Peter M. Fleming

My research has addressed a wide range of issues and challenges related to the common theme of the creation of design environments for control systems and decision-making. Originally encouraged by the potential benefits afforded by new optimisation methods and computing developments, the research expanded to embrace multiobjective optimisation problems and, subsequently, multi- and many-criteria decision-making. Research investigations have taken place at the intersection of the disciplines of automatic control, computer science and systems engineering and the work has a strong applications focus. Exposure to a wide variety of applications, in sectors such as aerospace, automobiles, power generation, food processing, pharmaceuticals, marketing and manufacturing has informed and galvanised the investigations. PhD research at Queens University, Belfast (1969-1993) set in motion my career-long interest in optimisation methods. I was appointed Lecturer at University of Wales, Bangor (1993), subsequently becoming Professor of Computer Systems Engineering in 1988. In the mid-1980s, as Visiting Scientist at NASA, Langley, I was introduced to multiobjective optimisation, thereby launching my enduring interest in this area. In 1993 we made an important breakthrough in the numerical solution of multiobjective optimisation (MO) problems that described how the population-based evolutionary computing approach to search could satisfactorily handle the simultaneous optimisation of competing objectives, publishing and pioneering the use of Pareto optimality in evolutionary multiobjective optimisation. Following this, we devised a rigorous framework for the use of preference articulation in MO. This advance enabled designers to target specific domains, or regions of interest, on the Pareto-optimal surface and to refine these choices on-line during algorithm evolution. This is an important development that enables practitioners and experts to interact with the design software to achieve their goals and in a manner that inspires confidence in the search process. Our most recent research has involved many-criteria (>3) decision-making and solution sensitivity to a range of problem uncertainties. In 1991, I was appointed Professor of Industrial Systems and Control at the University of Sheffield where I was Head of Department from 1993-1999. In 1993, Rolls-Royce chose to establish its University Technology Centre in Control and Systems Engineering at Sheffield and I was UTC Director from 1993-2012. The relationship with Rolls-Royce was invaluable for the insights it provided and the ability to tailor practical and effective research methods. I was University Pro Vice-Chancellor for External Relations from 2003-2008 and Vice-President, International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) (2002- 2008). In 2008 I was appointed IFAC Adviser. In 2005 I was elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Fellow of the International Federation of Automatic Control in 2009. Awards include the Sir Harold Hartley Medal (Institute of Measurement and Control), 1997 and the Edgeworth-Pareto Award (International Society on Multiple Criteria Decision Making), 2015. Automatic Control and Systems Engineering at Sheffield, attracts many excellent PhD applicants. I have successfully supervised ~50 PhD students and have had the very good fortune to have worked with outstanding and dedicated research students, a number of whom now enjoy world-class research careers.