About the Project
This exciting PhD opportunity offers the chance to work at the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence (AI) to better understand and utilise intelligence in biological brains and in machines.
While cognitive and brain sciences have generated vast amounts of rich, complex data, unlocking their insights requires cutting-edge AI and machine learning (ML) techniques. Meanwhile, although artificial neural networks (ANNs) have powered recent AI breakthroughs, they still fall short in many respects — and the next leap forward may come from studying how biological brains function.
This exciting nexus has been termed NeuroAI. In particular, this PhD project, which is a collaboration between the NeuroAI and Neurotechnology Research Team at Ulster University and Thales UK Ltd., will focus on designing novel AI algorithms inspired by brain functions, to enhance machine intelligence capabilities for real-world applications.
The proposed PhD project on reservoir computing will investigate novel methods for robust, lightweight, and real-time intelligent processing in edge and resource-constrained systems. The research will provide a potential pathway for translating advances in reservoir computing into practical applications in autonomous decision-making.
The primary technical focus will be on the development and evaluation of novel algorithms, computational models, and associated software techniques for robust, lightweight, and real-time temporal processing. The PhD research will draw on a combination of publicly available datasets and proprietary data generated within Ulster University’s research laboratories and Thales UK Ltd.
This project is available in the Computer Science Research Institute and is tenable in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, at the Magee campus. The PhD researcher will be based at the Intelligent Systems Research Centre and become part of a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment, drawing on the strengths of Ulster’s Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, AI/ML, and Computational Biology communities. The PhD researcher will gain training in:
- AI and ML
- Computational modelling of behaviour and brain function
- High-performance computing
- Applied mathematics and statistics
- Neuroscience and cognitive science
Ulster University provides a supportive and research-intensive environment, ranked 2nd in the UK for PhD researcher satisfaction, and home to one of the largest and most impactful Computer Science and Informatics research units in the country. Thales is a major international company operating in the Digital Identity and Security, Defence and Security, Aeronautics, Space and Ground Transportation sectors.
Funding Notes
OPEN TO HOME AND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND STUDENTS ONLY
DfE CDP Award in collaboration with Thales IAS
OPEN TO HOME AND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND STUDENTS ONLY
References
Yan, M., Huang, C., Bienstman, P. et al. Emerging opportunities and challenges for the future of reservoir computing. Nature Communications 15, 2056 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45187-1
