PhD Studentship: Data-Driven Process Design for Real-Time Service Provisions in Urban Computing Environment

PhD Classic Doctoral Training Grant Funding Information

This funding model includes a 36 month fully funded PhD Studentship, in-line with the Research Council values, which comprises a tax-free stipend paid monthly (£16,062 for 2022-2023) per year and a Full Time Home Fee Scholarship (£4,596 for 2022-2023) for up to 3 years, subject to you making satisfactory progression within your PhD research.

International students will be required to pay the difference between the International Fee Rate and Home Fee Rate. All applicants will receive the same stipend irrespective of fee status. 

Deadline for the January 2023 intake

• Home Applicants (including Pre-Settled and EU Settled) – 23:59 on Monday 31st October 2022
• International Applicants– 23:59 on Saturday 1st October 2022

Title: Data-Driven process design for Real-Time Service Provisions in Smart Sustainable Cities  

Supervision team:

Dr. Vahid Javidroozi (DoS); Dr. Adel Aneiba; Dr. Gerald Feldman

Research description

The rate of change and fluctuating citizens’ demands in all areas of city management, such as living, economy, people, governance, mobility and environment is increasing, and the technologies of generating data that can be used to improve the service provisions are being enhanced. As a result, we are facing a big amount of data, which can also be converted to information and knowledge in various contexts. However, earlier research findings suggest that the data is not being effectively applied to improve the quality of current city services. This requires flexible, efficient, and integrated processes across various city sectors that effectively respond to the changing environment. As a result, this would allow for agile and efficient services that are supported by seamless communication amongst city components, sectors, and systems and availability of real-time information.

Data-driven process modelling approaches can identify complex and non-linear patterns in processes. The lack of sensing, analysing, and managing data to be practically applied for improving service provisions in urban computing frameworks causes insufficiency of the current service provisions, which are not fully informed by usable data. This research will develop a novel model to offer a systematic approach for designing data-driven processes to support real-time service provisions.

Potential impacts

This research will have the following potential implications through designing city services using real-time data: -        Utilising valuable real-time data generated from various sources, such as IoT devices, sensor technologies, citizen inputs, etc. for improving service provisions in cities; -        Providing real-time service provisions based on immediate citizens needs; -        Improving the communication across city stakeholders as a whole and bringing them together as part of the decision-making process; -        Suggesting significant progress towards urban computing objectives, such as energy efficiency, waste management, economic growth, reducing carbon emission, Net Zero strategies, and so on; -        Managing the resources for planning, designing, funding, and operating timely services. How to Apply 

To apply, please complete the project proposal form,   ensuring that you quote the project reference, and then complete the online application  where you will be required to upload your proposal in place of a personal statement as a pdf document. 

Formal applications should be made on the University's online application form, which can be found under the 'How to Apply' tab of the course page.

You will also be required to upload two references, at least one being an academic reference, and your qualification/s of entry (Bachelor/Masters certificate/s and transcript/s). 

To discuss the application process please contact [email protected] .