The Department of Physics at Imperial College is internationally recognised as a centre of research excellence. An increasing fraction of the research performed within this department requires the understanding of data intensive environments. The scales and techniques vary according to the research area but include:
- analysing the vast amounts of data produced by the LHC experiments using machine learning techniques;
- extremely sensitive time series analysis of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements;
- the simultaneous analysis of time series data from multiple space-based instruments;
- looking for rare astronomical objects in databases containing 109 detected sources;.
- Many others…
These research activities train around 40 PhD students each year in the detailed analysis techniques required in each of these fields. After graduation many students go into industry where they work on data intensive science and engineering projects. Much of this science is funded through STFC who understand the importance of these highly trained people in industry. STFC have decided to set up a Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) dedicated to their training. By forming a cohort of students at the same place specialising in data intensive science, the students coming from this CDT will not only be experts in the techniques used by the individual specialities but will be trained in the full range of methods used across all of STFC-funded science. They will also be trained in the HPC, HTC and large scale distribute computing techniques used by the research groups including clouds and grids. Each student will join one of the STFC funded research groups in the department and so will be an expert in a particular branch of physics as well the wide data intensive techniques. This means that they will be highly trained (and sought after) individuals. Workshops involving the industrial partners will be part of the programme.
Initially one such CDT will be funded by STFC. Full details of the cal can be found at https://www.stfc.ac.uk/files/centre-for-doctoral-training-guidance/
As well as the institute (or institutes) selected, their industrial partners will play a key role in the instigation and development of this CDT. STFC funding will provide 5 studentships per year with each lasting 4 years and a minimum of an extra 2 studentships per year will be funded through the contributions of the industrial partners. Each student will spend 6 months of their 4 years based at one or more of the industrial partners integrating fully into their activities related to data science. Additionally, should this CDT be hosted at Imperial we would hope and expect our partners to play a significant part in shaping the training the students receive. Initially the scheme is due to last for three cohorts of students.
We would like to invite you to discuss how we could collaborate in setting up this CDT and the nature of the training it provides. This will be in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London on the 18th October at 3pm. Present and former students will showcase their work based on data intensive science, after which both the students and members of staff setting up the CDT will be available for further discussions.
If you would like to attend please register here.
For further information contact Prof. Ulrik Egede (u.egede@imperial.ac.uk) or Prof. David Colling (d.colling@imperial.ac.uk)