Logic List Mailing Archive

PhD student position on efficient & natural proofs & algorithms, Bath (England), Deadline: 18 Apr 2019

We are recruiting for a PhD position on

EFFICIENT AND NATURAL PROOFS AND ALGORITHMS

Deadline: 18 April 2019

Mathematical Foundations Group
<https://www.bath.ac.uk/projects/mathematical-foundations-of-computation/>
Department of Computer Science
University of Bath


*** Description

Proofs and algorithms are everyday objects in our discipline, but they are 
still very mysterious. Suffice to say that we are currently unable to 
decide whether two given proofs or two given algorithms are the same; this 
is an old problem that dates back to Hilbert. Also, proofs and algorithms 
are intimately connected in the most famous open problem in mathematics: P 
vs NP.

We make progress by trying to unveil the fundamental structure behind 
proofs and algorithms, what we call their semantics. In other words, we 
are interested in the following questions:

What is a proof? 
What is an algorithm? 
How can we define them so that they have efficient and natural semantics?

The questions above are interesting in their own right, but we note that 
answering them will enable technological advances of great impact on 
society and the economy. For example, it will be possible to build a 
worldwide, universal tool for developing, validating, communicating and 
teaching mathematics. Also, quickly producing provably bug-free and secure 
software will become possible, so solving one of the most complex and 
important open engineering problems.

In order to understand proofs and algorithms, we create new mathematics 
starting from proof theory and semantics. The methods we use are mostly 
discrete, algebraic and combinatorial, but there is a growing geometrical 
component. The recent advances which our methods are mostly based on are 
linear logic, game semantics and deep inference.

You can find more information at

<http://alessio.guglielmi.name/res/cos/>

Our group is very well financed via several grants. Thanks to our 
international relations, working with us means having a truly 
multicultural experience together with all the researchers at the 
forefront of this worldwide research effort. As a result, all our 
graduates work and publish at the highest level. The facilities at the 
University of Bath are outstanding and the city is so beautiful that 
UNESCO recognises it as a World Heritage Site.


*** Contact

For questions about the project or the application process, please contact 
us:

Alessio Guglielmi   A.Guglielmi@bath.ac.uk
Willem Heijltjes    W.B.Heijltjes@bath.ac.uk


*** How to apply

Applicants should hold, or expect to gain, a First Class or good Upper 
Second Class Honours degree, or the equivalent from an overseas 
university. A master?s level qualification would also be advantageous.

Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath?s online 
application form for a PhD in Computer Science:

<https://samis.bath.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_app&code1=RDUCM-FP01&code2=0013>

Anticipated start date: 30 September 2019.


*** Funding

Research Council funding is available on a competition basis to Home and 
EU students who have been resident in the UK for 3 years prior to the 
start of the project. For more information on eligibility, see:

<https://epsrc.ukri.org/skills/students/help/eligibility/>

Funding will cover Home/EU tuition fees, a stipend (£14,777 per annum for 
2018/19) and a training support fee of £1,000 per annum for 3.5 years.

Applicants classed as Overseas for tuition fee purposes are NOT eligible 
for funding; however, we welcome all-year-round applications from 
self-funded candidates and candidates who can source their own funding.
--
[LOGIC] mailing list
http://www.dvmlg.de/mailingliste.html
Archive: http://www.illc.uva.nl/LogicList/

provided by a collaboration of the DVMLG, the Maths Departments in Bonn and Hamburg, and the ILLC at the Universiteit van Amsterdam