Engineering PhD Scholarship

DHPA PhD Studentship in Reliable Wireless Communications

University of Bristol - Faculty of Engineering - Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

An Industrial PhD Studentship funded by the ESPRC through the 2011 Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award Scheme (DHPA) is available in the Safety Systems Research Centre at the University of Bristol in collaboration with Toshiba Research Europe Ltd (TREL).

The aim of the 3 year research project, entitled "Reliable Wireless Communications", is to develop mathematical optimisation techniques to assess the economics of wireless design solutions (as an input to system design) and to explore ways of designing reliable wireless systems in general and consider specific features and characteristics of reliable wireless systems. Approaches potentially include machine learning and self-healing/self-optimisation/self-configuration to achieve automated fault-identification and diagnosis, along with reliable and rigorous analysis and modelling techniques that allow models of the resulting system to be produced and permit the accurate prediction of the reliability of the final system. As a result, the student will need to have a strong mathematical foundation in these areas. In addition, knowledge of communications or theoretical computer science is preferred and advantageous.

During the PhD programme, the student may undertake a placement at TREL's Telecommunications Research Laboratory based in Bristol; while the student would benefit from the interactions with industrial researchers as well as the experience of working in an industrial laboratory, this is not mandated and is open to discussion.

This studentship is available from October 2011 for a period of up to 4 years and is funded jointly by the EPSRC through the 2011 Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award Scheme (DHPA) and by Toshiba Research Europe Ltd. The award provides an annual stipend  ca.£13,590 per annum plus an enhancement of £1,430 per annum and full payment of Overseas Tuition Fees. Due to funding restrictions this studentship is only open to students from the countries listed at the OECD website - http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/62/48/41655745.pdf - plus Russia and Hong Kong.

The project will be supervised by Dr. John May, Director of the Safety Systems Research Centre (SSRC) and Reader in Safety Systems, and Dr. Russell Haines at Toshiba Research Europe Ltd. Further details of the SSRC's work is available on their website: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/civilengineering/research/systems/ssrc/

Applications must be made online here:  http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/postgraduate/2011/intro/apply.html

When you apply you will be asked to select a PhD programme by department, please select Electrical and Electronic Engineering and state the name of the studentship in the 'Research Details' section of the application form.

The Start date is as soon as possible after the 1 October 2011 and no later than 1 October 2012.

This studentship is open until filled.