Masters by Research in Computer Science - Curbing Poverty through Sustainable Smart Communities Transitions

We are looking for women with a background in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), who wish to inspire future generations of women to pursue careers in STEM by undertaking a research project at Coventry University.

The scholarship covers: 

• Tuition fees.
• A monthly stipend (for up to 12 months) to cover living costs, including accommodation.
• Where applicable, accompanying child allowance for scholars consistent with UK visa requirements.
• IELTS exam fee (for scholars without a valid test of English).
• Return economy-class travel from home country to the UK.
• Visa and insurance/NHS surcharge costs.

Broad challenge

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems offer a source of clean and affordable energy, and thus a means to tackle climate change and energy poverty. However, systems can fail without careful maintenance and management,  

with overconsumption of energy from the batteries drastically reducing their lifespan. Such failure is more common amongst the most disadvantaged communities: studies have shown that at least one in every two solar PV systems deployed in rural settings fails within the first few years. This project will build upon research at Coventry University to develop automated energy management systems to increase battery longevity in such scenarios.  

Research question

Do recently developed meta-heuristic algorithms for PV EMSs generalise to a wider range of scenarios; and can such generalisation be aided through the use of data science in optimising algorithm parameters? 

Methodology

This project will work with real energy-use data from refugee camps collected as part of Coventry University's recent HEED project, and build on recent EMS development at Coventry which has focussed on genetic algorithms. The project seeks to build on this prior work with the use of data science techniques to optimise and/or supplement the existing system. Programming and algorithm development skills are essential for the project; and prior machine learning and data science skills would be beneficial. 

Impact

The project outputs have the potential to improve the access to energy of some of the most disadvantaged groups in society, and contribute to tackling the grand challenge of climate change. They project also seeks to demonstrate and push forward the recent synergies between data science and more traditional optimisation techniques.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM, you must: 

• Be a woman. 
• Be a passport holder and permanent resident of one of the eligible countries – Pakistan, India, Nepal. 
• Have submitted an application to study at Coventry University, for one of the six research projects, before your application for the British Council Scholarship for Women in STEM can be considered. 
• Have completed all components of an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry onto a postgraduate programme at Coventry University by the time you submit your application and be able to start your postgraduate programme in September 2023. 
• Demonstrate a need for financial support.
• Have not previously studied at degree level or higher in the UK or lived recently in the UK. 
• You must not be in receipt of financial support or funding towards your study programme in the UK from any other source. 
• Meet the English language requirement of Coventry University for research degrees.
• Indicate their preference for course and institution in the case of applying to multiple institutions. 
• You are required to show in your application that you are active in the field with work experience or with a proven interest in the programme area you are applying for. 
• You are willing to demonstrate future contribution to capacity-building and socio-economic advancement through the benefits achieved after graduating from UK higher education and returning your home country. Note: Students in receipt of British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM will not be eligible to apply to remain in the UK under the Graduate Immigration Route (GIR) visa scheme upon completion of their Master’s degree. 
• You must demonstrate in your application a plan and passion to engage other women and girls in STEM from your home country. 
• You agree that your personal data being shared with the British Council as a condition of applying for the bursary. 
• If you are awarded a scholarship, you agree to maintain contact with the British Council and act as an ambassador for the UK and engage with activities as part of a British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM alumnus during and after your study in the UK. Any involvement in these activities during your study in the UK will take up no more than five hours per term. 

You are NOT eligible for a British Council Scholarship if you: 

• Hold dual British citizenship. 
• Have previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK Government-funded scholarship or a UK institutional scholarship/financial bursary. 
• Are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of Her Majesty’s Government (including British Embassies/High Commissions; the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Department for International Trade; the Ministry of Defence; and the Home Office). 
• Are an employee, a former employee, or relative (*) of an employee of the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM – eligible countries. 

(*): Relatives are defined as parents or step-parents, siblings or step-siblings, children or step-children, spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner (where the couple have been in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership for at least two years). 

Entry criteria

Entry criteria for applicants to MSc/MA by Research

• Minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average 
• An adequate proficiency in English must be demonstrated by applicants whose first language is not English. The general requirement is a minimum overall IELTS Academic score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the four sections, or the TOEFL iBT test with a minimum overall score of 95 with a minimum of 21 in each of the four sections.