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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project Template
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Use one form per project
Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by 27/11/2012
In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that
your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed
PI name & contact details:
School:
Dr Michael Madden:
michael.madden@nuigwalway.ie +353 91 493797
Information Technology,
College of Engineering & Informatics
Has project been agreed with head (or
nominee) of proposed registration school?
Yes
Research Centre / group affiliation:
Machine Learning & Data Mining Research Group
Research group / centre website:
http://datamining.it.nuigalway.ie/
PI website / link to CV:
http://datamining.it.nuigalway.ie/
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
We focus on advances in techniques for machine learning and data mining, motivated by solving
important practical applications. We work on classification algorithms, kernel methods,
reinforcement learning, probabilistic inference, and data stream mining.
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
Distributed Data Mining With Low Cost Processors and Geolocation
Low-cost ARM based processors, such as found in smart phones and the Raspberry Pi, are an
interesting alternative to desktop computers. We wish to develop data mining and machine learning
techniques that can operate effectively on such small devices. These would have applications in
sensor processing and time series analytics.
There are two possible approaches that could be explored: (1) algorithms that have low
computational requirements, and so can be implemented directly on such processors; (2)
approaches in which data mining models are built on a more powerful computer and then deployed
to a small processor. For example, it may be computationally expensive to inductively learn a
Bayesian network, Support Vector Machine or Decision Tree from data, but the resulting
network/machine/tree can be represented as a small piece of code.
This will build on our previous work in development of techniques and algorithms for time series
data mining, and our separate work on distributed data mining. In addition, because mobile devices
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
generally have GPS units or other ways of determining their location, this project will investigate
how data from physically distributed sensors can be integrated and analysed as a whole. This could
be applied, for example, to develop methods to improve the estimation of arrival/departure times
in public transport, or to improve the estimation of power demands in an electricity network.
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
The National University of Ireland Galway, founded in 1845, has a distinguished record in scholarship and
research. The University enjoys a close relationship with Galway city, which is shaped by artistic communities,
active student life, innovative industry and leading edge research.
The University’s Structured PhD programme enables researchers to take advanced technical courses as well as
to develop their research skills in the early stages of their PhD work.
In the Machine Learning & Data Mining Group, we have long-standing interdisciplinary collaborations within
the university, particularly in Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine. Our group also has strong links with
research groups in other universities internationally, such as the University of California Berkeley, the
University of California Irvine and the University of Helsinki, Finland.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
As above.
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, or similar disciplines.
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences)
Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences
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Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Agricultural Production
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals, Minerals Technology
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters
Bioprospecting and Biodiversity
Marine Sciences
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders
arrangements):
Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): _ ____
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): _____
Suitable for either/Don’t know: 