About the Project
The interest with which the scientific world, the markets and societies anticipate a full scale launch of autonomous and connected vehicles, one of the most impactful and ‘near to completion’ applications of artificial intelligence, is higher than ever before. This is because these vehicles have, in theory at least, the potential to utterly transform urban development as known today, with a revolution in road transport, regulations permitting, that could dramatically change the landscape of cities and have an enormous socio-economic, spatial mobility and business impact. Although recent studies showed that a priori acceptability of artificial intelligence in road transport could be likely for many drivers today the future may be far more complex. The implementation of vehicle automation will not be straightforward, predictable or unproblematic; there is a wide spectrum of challenges, social dilemmas and complicated human factors issues that may arise from such an ‘untested’ and ‘powerful’ innovation. Cybersecurity threats constitute one of the key problems that need to be addressed and a socio-psychological barrier that might make individuals and even societies as a whole, less willing to embrace driverless vehicle technologies. The proposed PhD study aims to develop a theoretical and empirical framework for understanding public attitudes towards cybersecurity in automated and connected vehicles and predict behavioural patterns and human-machine interaction trends in a crisis situation; it will be primarily a user-centred study of socio-technical nature. The PhD will ultimately try to identify how a new automated and connected transport network could be (or at least perceived by its users to be) robust to disturbances, failures and threats of an unexpected and malicious nature. This approach means that the research will ultimately identify and examine the cybersecurity dimensions of transport resilience in a new era for urban mobility governed by artificial intelligence.
Eligibility: The scholarship is open to all Home/UK, EU and International PhD students, who intend to begin their PhD studies in 2017/18 academic year.
Requirements:
Academic excellence
A first class or equivalent bachelor’s degree in any area of business and management (accounting and finance, economics, entrepreneurship, logistics, operations research, operations and hospitality management, human resource management, management science, people, management, organisations, marketing, tourism and related areas), education, computing and engineering, geography, mathematics, political science, psychology, social sciences and sociology.
A master’s degree with distinction or equivalent in similar or related areas to the above.
Outstanding analytical, academic writing and English Language skills (at least, an overall academic IELTS test score of 7.5 with no score below 7.0 or equivalent for international or non-native users of English Language).
An exceptional knowledge of business and management, particularly in the areas of autonomous vehicles, transport of people, urban studies and cybersecurity.
Outstanding quantitative or qualitative data collection and analysis skills, including first class computer skills, knowledge and experience in the use of Microsoft Office and/or other qualitative or statistical packages, such as NVivo, SPSS, STATA, and EVIEWS.
An outstanding research proposal that fits well with the research interests of at least one of the two projects outlined above.
A proven ability to work both in a team and independently with minimum supervision.
Ability and readiness to provide high quality teaching of up to 6 hours per week within the school.
Be able to commence their studies in September 2017.
How to apply:
Complete an exceptional research proposal focused on one of the topics listed above (maximum of 2,500 words, excluding references and any appendices), covering the following sections: (i) project title; (ii) abstract; (iii) project introduction, motivation and problem statement; (iv) project background or context; (v) project theoretical framework; (vi) project empirical literature review and propositions or hypotheses; (vi) project research design or data and research methodology; (vii) project references; and (vii) a 3-year time-table or plan to completion. The proposal must be in the area of one of these four projects. All applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate project team leaders for any questions or clarifications that they may have about the projects before submitting their applications.
Two good academic references (we require full written references, not just contact details)
A current detailed CV, identifying any research employment or experience and, where applicable, details of research conference presentations or publications.
Transcripts and certificates (copies) of all relevant academic and/or any professional qualifications, including English Language qualifications (e.g., IELTS test score for international or non-native users of English Language applicants).
Funding Notes
Scholarship package: The scholarship consists of a full tuition at the Home/UK, EU or International student fee rate and a bursary of £14,553 in the first year (£1,212 per month), £14,815 in the second year (£1,234 per month) and £15,082 in the third year (£1,256 per month) which is subject to satisfactory annual performance and progression review.