This volume of the Proceedings of the Centre for Mathematical Analysis contains papers by participants in the Workshop/Miniconference on Functional Analysis/Optimization held in Canberra in August, 1988. Some of the papers were prepared beforehand and were presented at the Miniconference. But importantly, some have resulted from collaboration which occurred there in response to problems raised in the sessions; this is the special return from the prolonged Workshop experience.The theme of the Workshop/Miniconference was Functional Analysis/Optimization and although most participants worked in one or other of the two areas, a small group worked in both. The pervasive influence of Rockafellar and Clarke meant that in many cases we all had some familiarity with the tools used by each other so there was more unity than might have been expected. Although the papers in this volume are easily identified as being in one of the two areas, a commonality of background is often evident.