PhD Student Positions in Software Engineering - Birmingham City University, UK

[Jonathan Bowen]

Call for Applications for PhD Student Positions

Centre for Software Engineering

http://www.bcu.ac.uk/tee/research/centre-for-software-engineering

School of Computing, Telecommunication and Network
Faculty of Technology, Engineering and Networks
Birmingham City University

The Centre for Software Engineering at Birmingham City
University calls for applications to PhD student positions in
its focus research areas. The Centre is a new research centre
formed in late 2013 with the appointments of Professor Jonathan
Bowen to the Chair of Computer Science and Professor Zhiming Liu
to the Chair for Software Engineering. The Centre works in the
area of both empirical and formal software engineering,
encouraging interdisciplinary research. The Centre undertakes
research to make strong connections between theories of software
and engineering practice. The focus research is in the areas of:

* Theory and Methods of Modelling and Programming: Model-driven
software development - rich Architectural Modelling,
verification, testing and validation, refinement;
transformational approach to real-time scheduling, control
synthesis, and fault-tolerance; rapid prototyping; unifying
theories of modelling & programming; modular and distributed
ontologies.

* Systems Wide: Hybrid systems, cyber-physical systems (CPS),
web-services & cloud computing, and industrial control systems
(i.e. networks of smart sensors, meters and control systems).

* Technology and Tools: UML-based Eclipse Plug-ins, Theorem
Proving & Model Checking, Semantic Preserving Model
Transformations, Rapid Prototyping, Tool Integration (supported
by unified semantics), Simulation, (Business Workflow Analysis &
Simulation).

* Applications: Healthcare, Environment Health/Care, Enterprise
Systems, Transportation, Business Modelling, Medical Devices;
Green Technology and economy, and smart cities.

* Challenging Issues: Integrating heterogeneous and distributed
components and their platforms, digital components with big data
and their interaction protocols; interfaces between digital and
physical components; dependability (availability, reliability,
safety, integrity, maintainability); security
(privacy/confidentiality); integrating new components into
legacy systems and reuse legacy components in new systems.

Scholarships

Applicants compete for a range of financial support through
scholarships, from full bursaries that cover fees and a tax-free
stipend to support living costs, through bursaries that cover
fees a stipend to support partial living costs, to fee waivers.
The Centre also provides positions to self-funded students. The
current fees for home/EU students and non-EU students are on the
website (link below). The full stipend is a tax-free lump sum of
approximately UK £13,700 per annum (amount for 2014 subject to
confirmation).

Research Environment

Computing is an area that the Vice Chancellor has decided to
support in developing research. Three research-oriented
professors and a reader have been appointed recently, and a
number of further appointments including two in the Centre for
Software Engineering are to be made. The Centre works in
collaboration with other Centres/labs such as in Cyber Security,
Digital Media Technology, Low Carbon Research, Environment and
Society Research, and Knowledge Based Engineering, and with the
CISCO Academy. The Faculty has a strong link to the car
industry and close collaboration with the health sector. The
Centre enjoys wide contacts and collaborations in developing
countries, as well as in industrial countries, Europe and North
America in particular. This is an exciting opportunity to join
a rapidly developing research centre and be involved from near
the start of its inception.

Requirements

We will consider applications from candidates with an
undergraduate degree (1st or 2:1) or masters level
(merit/distinction) in computer science or closely-related
disciplines. Mature students with extensive industrial
experience in the outlined areas could also be considered.
Relevant management skills, programming expertise and software
development experience are highly desirable. Good written and
verbal communication skills are essential.

Criteria

Studentships will be awarded based on academic excellence,
alignment of expertise with the outlined research interests, and
potential for future achievement. You are encouraged to
informally contact individual staff to propose a project if you
wish.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted through the Faculty of
Technology, Engineering and Environment (TEE) by email to Sue
Witton through sue.w...@bcu.ac.uk following the procedure
given at:

http://www.bcu.ac.uk/tee/research/phd-mphil

Important Dates

* Deadline for applications is 5 May 2014.
* Interviews for shortlisted candidates to be held:
12-16 May 2014.
* Start: September 2014.

If you have queries about PhD positions in the Centre, please
email Professor Zhiming Liu (zhimi...@bcu.ac.uk) and/or
Professor Jonathan Bowen (jonatha...@bcu.ac.uk). Also,
having applied through the TEE faculty system, you are welcome
to notify Professor Liu and Professor Bowen via email, so that
they can follow up your application if needed. For more
information on the Centre, see:

http://tinyurl.com/bcu-cse

--
Prof. Jonathan Bowen
Professor of Computer Science, Birmingham City University
Emeritus Professor, London South Bank University
Chairman, Museophile Limited
http://www.jpbowen.com