Posted: 21st January 2014

Universities and Science Minister, David Willetts, has recently made an announcement that marks a boost for postgraduate training in a wide range of engineering and scientific fields: funding for 19 new Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs).  The Department of Computer Science is delighted that a number of these are for CDTs in Oxford, including the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems (AIMS).

The Centre will be instrumental in bringing together AIMS-related expertise from two departments, Engineering Science and Computer Science, providing PhD students for the first time the opportunity to get a combined theoretical and systems training in all four AIMS themes: 1) Robotics, Vision and Perception; 2) Machine Intelligence and Multi-Agent Systems; 3) Control and Verification and 4) Pervasive Networked Sensing and Actuator Systems.

The CDT Directors, Professor Stephen Roberts, of the Engineering Science Department, and Dr Niki Trigoni, of the Department of Computer Science, are launching an exciting training programme supported by a team of 20+ academic supervisors and 14 industrial partners. The Team's vision is that in the the next decade our society will be revolutionised by Autonomous, Intelligent Machines and Systems, which can learn, adapt and act independently of human control. The UK has the opportunity to become a world-leader in developing these technologies for sectors as diverse as energy, transport, environment, manufacturing and aerospace.

The CDT will deliver highly-trained individuals versed in the underpinning sciences of robotics, computer vision, wireless embedded systems, machine learning, control and verification. The training programme will provide a comprehensive, state-of-the-art view to autonomous intelligent systems; combining theoretical foundations, systems research, academic training and industry-initiated projects. Both Engineering and Computer Science at Oxford have an excellent track record of developing practical systems and evaluating them in real applications (e.g. self-driving cars and sensor networks for environmental monitoring).

Up to 10 fully-funded studentships for 4-year DPhils (Phds) will be available within the CDT.  Applications are now open for entry in October 2014. Applicants  will be considered from those with degrees at undergraduate (1st or 2:1) and master’s level (distinction) in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics or related disciplines

Further information about the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems, including how to apply for a studentship:http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/aims