High Performance Embedded and Distributed Systems (HiPEDS)

We are looking for the best, brightest, most enthusiastic and talented graduates to join a new PhD programme.  The opportunity is to do leading-edge research in a rich, lively environment – working with a team of fellow students unified by a desire to create technologies to change the world.  We are launching a new doctoral programme that combines the unique, world-class strengths of Imperial’s Departments of Computing, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The HiPEDS CDT programme is not a standard PhD programme. Throughout the 4 years there is considerable emphasis upon multidisciplinary and transferrable skills, through various centre activities beyond the individual PhD research project. The programme cannot be taken without the first (MRes HiPEDS) year, as it is an integral part of the overall CDT programme.

Research Topics 

• Design and Optimisation: embedded systems and distributed systems, hardware and software, and digital and analogue systems.  Adaptive and embedded systems (McCann), analogue systems (Papavassiliou, Rodríguez-Villegas, Constandinou, Georgiou, Toumazou), communication and signal processing systems (Leung, Mandic), control and power systems (Kerrigan, Green, Vinter), digital systems and reconfigurable computing (Bouganis, Cheung,Constantinides, Luk, Thomas), distributed software engineering (Kramer, Uchitel), experimental software systems (Pietzuch, Wolf), large-scale sensor networks and clouds (Guo), medical computing systems (Rueckert, Yang), policy-based autonomous systems (Dulay, Lupu, Sloman), robust system optimisation (Rustem, Parpas), robotic vision (Davison), and software performance optimisation (Kelly)
• Analysis and Verification: autonomous system verification (Lomuscio), analysis and verification of concurrent systems and web programs (Calcagno, Drossopoulou, Eisenbach,Gardner, Maffeis, Yoshida), distributed reasoning (Broda, Russo), multicore system verification (Donaldson), performance analysis and engineering (Bradley, Casale, Field,Harrison, Knottenbelt), program analysis and security (Hankin, Huth, Wiklicky), and software testing (Cadar).

This EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training aims to produce a new generation of leaders with a systems perspective who can transform research and industry involving such systems. The Centre provides a structured and vibrant training programme, enabling our graduates to be capable of integrating and innovating across multiple layers of the system development stack, to maximise the impact of their research, and to acquire creativity, communication, and entrepreneurial skills.

There are up to 16 places available in the CDT programme. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates. Competition is very strong for places, and applicants are normally required to have a good MSc degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Mathematics or some IT-related discipline. Candidates who have a Bachelor’s degree only will not normally be considered. Additionally, applicants need to demonstrate strong research potential. Where appropriate, we may encourage applicants to register first for an MSc in the Department and then, upon successful completion of this, to apply for registration for a PhD.

There are various competitive scholarships available for the four year programme if you do not have funding. We have a wide range of funds and we do our best to find the most appropriate funding package for each candidate. In particular, there are up to 10 full scholarships available for UK or EU students. We have a wide range of funds and we will do our best to find an appropriate funding package for other students.

A full scholarship provides payment of all fees, a tax-free stipend (currently £16000 per year) and support for travel to conferences. PhD students will be offered the opportunity to develop their teaching skills and earn additional money by undertaking a small amount of teaching work for their department.

Applications made before 31 January 2015 will receive notification of a funding decision by 1 April 2015. Applications made before 7 April 2015 will receive notification of a funding decision by 5 June 2015. Applications made after 7 April may still be considered for funding, but the chances may be reduced.

To apply to join the HiPEDS Doctoral Programme you need to make a formal application through Imperial’s centralised application system (www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus/applicationforms). 

Your application should be accompanied by a 2-3 page compelling research statement. This will be evaluated as part of the application process and is not a commitment to carry out the exact research described. It should incorporate:

• a general description of the research areas and topics that interest you and any potential supervisors under whom you would like to work
• your initial ideas on research work towards solving open problems, referring to existing research literature where appropriate
• any relevant experience and/or publications that can be downloaded