Resilient digitalised critical infrastructure
We are looking for up to 5 fully funded PhD candidates across a range of disciplines to carry out advanced research in building security and resilience in a digitalised world, as part of a partnership led academically by the Universities of Surrey and Strathclyde and supported by the Surrey-Strathclyde-NPL strategic partnership and a number of industry partners.
Start date
1 January 2025Duration
3.5 yearsApplication deadline
Funding source
Resilience Partnership / FacultyFunding information
- Full UK/International Tuition fees
- UKRI Stipend at £19,237 p.a. (2024/25 rates)
- Up to £2,000 stipend enhancement
- £3,500 for Research Training Support.
About
The world is becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. At the same time, our Critical Infrastructure is becoming increasingly dependent on digital technologies, introducing new strengths and vulnerabilities as advances in communications, networking, robotics, sensing, data processing, AI and edge and cloud computing are made.All this rapid change gives rise to unforeseen disruptions that are increasingly difficult to predict, in part because they cascade through the digitally interconnected fabric of our society.
Research will be driven by the major challenges associated with achieving resilience in critical infrastructure systems, maintaining their ability to function across digital, physical and human aspects in the face of change, disruption and attack. This is a multi-faceted agenda covering many aspects of resilience-building, including: resilience-by-design; understanding, modelling and managing complexity; planning for uncertainty and risk; cyber resilience; trustworthiness and measurement; and the use of data, digital tools and AI.
Students will join a multidisciplinary cohort of up to 10 students across the Universities of Surrey and Strathclyde. Students will develop their PhD projects in conjunction with the supervisory team and industry partners as part of their initial foundational training, which includes training in resilience-building as well as multi-disciplinary team challenge projects, with the aim of establishing a “resilience mindset” in students – the ability to be self-directed, generate questions, solve complex problems, collaborate across traditional `silos’ and continuously learn and adapt.
Our industry stakeholders will also provide access to facilities across a range of sectors, including communication, timing, power and transport.
Eligibility criteria
Open to any UK or international candidates.
You will need to meet the entry requirements for our PhD programme.
Applicants will normally hold a first or upper-second class degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent overseas qualification), or a lower second plus a good Masters degree (distinction normally required). Relevant disciplines include computer science, mathematics, physics, engineering, management, psychology, law and sociology. Applicants should be comfortable with mathematics.
We are keen to consider applicants coming through non-traditional routes such as a return from industry, a change of career, or a period of leave, and will consider candidates with equivalent experience who do not have the formal academic qualifications. We are committed to supporting Diversity Equality and Inclusion and therefore open to discuss alternative modes of study.
Ideally applicants should be capable of achieving UK clearance or equivalent.
How to apply
Applications should be submitted via the Computer Science PhD programme page. Please make sure you indicate on your application that you are applying for this studentship. You should enter “ReDi Critical Infrastructure” under the “Please provide details of your funding” section of your application.
Please provide responses of up to 150 words to each of the following five questions, and submit your answers as the “Research Proposal” with your application:
- Describe a challenge where you have had to demonstrate personal resilience.
- How would you approach the process of applying theory in practice?
- Describe a situation where you had to face a problem not previously encountered – how did you approach it? What did you do?
- Describe a scenario where your work/research led to an impactful outcome.
- What is your approach to career development?
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