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Cyber Security KirCCS studentship
We invite applications for a three-year funded PhD studentship.
Funding is available at the current home fee rate of £4,327 (rate for 2019/20) together with a maintenance grant of £15,009 (rate for 2019/20).
The School of Computing, University of Kent
The School of Computing is home to world-leading researchers in key areas such as cyber security, programming languages, computational intelligence, data science and computer education. Based on our results in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) ‘computer science and informatics’ at Kent was ranked 12th in the UK for research intensity in the Times Higher Education. The THE also ranked the School 22 out of 89 for research power, with 100% of the School’s research impace rated world leading or internationally excellent.
The Kent Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Cyber Security (KirCCS) at the University of Kent harnesses expertise across the University to address current and potential cyber security challenges. It represents the University of Kent as a UK government recognised ACE-CSR (Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research), one of only 19 such centres in the whole UK.
The University of Kent is a leading university with a commitment to excellence in teaching and research. As the UK's European university, it is committed to creating a global student and staff community that advances knowledge and stimulates intellectual creativity, and performs at the highest levels.
Supervisors and areas of research
Applications are particularly encouraged from applicants wishing to appoint any of the prospective supervisors whose research interests are as follows:- Budi Arief - Cybercrime and Human Aspects of Computer Security (including Insider Threats), Malware and Ransomware, IoT Security
- Sanjay Bhattacherjee - Cryptography, Security, Efficiency and Use of Blockchains, Voting Games, (Biometric) Identification and Authentication Systems, Techno-Legal Systems and Policies
- Virginia Franqueira - Digital Forensics, Online Child Protection, Security in Supply Chain, Technology in Domestic Violence, Visual Content Analysis, Machine Learning, Cybercrime Investigation, Forensic Tool Support, Emerging Network Protocols, Blockchain (use and misuse), IoT Security & Forensics, Virtual Reality Security & Forensics
- Julio Hernandez-Castro - Cryptology (particularly Lightweight Crypto), Randomness, Steganography & Steganalysis, Computer & Network Security, Computer Forensics, CAPTCHAs, RFID Security
- Özgür Kafalı - Security Requirements Engineering, Secure and Privacy-aware Socio-technical System Design, Security and Privacy Ontologies, Semantic Breach Analysis, Agent-based Simulation for Human Security Decision-making
- Andy King: Automatic Vulnerability Discovery, Symbolic Execution, Binary Analysis
- Rogério de Lemos - Resilient AI, AI for Cyber Security, Self-protecting Systems, Blockchains for IoT Security
- Shujun Li - Usable Security and Wider Human Factors in Cyber Security, Privacy (technical, legal and human factors), User Authentication (especially password security and usability), Mobile and Web Security (including online social media), AI for Cyber Security, False Information (understanding, detection and prevention), Cybercrime, Online Child Protection and Anti-Pornography, Security Visualisation, Multimedia Security, Digital Forensics, CAPTCHA, Information Hiding, Socio-Technical Aspects of Distributed Leger Technologies (i.e. Blockchain)
- Jason Nurse - Cyber Security Culture, Corporate Security Awareness, Security Education and Training in Organisations, Usability of Security Interfaces, Behaviour Change, Gamification of Cyber Security or Privacy, Cyber-Insurance in Industry, Incident and Breach Response, Cybercrime and Psychology, Security Risk Management in the Internet-of-Things (IoT), Privacy in the Internet-of-Things (IoT), Cybercrime and the Internet-of-Things (IoT), Future Crimes, and Identity Security and Privacy Online (especially as it relates to online tracking and advertising)
- Carlos Pérez-Delgado - Quantum Cyber Security
Please note that supervisors may consider other topics as well, so if you want to discuss other topics please contact them direct or get in touch with the Centre Director and the Institute Co-Director Professor Shujun Li for advice.
Start Date and Funding
The expected start date is September 2020.
Scholarships are normally awarded annually for three years (36 months) for a full-time PhD student, subject to satisfactory progression through each year of study. They are awarded on a competitive basis and interview performance will be taken into account.
Support for research students includes:
- regular supervision meetings
- a research training programme
- computer equipment
- a desk in an office
- funds for conference travel
How to Apply
Applications should be made through the: University of Kent online admissions form with the PhD Project text, given above, pasted into the "Reasons for study" section.
We will need to review your:
- certificates and transcripts of all university degree studies
- a research proposal on a selected topic including a mini literature review, a proposed methodology, a work plan and a bibliography
- a properly formatted CV including names of at least two references
We are looking for an excellent student with a good Honours degree (First or 2:i) and, preferably, a Master’s degree at merit or distinction in a relevant subject or equivalent.
Successful candidates will demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding research potential. The studentship will be administered under the Graduate Teaching Assistant Scheme with the expectation that some teaching will be undertaken. Further details of the scheme can be found at https://www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate/GTA-Terms-and-Conditions-April-2019.pdf
Contact
For technical queries about the project, contact: Professor Shujun Li
For queries regarding the application procedure, email the PG-Research admissions officer: Laura Bocchi