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Saturday, March 29, 2008

Australia: Software Engineering Research Scholarship (Probabilistic Verification and Model-Based Quality Evaluation)

Project title:
Probabilistic Verification and Model-Based Quality Evaluation

Research topic:
Model Based Development (MBD) has established itself as the key approach to software engineering of increasingly complex systems in automotive and aerospace domains. It has proved successful at managing complexity associated with functionality. A new approach is to use model-based techniques also for quality evaluation and predictions. Since most of quality attributes such as performance, reliability, availability, safety, and security have a probabilistic nature, probabilistic verification techniques are the best solution to perform model-based quality evaluation. The research project shall explore the possibilities of probabilistic modelling and verification techniques to reason about quality attributes early in the software development lifecycle. To get a detailed introduction into this research project please have a look at the following background literature:

-Controller dependability analysis by probabilistic model checking (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conengprac.2006.07.003)
-Quantitative risk-based security prediction for component-based systems with explicitly modeled attack profiles (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2007.11.716)
-Early quality prediction of component-based systems – A generic framework (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2006.08.014)

Your Benefits:
Basically, the benefits can be summarised as follows:

  • You will work on real-world research problems. (There will always be opportunities to cooperate with major software and systems engineering companies.)
  • You will be trained in all skills that are required to successfully finish you research project. Our goal is to help you develop the skills, connections, and opportunities required, that ensure a successful postgraduate career.
  • You will create research outputs at the highest standards. In today’s world, it is not only enough to be good, students must be great and competitive compared to other graduate students. Please have a look at our own research outputs.
  • You will get optimal and continuous supervision. My goal is to give you strong support on your research from a technical side. However, we also try to help my students to develop their personal skills. If you like to know more about my supervision style, we can provide contact details of recently graduated students as reference.
  • You study in a friendly and cooperative environment. Australia is known for its friendliness.

We require:
We are interested in a PhD student who has an excellent academic record (first class honours or equivalent with marks above 85%) with background in one or more of the following areas:
-probabilistic logics and probabilistic verification
-probabilistic model checking
-quality attributes such as performance, reliability, availability, safety, and security
-software engineering (in the areas of embedded systems, robotics, etc. )
-software architectures and architecture evaluation
-formal methods in system design
-statistics

Since this project involves working with other PhD students and industrial partner, communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment are especially required.

The scholarship carries a value of AUS$20,000+ p.a., with fee exemption for both Australian and international students. The selection process will be competitive. If you are interested in the research project, please provide the following information via email to lgrunske@swin.edu.au:

-detailed curriculum vitae
-an (electronic) copy of undergraduate and postgraduate transcripts (first class honours or equivalent with marks above 85% or GPA 3.70/4)
-evidence of English proficiency for non native English speaker (officially required is an IELTS of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, practically scores above 7.0 are preferred).

UK: Partial Fee Waiver Scholarships, the Institute for Development Policy & Management, University of Manchester

Partial fee waiver scholarships available to International students to undertake a Development related Masters in one of the following postgraduate taught programmes within the Institute for Development Policy & Management, University of Manchester:

  • MSc Organisational Change & Development
  • MSc International Development: Urban Development
  • MSc Globalisation & Development
  • MSc Industry, Trade & Development
  • MSc Development Finance
  • MA International Development: Public Policy & Management


Further details available from:

Paul Arrowsmith
Recruitment & Admissions Administrator
School of Environment & Development
University of Manchester
Arthur Lewis Building, Rm 2.022
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL

Tel: 0044 161 275 0800
Fax: 0044 161 275 0421
Email: Paul.Arrowsmith@manchester.ac.uk

http://manchester.ac.uk/

Ireland: PhD Possition in Early Warning Modelling, University College Cork

PHD Position

In computer science with applications to risk and environmental modelling

  • To be appointed to the Cork Constraint Computation Centre (4C),University College Cork (http://4c.ucc.ie)
  • Research project: Supporting then Concept of Early Warning Analysis (SCEWA), funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (http://4c.ucc.ie/scewa).
  • Salary @ approximately 22k Euros per annum


Project Objectives

  1. To develop an intelligent early warning system in water treatment plant operations.
  2. To define a modelling language for designing intelligent early warning systems.
  3. To build a prototype software platform to help user in designing intelligent early warming systems.

PhD Objective
Definition of a modelling language for early warning systems.

