Fully Funded PhD Research Studentship

Fully Funded PhD Research Studentship
School of Design and Informatics

Fully Funded PhD Research Studentship

Project Title: Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning for Next-Generation IoT (NG-IoT) Security

PhD Studentship: R-LINCS2 funded. The Studentship is available for a June 2024 start.

A PhD studentship that comprises tax-free stipend of £18,622 (increasing in line with UKRI per annum) per year over 3.5 years, tuition fees paid, and a generous study package (e.g., limited research consumables, travel budget, and training when appropriate).

Interviews are likely to be online in Mid March.

Project Description: The Next-Generation Internet of Things (NG-IoT) is at the forefront of technological advancement, enhancing daily lives through smart environments and optimized network resources. The ongoing proliferation of IoT has led to an exponential growth in data, pushing data analytics using Machine Learning (ML) and computing operations to the edge. However, this integration of IoT and ML at the edge (IoT-ML fabrics) can pose issues related to data privacy. The data generated by IoT devices is privacy-sensitive, deeply associated with people’s private spaces and times, and can be stolen or manipulated. The lack of privacy preservation makes ML models vulnerable to various security threats, including data poisoning, malicious participants, free riding, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The use of blockchain can facilitate secure, decentralized peer-to-peer connections among untrusted devices to establish a secure NG-IoT network. This project will contribute to the integration of distributed ML and blockchain to support secure, efficient learning tasks in NG-IoT and mitigate the existing challenges related to cybersecurity.

Supervisory Team: The supervisory team includes Dr Shailendra Rathore, Dr Laith Al-Jobouri, Dr Sanaz Kavianpour. Dr. Shailendra is the primary contact for project-related queries ([email protected]).

Entry Requirements: Candidates must have, or expect to obtain, a first class or upper second-class honours degree in computing or engineering (or equivalent). We are looking for an independent, enthusiastic, and driven candidate with a basic understanding of networking, ML, and/or blockchain development. Applicants should have experience in programming (e.g., designing and running ML models). 

Candidates must work well with others and represent the university when working with key stakeholders (e.g., schools).

For applicants who are non-native speakers of English, the University requires IELTS of 6.5 (with no band less than 6.0) or an equivalent qualification accepted by the Home Office.

Applications and closing date: 20th Feb 2024

Details of the studentship and Entry Requirements are available on Abertay University Job Search website   

Applicants should submit through the Abertay University jobs page https://www.abertay.ac.uk/about/working-at-abertay/jobs/ , submitting a personal statement of application detailing why you are interested in undertaking this project, and a CV.  

If you are selected for an interview, you will be required to complete an online Research Student Application Form which includes the submission of a research proposal. Guidance on how to write the proposal can be found here: https://www.abertay.ac.uk/study-apply/how-to-apply/how-to-apply/ Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Dr Shailendra Rathore ([email protected]) for advice on developing a proposal prior to submitting it.

Abertay University was named The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year for Teaching Quality 2021. According to the results of the Research Excellence Framework 2021, Abertay recorded 60% of its research judged as 'internationally excellent' or 'world-leading', a 23% increase since the last REF2014 – the biggest climb of any Scottish university. Abertay was the first University in the world to offer a degree in games and was top ranked in Europe for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses in 2019.

We hold an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze award and were the first Scottish university to achieve the Race Equality Charter Mark.