. Chong (eds), Volume 4 in Advances in Natural Computation, Chapter 1, pp.1-21, World Scientific, Singapore, 2007.

3. S. Y. Chong, J. Humble, G. Kendall, J. Li and X. Yao, ``Iterated prisoner's dilemma and evolutionary game theory,'' In The Iterated Prisoners' Dilemma: 20 Years On, G. Kendall, X. Yao and S. Y. Chong (eds), Volume 4 in Advances in Natural Computation, Chapter 2, pp.23-62, World Scientific, Singapore, 2007.

4. S. Y. Chong, J. Humble, G. Kendall, J. Li, and X. Yao, ``Learning IPD Strategies through Coevolution,'' In The Iterated Prisoners' Dilemma: 20 Years On, G. Kendall, X. Yao, and S. Y. Chong (eds), Volume 4 in Advances in Natural Computation, Chapter 3, pp.63-87, World Scientific, Singapore, 2007.

5. S. Y. Chong and X. Yao, ``Evolving Cooperation in Complex Behavioral Interactions through Reputation,'' In Computational Intelligence: Principles and Practice, Gary G. Yen and David B. Fogel (eds), Chapter 11, pp. 237-256, IEEE Press, 2006.

Research Presented for Keynote/Plenary/Invited Talks:

1. Invited Seminar, ``Improving Generalization Performance in Co-evolutionary Learning,'' 26 May 2010, School of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

2. Invited Seminar, ``The Relationship Between Generalization and Diversity in Co-evolutionary Learning,'' 15 September 2009, Intelligent Systems Centre (IntelliSys) and Centre for Computational Intelligence (C2I), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

3. Invited Seminar, ``Generalization Performance in Co-evolutionary Learning - Theory and Application,'' 23 January 2008, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

4. Invited Seminar, ``Measuring Generalization in Co-evolutionary Learning - Theory and Application,'' 1 October 2007, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

5. Invited Keynote Speech by Prof. Xin Yao with Dr. Chong at the 2007 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC 2007), 25-28 September 2007, Singapore (covers work on generalization performance in co-evolutionary learning).

6. Invited Plenary Speech by Prof. Xin Yao with Dr. Chong at the 2006 IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence (WCCI 2006), IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC 2006), 16-21 July 2006, Vancouver, Canada (covers work on co-evolutionary learning of IPD games).

Editor:

1. Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games.

2. Guest Editor for a Special Issue of the IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, 2011.

3. Editor for The Iterated Prisoners' Dilemma: 20 Years On, Volume 4 in Advances in Natural Computation, World Scientific, 2007.

Reviewer for Journals/Book Series:

1. IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation.

2. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part A: Systems and Humans.

3. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part B: Cybernetics.

4. IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games.

5. IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine.

6. Evolutionary Computation.

7. International Journal of Computational Intelligence and Applications.

8. International Journal of Systems Science.

9. Memetic Computing.

10. Evolutionary Intelligence.

11. Pattern Analysis and Applications.

12. International Journal of Hybrid Intelligent Systems.

13. Natural Computing.

14. Journal of Scheduling.

15. Advances in Natural Computation (Book Series).

16. Computational Intelligence in Optimization: Applications and Implementations (Adaptation, Learning, and Optimization) (Book).

Chair/Committee Membership of Conference:

Committee Membership of Professional Organization:

1. Awards Subcommittee, The IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award, 2009-2011.

2. IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Member.

3. IEEE Member.

Awards and Honors:

1. IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation Outstanding Paper Award, 2011.

2. Han Bin Low (James) and Siang Yew Chong, Winner of Ms Pac-Man vs Ghosts Competition, Pac-Man Controllers category, IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, 5-8 June, 2011, New Orleans, USA.

3. Best Paper Award, The 24th European Conference on Modelling and Simulation, 1-4 June, 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

4. Academic Visitor, Intelligent Systems Centre (IntelliSys), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 14-17 September, 2009.

5. Long-Term Academic Visitor, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, UK, 1-31 July, 2009.

6. IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award, 2009.

7. Honorary Research Fellow, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, UK, 2007-.

8. International Research Studentship, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, UK, 2003-2006.

9. IEEE Student Travel Grant, IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Canberra, Australia, 2003.