Qualifications
The ideal candidate for the post will have:

  • Bachelor/Masters Degree in engineering (Civil, Environmental or Chemical) or in Environmental Sciences or in Computer Science
  • Good knowledge in modelling languages and modelling techniques
  • Experience with programming language-s
  • Also, knowledge in risk analysis methods is an added value.

Additional information

  • Available at http://4c.ucc.ie/scewa
  • Closing date for applications is Friday 2 May 2008.
  • Please forward curriculum vitae, as well as names and contact details of two referees, electronically to Dr. Ioannis Dokas (i.dokas@4c.ucc.ie)

Australia: Research Scholarship in Biomedical Signal Processing

Fee waiver scholarship is available from April 2008 to work on 4 Months,

CDU/NTG-funded, cross-disciplinary project on the design of high performance automatic diagnostic tools from a human factors perspective. The School of Engineering and Information Technology is undertaking the signal processing aspects of the project which involves measurement and processing of ECG and EEG signals and also human performance measurement and analysis during heat stress, sleep apnoea, and evoked potentials trials in both calm and adverse weather conditions. Experimental testing, simulation studies and theoretical modelling will also be undertaken. Three PhD students are working on the overall aspects of the project and the accepted research student will develop multivariable signal processing techniques to relate changes in biomedical signals to the performance of human diseases.

Applicants must possess strong academic record. Skills required are the ability to work across subject boundaries, core strength in signal processing and/or pattern recognition algorithms and the desire to work within a team. Good oral and written English skills are required.

Take in consideration that the visa process will take around two months. Preferred start date 1st June, 2008 and finishing date 1st October 2008.

Deadline for receiving applications: 10th April 2008

Acceptance letter will be sent by post and a PDF file in 12th April 2008 to the successful applicant’s e-mail.

Please send your CV with two recommendation letters to:

Mohamed Elgendi
Senior Researcher
School of Engineering and Information Technology
Charles Darwin University
Australia
Tel: +61(0)411 884 199
Email: mohamed.elgendi@cdu.edu.au

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Master of International Development, Chulalongkorn University

The Master of Arts program in International Development Studies (MAIDS) At Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand) has been granted two scholarship programs for prospective students from the region:

1. The Siam Cement Group Foundation Scholarship Program
www.ids.polsci. chula.ac. th/SiamCementFou ndationScholarsh ipProgram. htm

2. The ASEAN Foundation-MAIDS Scholarship Program
http://www.ids.polsci.chula.ac.th/AF-MAIDSScholarshipProgram.htm

The Lancaster MBA Director’s Leadership Scholarships

For the 2008/09 programme, the Lancaster MBA is offering three types of scholarship. In each case, you can only be considered for these once you have already been offered a place on the programme.

The Lancaster MBA Director’s Leadership Scholarships
A number of scholarships up to £5,000 are available for highly motivated self-funded candidates from any part of the world. In awarding these scholarships we will be looking for evidence of exceptional leadership qualities in your career to date.

Closing dates: 14 March 2008 and 16 May 2008 (two rounds of scholarship selections)
No decisions can be made until after the closing date.

Lancaster MBA Open Scholarships
Several scholarships of £1,000-£3,000 are available to self-funded candidates. Selection for these scholarships will focus on the insights provided by your business and managerial experience, and how these, together with your interpersonal skills, can be used to enhance learning and group work on the Lancaster MBA.

Closing dates: 14 March 2008 and 16 May 2008 (two rounds of scholarship selections)
No decisions can be made until after the closing date.

Lancaster MBA E-Fellows Scholarship
Designed for German-speaking students and sponsored exclusively for members of the German website e-fellows.net, this merit-based scholarship provides a tuition waiver covering upto a maximum of 50% of the programme fee (equivalent to £8250, approx €11,000). The selection process focuses on the leadership skills or potential demonstrated by candidates in their academic and/or professional life.

Closing date: 14 May 2008.
Decisions will be taken by mid-June.

PLEASE NOTE:
For all of these Lancaster MBA scholarships, we can only consider you once you hold an offer of a place on the programme.

For further information, please contact the Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) MBA team.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

UK: PhD in Quantitative Social Science, University of Manchester

PhD in Quantitative Social Science
Graduate Programme in Social Research Methods and Statistics
Centre for Census and Survey Research (CCSR)

SEVEN fully funded PhD studentships commencing September 2008

CCSR is a multi-disciplinary research centre in the School of Social Sciences, specialising in the development and application of quantitative research methods.

