Transform society with a research degree at A2I2

Embark on a transformative journey at Deakin University’s Applied AI Institute (A2I2) with our PhD program, where your passion for creating artificial minds converges with cutting-edge technology, fostering breakthroughs that reshape life, drive businesses, and advance science.

Explore our world-class Higher Degree by Research program, offering you the tools to address real-world challenges using machine learning and reasoning methodologies.

PhD PROJECTS 2024

Please revisit this list frequently as additional opportunities may become available.

GenAI with Professor Mohamed Abdelrazek – see project description

Develop software solutions to tackle hospital ramping with Dr Rena Logethetis – see project description

If you wish to propose a PhD project that is not listed here, please contact A2I2 Higher Degree by Research (HDR) team at a2i2_hdr@deakin.edu.au for further discussion. Alternatively, you may suggest a researcher you would like to work with by visiting our staff list https://a2i2.deakin.edu.au/about-us/

 

 

Who is the A2I2 PhD program for?

Our PhD program is designed for those who wish to be part of the next generation of AI creators and developers. Our PhD programs are 3 years full-time, with the possibility of up to 6 months extension, and can be completed on-campus at either our Melbourne (Burwood) or Geelong (Waurn Ponds) campuses (project-specific).

As a PhD student at A2I2, you will learn alongside some of the sharpest minds in the field of AI and have access to a multitude of strong industry and academic collaborations.

See our Supervisor Profiles here

Our researchers consistently publish in prestigious international AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, AAAI, IJCAI, CVPR, ECCV, ICSE) and Q1 journals. Check out our publications for more details.

We also work with industry leaders across diverse sectors to apply our cutting-edge AI to help solve real-world problems. Check out our industry projects for some recent examples.

Graduates from A2I2 have secured research and engineering roles in renowned AI institutions and global companies like Google, Amazon, IBM, Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, REA Group, and more.

 

By pursuing a Higher Degree by Research at A2I2, you will:

Access world-class facilities for research including an in-house NVIDIA H100 server cluster capable of 5 petaFLOPS (FP32).

✓  Become an expert in your field, contributing to global research impact in:

• • Health
  • Manufacturing
  • Defence
  • Space
  • Renewable Energy
  • Education

✓  Join a globally connected research community with 500+ leading organizations across 65 countries.

✓  Acquire skills highly valued by employers, leveraging Deakin’s #1 postgraduate employment ranking in Australia.

✓  Study at a top-ranking university, with Deakin positioned in the top 1% globally.

 

Scholarships

A2I2 offers scholarships for prospective PhD students through the Deakin University Higher Degree by Research (DUPR) program and A2I2 scholarship funding, providing:

✓  A tax-exempt stipend of $34,400 AUD per annum (2024 rate).

✓  Full tuition fee waiver for up to 4 years.

✓  Relocation allowance (ranging from $500 to $1,500 for single to family) for interstate or overseas students.

✓  HDR support and conference funding of up to $8,500.

✓  Single Overseas Student Health Cover policy for the duration of the student visa (for international students).

 

Selection Guidelines

Entry to the A2I2 PhD program is based on a demonstrated capacity to undertake significant independent research at a very high standard in your proposed field of computer science.

Applicants applying to undertake a PhD with scholarship must have:

✓  A minimum four-year undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related disciplines

✓ A strong background in computer science and mathematics, plus sufficient specialisation to demonstrate your understanding and appreciation of the body of knowledge relevant to the intended PhD research, for example:

• • Machine learning
  • Linear algebra
  • Probability and statistics
  • Optimization

✓  Meet Deakin University’s English language requirements

 

How to Apply

Applications can be made at any time during the year and will go through a rigorous assessment process. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview with potential A2I2 supervisors and our HDR coordinator.

Why choose Deakin for your research degree? 

Interested applicants should submit their application to the A2I2 HDR Team at: a2i2_hdr@deakin.edu.au or directly email the project supervisor.

You may also choose to include some of the following documents: CV or resume, academic transcripts, published papers, research proposal, and reference letters.

 

Want to know more about studying at A2I2? Hear from some of our past PhD students below.

 

Dr Arun Kumar Venkatesh: Arun’s PhD involved researching ways for AI and humans to effectively collaborate.

 

Hung Duy Tran: Tran’s PhD explores how AI systems understand human behaviour to improve self-driving cars. Watch his story below or read more here about Tran’s PhD journey.

 

Dr Romero Remais: A passion for AI inspired Romero to help machines understand and predict human behaviour through research that’s set for positive impact. Watch his story below or read more here.

 

Dr Thao Le-Minh: Thao’s PhD involved exploring new frontiers in AI by teaching machines to understand the world through the lens of a camera.