PhD scholarship in Digitalizing Engineering Education using Situation-Aware Robotics

Updated: over 2 years ago
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

The Department of Electrical Engineering invites applicants for 3-years PhD position in the area of Digitalizing Engineering Education using Situation-aware Robotics in the Automation and Control Group at the Department of Electrical Engineering. The PhD project is part of the DTU Digitalization Taskforce and is concerned with exploring potential benefits of the digitalization in relation to engineering education.

The PhD candidate will exploredifferent methods for improving situational awareness in robotic systems which could help develop new and more efficient automated labs. As a result, the research topic of this PhD project stands at the intersection of Digitalization and Robotics.

Responsibilities and qualifications
The outbreak of Covid-19 has highlighted the possibility and potential of digitalization in providing education. Remote teaching can supplement and augment the classical education paradigm. Students can join most classes wherever they are, while experts can contribute to the classes without geographical limitations. Thus, the number of students capable of having the class would not be limited by the capacity of the classroom and social distance. However, when it comes to laboratory lessons, which, in most conditions, require students to do hands-on work on equipment, remote education seems helpless. The absence of students in laboratory lessons results in the incompleteness of the teaching process. Therefore, enabling digitalized labs that allow students to operate devices remotely without the assistance of tutors becomes a pressing problem. 

The project aims to explore different methods for improving robustness using situational awareness by implementing them on robotic systems used in real-life cases.The proposed methods are expected to have broader usability and could also be used in research and production labs.

You will develop and implement the methods, to be explored, at DTU's state-of-the-art testing facilities. After the deployment, the performance is evaluated, and the most promising ones can then be refined and reused on other systems.You will focus on exploring and developing strategies that improve the system's reliability and stabilityalso considering safety.

At the end of the project, it is expected that a demonstrator of the methods investigated on a robot could fulfill the task mentioned in previous paragraphs and ensure robustness. Under this condition, the limitation for remote education would be reduced, and laboratory digitalization could be improved.   

At DTU, you will be part of the Automation and Control Group. You will find yourself among multiple PhD students and senior researchers working on various aspects of autonomous robotics and systems. Your PhD project will result in scientific publications and experimental validation of your results. You will present at international conferences as part of your research training, and you will also sharpen your didactics skills through experience as a teaching assistant.In addition, you will be a part of the DTU Digital Taskforce and do dissemination in collaboration with other PhD-students there.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) in Robotics or Electrical Engineering or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see the DTU PhD Guide .   

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Professor Ole Ravn. 

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .   

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor Ole Ravn, tel.: +45 4525 3560, [email protected]

You can read more about the Department of Electrical Engineering at www.elektro.dtu.dk/english .   

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark .   

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than5October 2021 (Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

  • A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma
  • Excel sheet with translation of grades to the Danish grading system (see guidelines and Excel spreadsheet here )

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

DTU Electrical Engineering educates students within electrical engineering technologies. We offer studies at BEng, BSc, MSc and PhD levels, and participate in joint international programmes. We conduct state-of-the-art research within antenna and microwave technology, robot technology, power and physical electronics, acoustic environment, electro-acoustics, electric power and energy. Our department has more than 200 members of staff.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 12,900 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.



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