The prestigious Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) awards are available to UK and EU citizens and pay for fees, a £750 annual research training support grant and (for UK residents) an annual stipend of up to £15,300. Applicants can apply for either a 1+3 award (four years covering linked Masters and PhDs) or a + 3 award (three years with direct entry to PhD research). Two university-funded studentships are also open to overseas students.

What topic?
We welcome applications in a wide range of topic areas relating to our research themes which include:

  • Pure and applied social statistics and research methods
  • Social networks
  • Demographic and social change
  • Elections, political parties and political behaviour
  • Relationships and relationship structures
  • Work and employment
  • Confidentiality, privacy and disclosure

How to Apply
For full details on the studentships and information on how to apply visit our website: http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/

or contact the School Postgradute Administrator:

Victoria Barnes
Email: vicky.barnes@manchester.ac.uk, Tel: 0161-275 4743

Deadline for receiving applications : 1st April 2008.

The Netherlands: PhD Student Position in Computer Science, University of Groningen

PhD student position in Computer Science - Intelligent Systems - Biologically motivated object recognition

Institute of Mathematics and Computing Science, University of Groningen

Topic of research
The objective of the project is to develop an object recognition technique that is motivated by the function of the visual cortex. Major aspects are representation and learning.

Type and level of the position
This is a temporary research position at the level of a PhD student for a period of maximum four years. The tuition fees will be waived and the student will receive a full scholarship. In this period the student will follow relevant courses and prepare and defend a PhD thesis. The position is embedded in the research group Intelligent Systems. The tradition of the group is that PhD theses are based on excellent papers in high imact journals so that our PhD graduates have a very strong competative position on the academic market. Thesis director and supervisor will be professor N. Petkov. The University of Groningen is a leading European research university.

Our requirements on your qualifications
You are a university graduate (at the level of diploma or master of science level) in one of the following disciplines: computer science, artificial intelligence, computational neuroscience, electrical engineering, biophysics, physics. You have a demonstrated interest in the neurosciences. You have an excellent academic record (GPA) and belong to the top 5% of the graduates of your year and preferrably have a graduation with a distinction such as honors or cum laude. You are fluent in English language and able to write scientific articles and reports (to be proven by your graduation thesis or another comparable report or co-authorship of published scientific articles).

How to apply
Send the following information:

  1. an application letter with a CV,
  2. a specification of GPA and transcript of records,
  3. an indication of your position in the class and year (e.g. 1st in a class of 20),
  4. evidence of excellence (e.g. graduation with honors) and a list of relevant awards,
  5. proofs of involvement in research (e.g. co-authorship of scientific articles),
  6. a description of your ideas for research in the specified area,
  7. names and email addresses of three scientists (typically your former professors) who can give a reference for you.

to prof.dr. Nicolai Petkov (petkov@cs.rug.nl). Applicants will be asked to do a short assignment in order to demonstrate their research abilities. The position will be open until a suitable candidate is found.

: Official announcement

Hong Kong: PhD Studentship in Computational Chemistry, Molecular Clusters and Climate, the University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong: PhD Studentship in Computational Chemistry, Molecular Clusters and Climate, the University of Hong Kong

A fully funded PhD position is available immediately in the field of computational chemistry, more specifically in the field of atmospheric water clusters, here in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hong Kong.

The work is in the field of computational chemistry and deals with cluster structure and stability as well as coupling between atmospheric cluster distribution and climatic impact. The project will involve modeling energetic and spectroscopic properties of molecular clusters such as, for instance, neutral and ionic water clusters, as well as select metal/water clusters, at ambient and extreme conditions. Several different methodologies will be applied including 1) density functional theory, 2) ab initio methods and 3) time dependent density functional type calculations. All computations will
be performed on HPC clusters at the University of Hong Kong.

Successful applicants will join a dynamic, research-oriented department with strong collaborative links to the Physics, Chemistry and other natural science departments as well as to high-performance supercomputing facilities on campus. Applicants should hold a B.Sc. degree (or equivalent) in Geochemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline and should be highly motivated to perform fundamental simulation and modeling studies.

Further details may be obtained from Dr. Kono Lemke, Department of Earth Sciences, Pokfulam Road, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, (Tel +852 2241 5474, Fax +852 2517 6912),

email: kono@hku.hk or kono@hkucc.hku.hk to whom a letter of application, a cv and details of three referees should be sent.