VMC optimization papers

A recent comment suggested these papers on VMC optimization:

• Alleviation of the Fermion-sign problem by optimization of many-body wave functions


• Wave function optimization in the variational Monte Carlo method

I'd also add these to the pile of papers to read and understand:

• Optimization of quantum Monte Carlo wave functions by energy minimization


• A simple and efficient approach to the optimization of correlated wave functions

And since this post is alread about VMC optimization, some further questions:

1. What about simultaneous geometry and parameter optimization?


2. The focus seems to be on single geometries - what's likely more interesting in the future is a family of geometries - has anyone parameterized the VMC parameters (by the bond lengths or nuclear coordinates)?