PhD supervision at DIAL is given by Prof. Duncan McFarlane and Prof. Karel Kruger. Please inquire directly.

Funding may be available at EPSRC levels for UK / EU students. For overseas students, funding might be available through the Cambridge International Scholarship Scheme. Potential applicants are also encouraged to visit the Cambridge Trust website and the university's website on graduate funding for more information regarding funding opportunities. 

Specific PhD opportunities are given below.

PhD Studentship in Logistics Automation

A funded PhD studentship is available to work on Logistics automation. The PhD will be oriented around one of the focus areas of the Intelligent Logistics Group which includes low cost digital solutions for SME logistics providers, resilient forecasting and planning of logistics operations, management of sustainable logistics operations, next generation warehouse automation and others. The work will involve developments such as novel algorithms to support logistics operations, novel automation approaches or the design and development of new digital support tools for logistics providers. Significant flexibility will be given to the successful candidate to ensure the PhD project is suited to their interests. Part of the first year of the PhD studies will involve undertaking mini studies in one or more of the above areas to consolidate the PhD focus. The PhD will involve interaction with one or more industrial partners and industrial case studies to ensure the work is industrially relevant as well as academically new.

For more information on this opportunity please click here. To express interest in this position please contact Professor Duncan McFarlane, dm114@cam.ac.uk and Becky Evans, dial-admin@eng.cam.ac.uk. 

PhD in Industrial Automation Systems

A PhD project is available investigating the development of tools and methods for determining the value of industrial automation systems. The PhD position will conduct a review of tools and methods in economics and engineering for assessing automation & information systems; perform a  series of industrial case studies focussed on a class (or classes) of automation developments; develop a framework for assessing holistic automation value and impact; and perform mathematical analysis to demonstrate differential impact of a type of automation. 

To express interest in this area please contact Professor Duncan McFarlane, dm114@cam.ac.uk.

PhD in Low-Cost Digital Solutions for Industrial Sustainability 

A PhD project is available exploring the design and deployment of low-cost digital solutions for industrial sustainability. The PhD position will aim to identify the class of (low-cost) digital solutions that impact on industrial sustainability; assess industry sustainability standards linked to selected focus sectors; and determine a method for aligning sustainability targets with sets of digital solutions.

To express interest in this area please contact Professor Duncan McFarlane, dm114@cam.ac.uk.

Phd in Reference Architecture Driven Design of Industrial Automation Systems

A PhD project is available to investigate reference architecture driven design of industrial automation systems. The PhD position will aim to provide a user-driven classification of reference architectures (RAs) relevant to automation system design and identify gaps.

To express interest in this area please contact Professor Duncan McFarlane, dm114@cam.ac.uk.

PhD in Executable Digital Twins for Edge Computing 

A PhD project is available to investigate Executable Digital Twins for edge computing using non-intrusive smart sensoring approaches and advanced data analytics. The PhD position will propose approaches and solutions to create Executable Digital Twins (xDTs) suitable for edge-computing applications for retrofitting activities; and develop concrete solutions of non-intrusive, robust, light and portable modelling and analytical techniques. 

To express interest in this area please contact Professor Karel Kruger, kk829@cam.ac.uk.