[alife] PhD Studentships on Information in Artificial Life and Cognition/AI

[Daniel Polani]

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		      PhD Studentships Available on

  INFORMATION IN SELF-ORGANIZATION, ARTIFICIAL LIFE AND COGNITION/AI

		   Adaptive Systems Research Group
		      School of Computer Science
		   University of Hertfordshire, UK

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PhD studentships are available in the Adaptive Systems Research Group
at the University of Hertfordshire in the topics of Self-Organization,
Artificial Life including Origins of Life and principled models for
modeling cognition. We are especially interested in the study of
principles behind information processing in adaptive, complex and
self-organizing systems. Here, understanding and characterizing
emergence and growth of complexity as a basis for understanding life
and the rise of intelligence is a research area which has witnessed a
dramatic increase of interest in the last years.

An arsenal of mathematical tools, with special emphasis on Shannon's
information theory are used to characterize and predict organismic
behaviour, and we also use them to construct AI/robotic models
employing these principles. Topics of interest include, but are not
limited to:

  - information-theoretic treatment of information processing and the
    Perception-Action Loop in agents and understanding the
    informational balance of intelligent agents

  - theoretically grounded and systematic pathways towards
    self-organization in complex systems and generation of
    increasingly capable cognitive and operational dynamics; Origin of
    Life and its links to physics

  - biologically plausible AI/control methods for embodied robotics
    based on information theory derived from first principles

  - powerful and generic intrinsic motivation models and artificial
    creativity for AI/agents/robots 

  - fundamental principles underlying biological (e.g. neural)
    computation (with opportunities to collaborate with the
    Biocomputation Research Group)

The prospective candidates should have a very strong first degree, a
keen interest in contributing to a new, highly dynamic and quickly
expanding research area and an outstanding background in Computer
Science, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics or another relevant
computational/quantitative discipline. In particular, they should
demonstrate excellent programming skills in at least one major
computer language. A mathematical/numerical background would be highly
desirable. Knowledge in at least one of the following fields would be
a plus: probability theory, information theory, differential geometry,
control, data modelling/neural network techniques.

The envisaged research will take place in the vibrant, enthusiastic
and enterprising research environment of the Adaptive Systems Research
Group in the School of Computer Science at the University of
Hertfordshire; in case of interest, there will also be the opportunity
to collaborate with the socSMCs (Socializing Sensorimotor
Contingencies, FET Open) and WiMUST (Widely Scalable Mobile Underwater
Sonar Technology) EU Horizon 2020 projects, as well as the School's
successful humanoid robot RoboCup team, the Bold Hearts.

The school offers a large number of specialized and interdisciplinary
seminars as well as general training opportunities. Research in
Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire has been
recognized as excellent by the latest Research Assessment Exercise,
with 50% of the research submitted being rated as world leading or
internationally excellent.

The University of Hertfordshire is located in Hatfield, Hertfordshire
UK which is considered the "northern green belt" of London. Hatfield
is close to London (less than 25 minutes by train to Kings Cross), has
convenient access to Stansted, Luton and Heathrow airports, and, via
the historic town of St. Albans, also to Gatwick airport.

Successful candidates are eligible for a research studentship award
from the University (which includes approximately GBP 14,057 per annum
bursary and the payment of the standard UK/EU student fees).
Applicants from outside the UK or EU are eligible, but will have to
pay half of the overseas fees out of their bursary. Information about
the current tuition fees can be found at

  http://www.herts.ac.uk/apply/fees-and-funding

Closing date for application is the 28. December 2015, though
excellent application may be considered after that date. As start of
the studentships we aim for 1. February 2016.

For informal inquiries on the research topic please contact: Dr.
Daniel Polani (E-mail: d.polani at herts.ac.uk)

Application forms are available from 

  http://homepages.stca.herts.ac.uk/~comqvs/ApplicationFormUHStudentship.doc

and should be returned to: 

  Mrs Lorraine Nicholls
  Research Student Administrator, STRI 
  University of Hertfordshire
  College Lane
  Hatfield, AL10 9AB Herts  
  Hertfordshire 
  UK
  
  Tel: +44 1707 286083
  Email: l.nicholls at herts.ac.uk

Applications should also include two references and transcripts of
previous academic degrees. 

The shortlisting process for the applications will begin on 28.
December 2015.