EPSRC CENTRE FOR DOCTORAL TRAINING IN MODERN STATISTICS AND STATISTICAL MACHINE LEARNING (StatML)
This CDT is jointly hosted by the Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, and the Department of Statistics, University of Oxford.
The Modern Statistics and Statistical Machine Learning CDT is a four-year PhD/DPhil research programme (or longer if studying part-time). It will train the next generation of researchers in statistics and statistical machine learning, who will develop widely applicable novel methodology and theory and create application-specific methods, leading to breakthroughs in real-world problems in government, medicine, industry and science. The CDT will provide students with training in both cutting-edge research methodologies and the development of business and transferable skills – essential elements required by employers in industry and business.
Each student will undertake a significant, challenging and original research project, leading to the award of a PhD/DPhil. Given the breadth and depth of the research teams at Imperial College and at the University of Oxford, the proposed projects will range from theoretical to computational and applied aspects of statistics and machine learning, with a large number of projects involving strong methodological/theoretical developments together with a challenging real problem. A significant number of projects will be co-supervised with industry.
The students will pursue two mini-projects during their first year (specific timings may vary for part-time students), with the expectation that one of them will lead to their main research project. At the admissions stage students will choose a mini-project. These mini-projects are proposed by our supervisory pool and industrial partners. Students will be based at the home institution of their main supervisor of the first mini-project. For students whose studentship is funded or co-funded by an external partner, the second mini-project will be with the same external partner but will explore a different question.
The students will then begin their main PhD/DPhil project at the beginning of the third term, which can be based on one of the two mini-projects. Where appropriate for the research, student projects will be run jointly with the CDT’s leading industrial partners, and you will have the chance to undertake a placement in data-intensive statistics with some of the strongest statistics groups in the USA, Europe and Asia.
Alongside their research projects students will engage with taught courses each lasting for two weeks. Core topics will be taught during at the beginning of their first year (specific timings may vary for part-time students) and are:
- Bayesian Modelling and Computation
- Statistical Machine Learning; and
- Modern Statistical Theory.
Students will also be required to take a number of optional courses throughout their four years, which could be made up of choices from the following list: Advanced Monte Carlo methods, Causality and Graphical models, Networks, Nonparametric Bayes, Modern Asymptotics, Optimisation, (Deep) learning Theory and Practice, Reinforcement learning and Multi-Armed Bandits, Applied statistics and Genetics/computational biology.
The studentships are fully funded for the four years and come with a generous allowance for travel, equipment and research costs. The final cohort of CDT students will start in October 2023 with applications being invited now. Around 15 studentships are available, covering maintenance at an enhanced rate (current minimum £17,668 per year) plus tuition fees.
Studentships are open to all nationalities, and we are particularly keen to receive applications from women, minority groups and members of other groups that are underrepresented in technology. Applicants in possession of other funding scholarships or industry funding are also welcome to apply – please provide details of your funding source on your application.
We would like to receive applications from individuals who hold (or expect to receive) a masters level degree (or equivalent) in mathematics, statistics, physics, computer science, engineering, or in a closely related subject.
Further details, including the application procedure, can be found at: https://statml.io/index.php/how-to-apply/
Application Deadlines
Completed applications must be received at the latest by:
6th January 2023 – applications may remain open after this deadline if places are still available
Enquiries
Please direct any enquiries to the CDT admissions team at: [email protected]
Vanessa Eyles
Centre Manager, UKRI CDT in Modern Statistics and Statistical Machine Learning
EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training Suite
Room 407b Level 4 Sherfield Building
Imperial College London
London SW7 2AZ
Email: [email protected]
tel no: 020 7594 1424
website: https://statml.io/