University of Bristol
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1 month ago
PhD Studentship in Learning and Decision-Making Under Uncertainty in Public Health University of Bristol in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Available
Deadline
Jan 31, 2027
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Bristol

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About this position
PhD Studentship: Learning and Decision-Making Under Uncertainty in Public Health at the University of Bristol.
This fully funded PhD project sits at the intersection of machine learning, statistical decision theory, and public health. It focuses on decision-making under uncertainty in dynamic environments where observations arrive sequentially and actions affect future outcomes. The successful candidate will work on methodological research in reinforcement learning, active learning, Bayesian decision theory, and stochastic optimisation for partially observed and evolving systems.
The project is motivated by important applications in public health and epidemiology, including adaptive disease surveillance, outbreak monitoring, resource allocation, and intervention planning. It also emphasizes scalable and interpretable approaches, combining probabilistic modelling, network-based representations, and modern AI methods. Research directions include adaptive data acquisition under resource constraints, RL-based sequential intervention and control, and robust learning under incomplete observations, changing environments, and distributional shifts.
The studentship is described as a 4-year University Scholarship for the 2027/28 academic year. Funding includes a minimum tax-free stipend at the current UKRI rate, a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £8,400, and full tuition fee coverage. The posting states that the opportunity is open to competitive worldwide applicants.
Applicants should have foundational knowledge of machine learning and strong self-motivation. The application materials requested include a CV, a personal statement, a transcript of qualifying degrees, and optional research proposal and additional supporting evidence such as research outputs, thesis material, or code repositories.
Supervision is by Dr. Mengyan Zhang, whose research interests include sequential decision-making and public health. Applications are made online via the University of Bristol postgraduate application system, and candidates are also asked to email their application to the supervisor with the specified subject line.
Deadline: 31 January 2027.
Funding details
Available
What's required
The ideal candidate will have foundational knowledge of machine learning and strong self-motivation. A CV, personal statement, transcript of any qualifying degrees (completed or underway), and optionally a research proposal and supporting materials are requested for application. The post is a full-time PhD studentship; no explicit GPA or English language test requirement is stated in the posting.
How to apply
Apply online at the University of Bristol postgraduate application portal. Select the specified programme title on the Programme Choice page and complete the Funding and Research Details sections. Also email [email protected] with the subject line '[PhD Application + Your name]' and attach the required documents.
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