Supervisors

Lead Supervisor: Prof Hywel Williams

The UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Environmental Intelligence

Data Science & AI for Sustainable Futures at University of Exeter in partnership with the Alan Turing Institute is offering up to 2 fully funded PhD studentships.

These prestigious studentships would be based jointly at University of Exeter (Streatham campus) and at the headquarters of the Alan Turing Institute in London, with the students co-supervised by academic experts at both organisations and expected to spend approximately half their time in each location. This is an outstanding opportunity to work with two leading institutions at the forefront of utilising AI to develop solutions to the global environmental challenges we face.

The research area for these PhD projects will be the application of AI methods to environmental challenges. Climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental damage and societal resilience to extreme events are urgent challenges for the 21st century. Data on many environmental processes are now abundant, but the scale and complexity of the underlying systems makes it difficult to use. AI tools, including machine learning, computer vision, digital twins / emulators, large language models and statistical approaches, can help unlock insight from data and thereby improve environmental decision-making.

The Alan Turing Institute has made environment & sustainability one of its core research themes: https://www.turing.ac.uk/research/environment-and-sustainability 

University of Exeter has a strong research programme in Environmental Intelligence: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/networks/environmental-intelligence/ 

The students will join the Environmental Intelligence CDT in Exeter (https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/eicdt/), spending the first 6 months of their PhD undertaking training and cohort-building activities. They will then transfer to the Alan Turing Institute in London to spend time engaging with the Turing community and shape a PhD proposal, selecting Exeter and Turing supervisors and a thesis topic for approval at end of Year 1. Years 2-4 will be split between Exeter and London, working across both organisations on an interdisciplinary application of AI to the environment.

This opportunity will suit candidates with a strong background in computer science, mathematics, physics or another quantitative discipline with a demonstrable interest in the environment, climate change and sustainability. The studentship is available to both UK and International students. The studentship will cover all tuition fees and pay a stipend of at least £19,237 for a duration of 4 years. The start date will be 16 September 2024, initially based in Exeter. There will be additional funding to cover the travel and accommodation needs of split-site working. After Year 1, the schedule of time spent in Exeter and London will be agreed by negotiation with the student and supervisor team.

The collaboration with the project partner is subject to contract.  Please note full details of the project partner’s contribution and involvement with the project is still to be confirmed and may change during the course of contract negotiations.  Full details will be confirmed at offer stage.

About the UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Environmental Intelligence

Students will be hosted by the UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Environmental Intelligence: Data Science and AI for Sustainable Futures (https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/eicdt/). The EI CDT provides training in the core skills and interdisciplinary perspective needed to apply data science and AI techniques to environmental challenges. During their initial training year, students will develop a research proposal aligned to the “AI for environment” remit with prospective supervisors at the University of Exeter and The Alan Turing Institute. The EI CDT recruits students in cohorts to begin in September each year. The cohort-based training approach provides a supportive, diverse and stimulating peer group as well as enrichment and social activities. 

About the Alan Turing Institute

The Alan Turing Institute is the UK’s national research centre for data science and AI (https://www.turing.ac.uk/). The Alan Turing Institute will act as a project partner for this PhD, providing co-supervision, funding and other material support to the project. The student will graduate with a PhD from University of Exeter. Special requirements of this partnership will be discussed with candidates at interview and confirmed at offer stage. 

Entry requirements

This award provides annual funding to cover tuition fees and a tax-free stipend.  For students who pay Home/UK or International tuition fees the award will cover the tuition fees in full, plus at least £19,237 per year tax-free stipend. International applicants need to be aware that you will have to cover the cost of your student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD.

Applicants for this studentship must have:

• obtained prior to the start of the PhD, a First or Upper-Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology, i.e. environmental, geographical, mathematical, or computer science study programme.
• a keen interest in environmental research
• sound numerical and computational experience, e.g. programming skills and a good level of mathematical ability.

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the required level (Profile A) as per our guidance at https://www.exeter.ac.uk/pg-research/apply/english/

How to apply

Apply now

In the application process you will be asked to upload several documents. 
• CV
• Letter of application (outlining your academic interests and expertise, prior research experience, interest in “AI for environment” research, and reasons for wishing to undertake the project).
• Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying)
• You will need to provide two references, you can upload these with your application or send them to us via email at pgrapplicants@exeter.ac.uk using reference: 5196 in the subject heading.
• If you are not a citizen of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 5th August 2024. 

Contact:  ei@exeter.ac.uk

Summary