Virtual induction for the new Doctoral Training Students in AI

The UKRI funded PhD doctoral training centre in Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning and Advanced Computing (AIMLAC) held its virtual induction and cohort training event between the 22nd to 24th of September 2020.

Photograph of participants at the AIMLAC virtual inductionPhotograph of participants at the AIMLAC virtual inductionOver 50 people attended the event, which was held for the 2019 cohort of 12 students, 2020 cohort of 12 funded students with three associate students, and two from the data-intensive science CDT, as well as academic supervisors.

The fully funded AIMLAC PhD positions cover a wide range of topics from analysing data from large science facilities (in particle physics, astronomy and cosmology), biological, health and clinical sciences, and research in mathematical, physical and computer sciences approaches. The positions are funded for 4 years, include placements with external partners, and include training, workshops and conference support.

Professor Jonathan Roberts, lead for AIMLAC at Bangor, said “There is a growing need for skilled engineers and scientists in AI, machine learning and advanced computing. The AIMLAC doctoral training centre, funded by UKRI, gives these students a wide range of training in research and experience at companies. The centre fits well with research and teaching that is taking place across the University. We have undergraduate courses in computing, and postgraduate courses in data-science and advanced computing. Myself and my colleagues research methods to simulate, analyse and display huge quantities of data; I want to help train the next generation of data scientists and visualisation engineers.”

Two PhD students started this year at Bangor University. Frank Krzyzowski, working with Professor Lucy Kuncheva and Iwan Mitchell who is working with Dr Franck Vidal.

Frank Krzyzowski said “It is a great opportunity to work with Lucy. We are going to investigate badly behaving data and see how different datasets can be approached with machine learning techniques. I am privileged to be part of the AIMLAC centre, and it was good to meet other new and old students at the centre in this virtual induction week.” 

Iwan Mitchell said “I am very pleased to be starting this new training. I have wanted to do a PhD for a few years now, and I am very excited to be looking at methods to automate industrial x-ray computed tomography. There are many AI techniques that we could apply, and I can’t wait to get started with the research and continue with the training from the centre.”

Publication date: 9 October 2020