PhD in cybersecurity of next generation aircraft engines

Next generation aircraft engines will increasingly rely upon distributed control, sensing and communication architectures, both on and off-board. This opens up the possibility of malicious cyber-attack whereby the confidentiality and performance of the safety-critical systems are compromised by unauthorised access to parts of it.

The aim of this PhD is to develop methodologies to safeguard the integrity of such systems in addition to minimising the performance disruption from attack. A key problem is to understand and exploit the interplay between controller performance, communication delays and levels of security. As such, this project is interdisciplinary and will utilise the latest techniques in information theory, estimation theory and control.

Prospective candidates should have a good honours degree (Class 1 or 2:1) in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or other related disciplines. Candidates with a strong background in probability theory and/or information theory are particularly encouraged to apply.

Funding Notes

This project is in partnership with Rolls-Royce plc and the candidate will be part of the University Technology Centre in Control and Monitoring Systems Engineering in the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering. The scholarship will fund Home tuition fees plus a tax-free stipend of 21k per annum for 3.5 years. Full funding is only available to UK nationals.

References

To apply please submit a PhD application using our online application system via the Apply link at the following: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply/applying

Within the application, please state Dr Inaki Esnaola and Dr Bryn Jones as your preferred supervisors and state the project title as ‘Cybersecurity of Next Generation Aircraft Engines’.

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr Inaki Esnaola via esnaola@sheffield.ac.uk.