Prof. Meirav Zehavi

Parameterization and approximation are two established approaches of coping with intractability in combinatorial optimization. In this Dagstuhl Seminar, we studied parameterized approximation as a relatively new algorithmic paradigm that combines these two popular research areas. In particular, we analyzed the solution quality (approximation ratio) as well as the running time of an algorithm in terms of a parameter that captures the "complexity" of a problem instance. While the field has grown and yielded some promising results, our understanding of the area is rather ad-hoc compared to our knowledge in approximation or parameterized algorithms alone. In this seminar, we brought together researchers from both communities in order to bridge this gap by accommodating the exchange and unification of scientific knowledge.