Optimization 2011 aims to bring together researchers and practitioners from different areas and with distinct backgrounds, but with common interests in optimization.

This meeting has international recognition as an important forum of discussion and exchange of ideas.  It is the seventh edition of a series of international conferences in optimization organized in Portugal under the auspices of APDIO (the Portuguese Operations Research Society).

In this edition, we are happy to announce a special session celebrating the 60th anniversary of our dear colleague Joaquim João Júdice, the founder of the Optimization series and a well-known researcher in the field of Optimization.

The previous six meetings were the following:

• Optimization 91, Coimbra
• Optimization 95, Braga
• Optimization 98, Coimbra
• Optimization 2001, Aveiro
• Optimization 2004, Lisbon
• Optimization 2007, Porto

We are thus also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Optimizations in Portugal!