Courtney Ford

Fully funded PhD opportunity in Explainable AI (XAI) and Critical Human-AI Interaction at University College Dublin , School of Information and Communication Studies. The project focuses on Explainable AI , with themes including contestability , frictional design , trust calibration , critical engagement, and explanation methods that support users in challenging or refusing AI decisions. Candidates are also welcome to propose their own topic within XAI. Suggested research directions include: designing explanations for domain and AI expertise; explanation design for marginalised communities; post-hoc explanation methods for sustained critical engagement; and evaluation frameworks/metrics for critical engagement and trust calibration. This opportunity is especially relevant to students with backgrounds in computer science , information technology , philosophy , psychology , sociology , statistics , or related interdisciplinary areas. Strong technical/programming skills are useful for the technical strands, while applicants from critical studies or social science backgrounds are encouraged if they are willing to engage with technical explanation methods. Funding: fully funded PhD studentship with a stipend of €25,000 per year for four years , plus additional support for conference attendance and training. EU fees are covered automatically; non-EU students receive a fee waiver from UCD. Deadline: 20 July. The post also references a broader UCD/Research Ireland cohort of PhD studentships for September 2026 intake, with applications opening in late May 2026 and closing in early June 2026. Interested applicants should review the suggested topics and application instructions via the linked page and submit through the application portal/form provided. For further information, contact [email protected] .

University College Dublin is recruiting a fully funded PhD student in the School of Information and Communication Studies for a project in Explainable AI (XAI) and Critical Human-AI Interaction . The advertised project focuses on topics such as expertise and critical engagement , contestability , frictional design , trust calibration , and related questions in human-AI interaction. Candidates are also welcome to propose their own topic within XAI. The school page also lists related PhD openings in hyper-personalisation and filter bubbles , AI and human autonomy , and broader data science and AI themes. This opportunity is based at University College Dublin in Ireland and is announced by Courtney Ford , Assistant Professor in Explainable AI. The post indicates a fully funded PhD studentship, and the wider UCD cohort call mentions a stipend of €25,000 per year for four years , plus additional support for conference attendance and training. For the cohort programme, EU students have fees covered automatically and non-EU students receive a fee waiver from UCD. Eligibility varies by topic, but the post highlights several useful profiles: technical applicants with interest in philosophy or critical AI studies; philosophy/critical studies applicants willing to learn technical explanation methods; candidates with mixed technical and social science skills for fairness and representation topics; strong technical/programming skills with machine learning and XAI experience; or strong quantitative and technical skills for evaluation frameworks. The application deadline for the advertised XAI PhD is 20 July 2026 . The UCD school page also notes that the broader PhD applications system for the 2026/27 academic year has separate closing dates and that some cohort applications open in late May 2026 and close in early June 2026. Interested applicants should review the suggested topics and application instructions on the linked page, then submit through the relevant application form or portal.