The UKRI CENTRE FOR DOCTORAL TRAINING IN SOCIALLY INTELLIGENT ARTIFICIAL AGENTS

The CDT in Socially Intelligent Artificial Agents (http://social-cdt.org) is a partnership between the University of Glasgow (School of Computing Science, School of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, School of Business, School of Critical Studies and School of Engineering) and 16 industrial partners (BRAIQ, Context-Scout, Dimensional Imaging, Dyson, FLASH Robotics, Furhat Robotics, Micro-phonics, Microsoft, Neurodata-Lab, PolyAI, Qumodo, Rakuten, Schlumberger, SICSA, Telefonica, The Data Lab). The CDT will train the next generation of experts in Artificial Social Intelligence, the AI domain aimed at making machines capable of interacting with their users like people do with one another.

Students will follow a 4-year integrated PhD model:

·         Year 1: the students attend induction, taught courses of a total of 120 credits, are involved in some preliminary cohort-training related events and shape their PHD project;

·         Year 2-4: the students work on their PhD project and participate in training events aimed at developing a range of skills designed to help them network with the stakeholders (industry, public sector, charities, etc.) and to develop the skills these stakeholders are looking for in their future leaders (10-20% of their working time).

The cohort-based training will forge a UK community of talented researchers with high value skills sought after by the market, and capable of delivering change.

There are two different types of PhD projects

Interdisciplinary Co-Creation

Every PhD project must involve two supervisors, one part of the TE group and the other part of the PS group:

·         TE Group: Brewster (CS), Calder (CS), Chalmers (CS), Dahiya (EN), Dalton (CS), Foster (CS), Marsella PS, McDonald (CS), Miller (CS), Norman (CS), Ounis (CS), Sevegnani (CS), Vinciarelli (CS);

·         PS Group: Barr (PS), Barsalou (PS), Cross (PS), DeBruine (PS), Harvey (PS), Jack (PS), Jones (PS), McAleer (PS), Muckli (PS), Papies (PS), Philiastides (PS), Pollick (PS), Searle (BU), Siebert (BU), Schyns (PS), Smith (CR), Stuart-Smith (CR);

With CS standing for Computing Science, PS for Psychology, EN for Engineering, CR for Critical Studies and BU for Business.

Industrial Co-Creation

Every PhD project must involve one academic supervisor (see the list above) and one of the industrial partners.

Evaluation and Requirements

The CDT will be evaluated annually by UKRI (the funding agency) and failure to meet their expectations can result in early closure of the Centre. For this reason, it is important that the supervisors take into account the following criteria: 

·         The students must finish their PhD within 4 years after joining the CDT (unless there is a documented just cause for the delay) and the delays will have a negative impact on the evaluations;

·         The students must visit the industrial partners that have accepted to welcome interns for 3-6 months research projects or visits (funded by the CDT if the industrial partner has not promised to provide the funds for it);

·         The supervisors must ensure that their students benefit, to a maximum extent, from the in-kind resources that have been offered by the industrial partners (the offers of the partners are available at the link https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ytnuup95u9sx4qh/AABmk_t8ebc0TwfNTeMAD7wca?dl=0).

In case, there are problems in meeting any of the criteria above, the supervisors should contact the CDT Director and co-Directors as soon as possible to obtain assistance.

Finally, at least 50% of the PhD project topic must fall in the EPSRC remit and must be relevant to at least one the following areas:

·         Research Area (RA) 1: To outline principles and laws that govern social interactions between human and artificial agents – both embodied and virtual – at the level of cognitive, behavioural and physiological phenomena;

·         RA2: To develop technological approaches – informed by the principles and laws outlined above – that allow artificial agents to act as believable and effective partners in social interactions involving human users;

·         RA3: To improve the impact of artificial agents through their integration into wider and more complex technological systems and infrastructures;

·         RA4: To investigate the human response to socially intelligent artificial agents in everyday life.

Eligibility of the project proposals will be assessed by the CDT Board of Directors.

ALL SECTIONS MUST BE COMPLETED

PROJECT TITLE:

SUPERVISOR 1

Name:

School or Industrial Partner:

Website:

SUPERVISOR 2

Name:

School or Industrial Partner:

Website:

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Please provide a short summary that will be posted on the website of the CDT for advertisement purposes (400-500 words and up to 6 references) outlining the following:

·         Main aims and objectives;

·         Proposed methods;

·         Likely outputs;

·         Possible impact;

·         Industrial partner(s) most likely to provide resources (in-kind or cash);

·         Industrial partner(s) most likely to welcome the student for internship;

·         Brief timetable.

ALIGNMENT WITH SOCIAL THEMES

Please indicate which of the CDT Research Areas will be addressed with your project (please refer to page 1 of this document and the CDT webpage for guidance). The research areas are not mutually exclusive and the project can be relevant to more than one:

·         RA1: Yes/No

·         RA2: Yes/No

·         RA3: Yes/No

·         RA4: Yes/No

PROJECT TYPE

Please indicate the type of project (the two types are mutually exclusive and only one can be set to Yes):

·         Industrial Co-Creation: Yes/No

·         Interdisciplinary Co-Creation: Yes/No