PhD Scholarships – IMT Institute for Advanced Studies
IMT Institute for Advanced Studies Lucca (www.imtlucca.it) is accepting applications, from extremely motivated students oriented towards dynamic and highly applicative research opportunities, for fully-funded positions in its
2013 Doctoral Research Program.
The Track in Computer, Decision, and Systems Science (CDSS) aims to equip researchers and professionals with a wide knowledge of the theoretical foundations of computer science, informatics and system analysis that are applicable to a large variety of real-life problems of industrial, managerial, economic, and societal interest. Such elements include control systems, management science, optimal decision making and numerical optimization, image analysis and pattern recognition. The objective of the program is to provide Ph.D. candidates with the necessary scientific competence to master the theoretical aspects of the discipline, to propose original research ideas, and to develop numerical algorithms, managerial solutions and software tools for applying the new concepts to practical applications.
The Track in Computer, Decision and Systems Science is organized into four
curricula:
Computer Science (CS)
The curriculum in Computer Science (CS) focuses on key aspects of informatics, such as open-endedness, autonomy, security, concurrency, cost-effectiveness, quality of services, and dependability. The main goal is to study models, algorithms, and verification methods for modern distributed systems. The doctoral students enrolled in this curriculum will acquire extensive knowledge of the fundamentals and applications of architectures and languages for such distributed systems, including global and grid cloud computing systems, web systems and services, embedded systems, web data mining, and mobile systems. They will also learn professional skills for the application of computer technologies to wide area networks.
Control Systems (SYS)
The curriculum in Control Systems (SYS) is oriented towards model-based control of dynamical systems and decision-making algorithms, including embedded optimization algorithms for control and management of stochastic, networked, and large-scale dynamical systems. Motivated by the pervasive nature of data information systems and by the availability of powerful (and possibly distributed) computational resources, the main goal is to devise complex decision-making strategies that make systems react with a certain degree of autonomy and in an intelligent way to changes in their operating environment. Research skills in model-based control and optimization of dynamical systems taught enable students to conceive novel theories and algorithms. Students also learn professional skills for designing, simulating, and deploying control systems in a variety of application areas, such as smart grids and energy markets, finance, automotive and aerospace systems, water network management, industrial processes and many others.
Image Analysis (IA)
The curriculum in Image Analysis (IA) focuses on the analysis of large-scale multimodality imaging data for life sciences. Motivated by the explosion in biomedical imaging data, the goal is to develop high-throughput and high-precision strategies to analyze intelligently these vast data sets to prove clinically-driven hypothesis and unearth unseen patterns. Such vast datasets arise from studies of various organs (heart, brain and vasculature) and organisms (humans, other model organisms such small or large animals, and plants), using multiple modalities (MRI, PET, and optical at various scales), which span multiple dimensions (2D, 3D, monotone and multispectral), and are dynamic and repeated. This scenario is particularly prevalent now, where this type of analysis is needed to speed up phenotyping studies that accompany genotype-driven experiments.
Management Science (MS)
The curriculum in Management Science (MS) is oriented towards managerial decision making in complex organizations based on a quantitative approach to finance, marketing, information systems, operations, organizational behavior, innovation and industrial dynamics. Track participants are expected to acquire a solid grasp of underlying principles of information theory, decision sciences, statistics and numerical methods, along with their organizational and economic implications. Students and faculty address research questions raised by the emerging digital economy, the transformation of organizations and markets, and opportunities for new business models. MS is inherently multi-disciplinary. Study in this area utilizes faculty with backgrounds in economics, management science, computer science, decision sciences and complex system analysis. Although the program is primarily designed to prepare candidates for leading academic positions in top business and industrial engineering schools, a number of our graduates also assume high-level consulting or other industry positions.
Each student is invited to construct a personal study plan with Advisor, drawing from entire range of course offerings, to best suit his or her background and research interests.
Please visit the call website
(http://www.imtlucca.it/phd/call_for_applications/index.php) for more details regarding program content, the numerous benefits that students enjoy (including scholarships and room and board), and for the online form.
Please apply online ONLY by September 26th 2012.
IMT is also accepting applications in the fields of:
• Economics
• Management and Development of Cultural Heritage
• Political History
Those interested will be able to hear a real-time presentation of the program on an interactive webinar scheduled for June 28th 2012 (after this date a recording of the same will be available for viewing). To sign up, go to www.brightrecruits.com/webinars.
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