Project Description
The main component of the training program is the integration of the students into research groups, where they can develop full mastery of results and methodologies in one of the Link identifier #identifier__52216-1areas of interest within the Computer Science and Automation field of the Department of Civil, Computer Science and Aeronautical Technologies Engineering. These areas include databases, computer networks, algorithm design and analysis, artificial intelligence, robotics, optimization, operations research, automation, automatic control and industrial organization, modelling and simulation of interconnected systems, information visualization, cybersecurity, bioinformatics, energy diagnostics, smart cities, and Cyber-Physical-Human Systems. The experience, international reputation, and availability of the professors serving as supervisors are among the factors that ensure students acquire substantial expertise in their chosen research area.
Of fundamental importance to the training plan is the acquisition of broad knowledge, in addition to in-depth expertise. This objective is made possible by the wide range of expertise among the Department’s professors and is pursued through Link identifier #identifier__113648-2PhD courses taught by the professors themselves and by visiting professors at the Department. Participation in multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and general seminars, schools, and PhD courses (such as courses on academic and project writing, funding opportunities, communication techniques, and entrepreneurship training) is encouraged and supported. Interaction among students from different laboratories within the Department is considered essential and is actively promoted through the “PhD Day,” during which students present their annual research activities to professors and other Department students using posters they have prepared, as well as through events organized under the “PhD Life” initiative. These events consist of a seminar given by a professor or an industry representative, followed by several student presentations, with the aim of stimulating interest and fostering potential interdisciplinary collaborations.
The training program aims to place students in an internationally relevant environment. This objective is pursued through several initiatives. Students are encouraged and supported in participating in schools and workshops, both in Italy and abroad. In this way, students can build an international network of contacts with other young researchers, fostering the exchange of expertise, collaborations, and scientific growth. Submitting research outputs to internationally relevant conferences and journals, and making these outputs appropriately accessible, is considered standard practice, so that students can assess the quality and significance of their research and gain global visibility. Periods spent at universities and research institutes abroad are considered important opportunities for professional and scientific growth, both for establishing a strong relationship with a professor other than their own supervisor and for gaining scientific experience outside the confines of their own research group. For this reason, such periods are encouraged and supported through a 50% increase in the PhD scholarship during the time spent abroad. The training program also provides for and supports invitations to internationally renowned professors to give seminars and PhD courses. Finally, students are encouraged to apply for the Doctor Europaeus qualification.
The training of PhD students is enriched and partly guided by interaction with representatives of the industrial sector. Although a connection with industry has always existed due to the applicability of Computer Science and Automation expertise in productive contexts, this relationship has strengthened in recent years. Industry representatives actively contribute to doctoral training through seminars held as part of the “PhD Life” events. The PhD program also seeks input on the training program from industry representatives, including managers of companies co-financing PhD scholarships and members of the Department’s advisory board. The presence of several PhD scholarships co-financed by companies, together with the resulting periods spent by some PhD students within those companies, further strengthens the relationships between the PhD program and its corporate partners.
The expected workload for a PhD student is at least 500 hours per year, including at least 50 hours of training activities (attendance at schools, courses, seminars, and courses taken from Master’s degree programs that the student did not attend during their previous studies) and at least 400 hours of research activities. The educational offerings provided by members of the PhD Board and the Department are scheduled in advance and published on the PhD website.
Program Objectives
The primary objective of the PhD program is for students to acquire a very high level of professional expertise and an appropriate methodology for conducting scientific research in the fields of Computer Science and Automation. The PhD program will provide students with the ability to abstract, model, and generalize complex problems arising from application domains relevant to Computer Science and Automation; to use algorithmic, mathematical, and technological methodologies to design solutions to the problems addressed; to implement the proposed solutions and assess their effectiveness and efficiency analytically or experimentally, comparing the validity of their solutions with other state-of-the-art solutions; and to synthesize their research through the writing and publication of scientific papers, as well as through the presentation of their results at national and international conferences.
Alongside the development of in-depth expertise in a specific research area, the PhD program aims to develop transferable skills that can also be applied in the professional world. This ensures that, in addition to achieving a high degree of maturity and independence in research activities, PhD students acquire broad, rigorous, and scientifically well-founded training. These skills will represent a significant strength for PhD graduates, not only in academia but also in industry.
Students will also be given the opportunity and support to gain their first teaching experiences. These will consist of assisting professors and undergraduate students during practical sessions and examinations, as well as helping undergraduate students with their individual study. Teaching activities for PhD students will not be mandatory.