The Ambient Intelligence Lab (AmI Lab) at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is recruiting two fully funded PhD students to start in Spring or Fall 2026. The lab, part of the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Construction Management, focuses on research at the intersection of human–building interaction, digital twins, AI agents, large language models, wearable and embedded sensing, mixed reality (VR/AR/MR), and space habitats. Students will explore how artificial intelligence, embedded and wearable sensing, and mixed reality technologies can create human-centric ambient intelligence for smart built environments. Ongoing research topics include proactive interfaces for occupant interactions, smart building reasoning engines using LLMs, AI systems for IoT and building data, physiological and environmental sensing, immersive tools for design and operations, virtual/physical synchronization for monitoring and control, and extending ambient intelligence to space habitats.

Applicants should have a bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering or computer science field and programming experience. Desirable qualifications include a master's degree, research experience, machine learning skills, and familiarity with BIM, IoT, wearables, VR/AR/MR, or digital twin platforms. The positions offer full tuition support and a competitive stipend.

To apply, candidates should email Dr. Tianzhi He with their CV, cover letter, and writing samples, and submit a formal application to the UTSA Graduate School. UTSA is a Tier One research university located in San Antonio, Texas, with cutting-edge facilities and a strong innovation ecosystem.