Fully Funded PhD in AI, Trustworthy and Secure AI at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University in United States

Virginia Commonwealth University is advertising fully funded PhD opportunities in Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Computer Science, with a start date in Fall 2026 or Spring 2027. The position is led by Dr. Maryna Veksler, incoming Assistant Professor at VCU.

The research focus is on trustworthy and secure AI for adversarial, safety-critical, and real-world environments. Core topics include robustness, interpretability, fairness, adversarial resilience, secure and explainable AI, cybersecurity, digital forensics, autonomous systems, intelligent sensing, cyber-physical systems, drones, IoT devices, and generative AI security.

Example project directions mentioned in the post include adversarial attacks and defenses for AI systems, explainable AI methods for high-stakes applications, detection of manipulated or AI-generated content, AI-driven digital forensics and media authentication, and secure drone and IoT systems.

Preferred preparation includes experience or strong interest in machine learning, deep learning, LLMs, cybersecurity, digital forensics, and prior research experience such as publications, projects, thesis work, or internships. Skills in Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or systems programming are highlighted, and a master’s degree in Computer Science or Electrical & Computer Engineering is preferred.

The post states that the positions are fully funded. Applicants should submit the application form, a CV, and a brief research statement. Strong applicants will be contacted for next steps.

Application link: https://shorturl.at/fpI6S