EFI’s Centre for Technomoral Futures welcomes applications for three Baillie Gifford PhD studentships in the critical area of AI and Data Ethics.
The three fully-funded, four-year PhD studentships for September 2021 are sponsored by global investment firm Baillie Gifford. Each place offers a stipend, tuition fees and an annual research budget. This exciting opportunity is open to UK/EU and International students.
An innovative and collaborative programme
The aim of EFI’s Baillie Gifford research programme is to cultivate interdisciplinary skills and knowledge in the application of ethical values to data-driven technologies. Our goal is to help tomorrow’s researchers develop the shared vocabulary and the flexible, responsive, cross-disciplinary research methodologies needed to address the complex challenges and opportunities that data and AI present. The programme supports EFI’s vision for sustainable, just and ethical futures in flourishing societies.
Initially, successful candidates will join the University of Edinburgh’s Department of Philosophy in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences (PPLS) under the primary supervision of CTMF Director Shannon Vallor. However, candidates will work with a supervisory team that cuts across academic disciplines. They will join a cohort of Baillie Gifford researchers from Schools across the University of Edinburgh, taking part in collaborative activities to develop the necessary skills for rigorous interdisciplinary research in data/AI ethics.
Open and international opportunity
We welcome applications from prospective students from a variety of academic backgrounds relevant to the study of applied ethics of data and AI. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from groups or communities that are historically underrepresented or marginalised in philosophy and/or computing professions.
The fully-funded studentships are open to candidates from anywhere in the world. You can read more about our current cohort of Baillie Gifford PhD researchers here. Please get in touch with questions about the programme by emailing: ctf@ed.ac.uk
How to apply
Prospective students should apply via the standard form for applicants to the PhD in the Department of Philosophy, accessible at the School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences.
As a part of the application process, candidates must also propose a research project on a specific topic or problem in AI/data ethics that will draw on the knowledge, methods, concepts or tools of more than one discipline. More information can be found here.
Applications will remain open until 23 November 2020.
Find out more about the Centre for Technomoral Futures: https://efi.ed.ac.uk/centre-technomoral-futures/