PhD in Sunlight-Backscatter Communication for Maintenance-Free Environmental Sensing University of Auckland in Australia

The University of Auckland is offering a fully-funded PhD scholarship in Sunlight-Backscatter Communication for Maintenance-Free Environmental Sensing. This project addresses the challenge of gathering real-time monitoring data from remote, off-grid environments, such as alpine parks and farmland, where terrestrial infrastructure is lacking. The research aims to develop robust, low-power communication systems that use sunlight as a carrier for data transmission, enabling maintenance-free, persistent environmental monitoring.

The PhD project is multidisciplinary, combining hardware (low-power circuits, analog/digital design, embedded systems), communications (wireless protocols, signal processing, optics), and software (programming for modeling, simulation, and data analysis). The successful candidate will lead a systems-level investigation, developing a resilient, interactive, high-performance sensing system. Research will focus on three main challenges: reliability (maintaining sensor alignment with moving sunlight), interactivity (designing ultra-low-power wake-up systems for on-demand data exchange), and validation (network-level modeling and real-world field testing).

The position is based in the School of Computer Science at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, with close collaboration with Prof. Wen Hu at UNSW Sydney, Australia. The scholarship provides NZ$34,569 per annum as a stipend, full tuition coverage, and additional research support, including travel for conferences and collaboration. Both domestic and international applicants are encouraged to apply.

Applicants should have a strong background in computer science, electrical engineering, physics, or related fields, with skills in at least one of the core technical areas. A hands-on approach, interest in real-world system design, and motivation to solve complex problems are essential. To apply, email Dr. Talia Xu with a statement of interest, CV, and academic transcripts.