Illinois Genetic Algorithms Laboratory

In 1999, two conferences combined to form the conference currently known as the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO). The GP conference was one of those, and the ICGA conference (International Conference for Genetic Algorithms) was the other. ICGA was the first regular conference in the field of evolutionary computation, and the first ICGA was held in 1985 in Pittsburgh, PA on the campus of Carnegie-Mellon University. As a result, I think it is fair to say that the field of genetic algorithms and evolutionary computation will turn 20 this year. Of course, first writings on the subject go back much earlier, but a field requires a regular interchange of ideas, and that process started some 20 years ago this summer. Happy birthday GAs.