<div dir="ltr"><div>Dear colleagues,</div><div><br></div><div>Edinburgh Center for Robotics has published a fresh call for PhD scholarship applications. There will be space for verification and programming language research: see item 3: <i>" explainable AI, certification, verification, safety, security, multi-agent interactions;"</i></div><div><br></div><div>It is an ideal opportunity for PhD students who wish to apply their knowledge in Programming Languages and Verification to the growing field of Robotics and Autonomous systems research.</div><div><br></div><div>See below the official advert and contact me directly if you need more information.</div><div><br></div><div>***************************************</div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">The Edinburgh Centre of Robotics is offering exciting </span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30)"><a href="https://www.edinburgh-robotics.org/projects-list" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">PhD Studentships</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"> for September 2021 through the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CDT-RAS). A limited number of industry PhD placements may also be available and information about these opportunities is posted </span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30)"><a href="https://www.edinburgh-robotics.org/industry-studentships" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">here</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Closing date 29</span></u></b><b><u>^{<span style="font-size:7.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">th</span>}</u></b><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"> January 2021<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh are jointly offering an exciting opportunity to study a PhD through an innovative 4-year PhD training programme, drawing on our extensive experience with postgraduate teaching and research supervision in the area of Robotics and Autonomous Systems.   The Centre's goal is to train innovation-ready robotics researchers to be part of a multi-disciplinary team, focusing on <i>Safe Interaction for Robotics.</i>  PhD candidates specialise in one of the following four areas, whilst gaining a deep understanding of technical aspects and theoretical foundations: </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">1. <b>Physical Interactions</b><i>: </i>control, actuation, compliance, sensing, mapping, planning, embodiments, swarms; </span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">2. <b>People Interactions</b>: human-robot interaction, affective robotics, smart spaces, human-robot teaming, collaborative decision-making, cobots, multimodal interfaces;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">3. <b>Self-Interactions</b>: condition monitoring, prognosis, explainable AI, certification, verification, safety, security, multi-agent interactions;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">4. <b>Interaction Enablers</b>: vision, embedded and parallel computing, novel and soft fabrication methods, optimisation, (transparent) machine learning, deep reinforcement learning and other AI techniques inc. natural language processing (NLP).</span><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Achieving impact with robotics also requires non-technical skills, for example an understanding of technology translation, creativity and entrepreneurial processes. These are an essential component of the CDT programme, captured in the </span><span style="font-size:11.5pt;color:rgb(32,31,30)"><a href="https://www.edinburgh-robotics.org/content/cauldron" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">#Cauldron</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"> training programme.</span><span style="font-size:11.5pt;color:rgb(32,31,30)"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Why join us?</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:47.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">·</span><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">  </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Flexible programme structure allows students to tailor courses to match research area of interest in year one, ensuring students have a strong general grounding in responsible research, current theory, methods and applications as a solid foundation for their PhD research.</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:47.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">·</span><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">  </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Cohort approach with activities including group projects and away days encourages peer support and cross fertilisation of ideas.</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:47.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">·</span><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">  </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Opportunity for international placement in prestigious research laboratory in year three.</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:47.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">·</span><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">  </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Bespoke #Cauldron training programme to provide non-technical skills such as understanding of technology translation, creativity, and entrepreneurial processes.</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:47.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">·</span><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">  </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Gateway seminars with prestigious speakers.</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:47.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">·</span><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">  </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Fund to seed innovation.</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:47.25pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">·</span><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">  </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Fully funded posts available paying stipend and Home fees, limited posts for overseas students</span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">More information on PhD placements and how to apply: </span><span style="color:rgb(32,31,30);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><a href="http://www.edinburgh-robotics.org/apply" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">www.edinburgh-robotics.org/apply</span></a></span></p></div><div><br></div>***************<br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><span style="letter-spacing:0.2px">                                                                                     </span><br></div><div><span style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2">Prof. Ekaterina Komendantskaya                 </font></span><div style="font-size:12.8px"><div><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2">Department of Computer Science                                   </font></div><div><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2">School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences</font></div><div><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2">Earl Mountbatten Building  [ building 21, office G26 ] </font></div><div><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2">Heriot-Watt University  </font></div><div><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2">Edinburgh, UK, EH14 4AS<br></font></div><div><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2">+44 (0)131 451 8283 <br></font></div><div><font color="#000000" face="comic sans ms, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~ek19/" target="_blank">http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~ek19/</a></font></div><div><a href="http://www.laiv.ac.uk" target="_blank">http://www.laiv.ac.uk</a></div><div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>