Gary Watmough

The University of Edinburgh is offering a PhD opportunity focused on developing interpretable and local poverty estimations using advanced AI and earth observation technologies. The project aims to create actionable poverty maps for policymakers by leveraging satellite data and machine learning, with a strong emphasis on interpretability and real-world impact. The research will involve assessing current AI and ML tools for poverty estimation, designing AI-driven processes for policy applications, and developing prototype models to support decision-making in areas such as child nutrition and vaccination. The successful candidate will join an international, interdisciplinary team and benefit from comprehensive training in earth observation, spatial statistics, and programming (Python/R), as well as professional skills development. Applicants from diverse academic backgrounds, including geography, geosciences, computer/data sciences, ecology, and social sciences, are encouraged to apply. The position is based at the University of Edinburgh, with collaboration between the Schools of Geosciences and Informatics. The application deadline is December 14, 2025. For more information and application instructions, refer to the link in the comments.