Dear colleagues, Edinburgh Center for Robotics has published a fresh call for PhD scholarship applications. There will be space for verification and programming language research: see item 3: *" explainable AI, certification, verification, safety, security, multi-agent interactions;"* It is an ideal opportunity for PhD students who wish to apply their knowledge in Programming Languages and Verification to the growing field of Robotics and Autonomous systems research. See below the official advert and contact me directly if you need more information. *************************************** The Edinburgh Centre of Robotics is offering exciting PhD Studentships https://www.edinburgh-robotics.org/projects-list for September 2021 through the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CDT-RAS). A limited number of industry PhD placements may also be available and information about these opportunities is posted here https://www.edinburgh-robotics.org/industry-studentships. *Closing date 29**th** January 2021* Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh are jointly offering an exciting opportunity to study a PhD through an innovative 4-year PhD training programme, drawing on our extensive experience with postgraduate teaching and research supervision in the area of Robotics and Autonomous Systems. The Centre's goal is to train innovation-ready robotics researchers to be part of a multi-disciplinary team, focusing on *Safe Interaction for Robotics.* PhD candidates specialise in one of the following four areas, whilst gaining a deep understanding of technical aspects and theoretical foundations: 1. *Physical Interactions**: *control, actuation, compliance, sensing, mapping, planning, embodiments, swarms; 2. *People Interactions*: human-robot interaction, affective robotics, smart spaces, human-robot teaming, collaborative decision-making, cobots, multimodal interfaces; 3. *Self-Interactions*: condition monitoring, prognosis, explainable AI, certification, verification, safety, security, multi-agent interactions; 4. *Interaction Enablers*: vision, embedded and parallel computing, novel and soft fabrication methods, optimisation, (transparent) machine learning, deep reinforcement learning and other AI techniques inc. natural language processing (NLP). Achieving impact with robotics also requires non-technical skills, for example an understanding of technology translation, creativity and entrepreneurial processes. These are an essential component of the CDT programme, captured in the #Cauldron https://www.edinburgh-robotics.org/content/cauldron training programme. Why join us? · Flexible programme structure allows students to tailor courses to match research area of interest in year one, ensuring students have a strong general grounding in responsible research, current theory, methods and applications as a solid foundation for their PhD research. · Cohort approach with activities including group projects and away days encourages peer support and cross fertilisation of ideas. · Opportunity for international placement in prestigious research laboratory in year three. · Bespoke #Cauldron training programme to provide non-technical skills such as understanding of technology translation, creativity, and entrepreneurial processes. · Gateway seminars with prestigious speakers. · Fund to seed innovation. · Fully funded posts available paying stipend and Home fees, limited posts for overseas students More information on PhD placements and how to apply: www.edinburgh-robotics.org/apply *************** Prof. Ekaterina Komendantskaya Department of Computer Science School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences Earl Mountbatten Building [ building 21, office G26 ] Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, UK, EH14 4AS +44 (0)131 451 8283 http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~ek19/ http://www.laiv.ac.uk