PhD Studentship: 6G-VERSUS: 6G Vertical trials for Sustainability

Project Supervisors: Prof Sankar Sivarajah, Prof Gaëlle Vallée-Tourangeau

Project Description:

The journey towards tangible sustainability outcomes necessitates a fusion of technological advancements with strategic experimentation. In this pursuit, 6G-VERSUS emerges as a pioneering initiative, leveraging cutting-edge 6G research facilities across Europe to explore the frontiers of sustainable technology. Through meticulously designed trials and pilots, 6G-VERSUS addresses pressing challenges in 5 environmentally conscious vertical industries. In this regard, 6G-VERSUS introduces a novel methodology, transforming existing use cases into 6G applications, comprising Vertical App (V-App), Network App (N-App), and AI-assisted App (AI-App). This triadic structure optimizes the data and control planes of 6G systems, facilitating seamless information flow and decision-making processes. With the support of six (Stream C) 6G platforms spanning across Europe, 6G-VERSUS aims to demonstrate the profound sustainable, economic and societal impact of 6G technology, propelling towards a more sustainable and prosperous society.

The successful PhD candidate will be required to undertake research for a doctoral thesis while assisting the R&D in the 6G-VERSUS project which is a large multi-partner European Commission-funded project on the profound sustainable, economic and societal impact of 6G technology. The candidate will assist the Kingston University research team in developing the validation and evaluation framework for the 6G-VERSUS activities, including the requirements for the evaluations of environmental impacts, societal implications, and economic effects of 6G technology implementation within real-world contexts.

While doing this, the candidate will be expected to align the R&D work in the project to their PhD research and thesis. This will include developing a systematic approach and framework to assess the potential environmental, societal, cultural, business and economic impacts of the activities associated with the project using scientific methods, models, and expert judgment. It involves defining the criteria and standards, and the Key Performance and Value Indicators for evaluating the impacts of 6G-VERSUS development and sustainable implementation. Therefore, the role will involve leading the development of the validation and evaluation goals and objectives ensuring they are specific, measurable, achievable, and financially viable; determining the criteria and standards for the evaluation; and defining the methods to collect data for the evaluation, including surveys, interviews, workshops, focus groups, metrics, technical and financial measurements.

The work will involve collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team of industry and academic experts from across Europe and the candidate will be required to travel to pilot sites for data collection. Therefore, there will be opportunities to gain skills in many areas including performance management, project management, and qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods.

Funding notes: This project has full funding for UK students, which will cover tuition fees, a tax-free stipend of £21,237 per year for living costs, and Research expenses relating to the project.

Funding for: UK Students

Enquiries email name and address:  

For informal inquiries, please contact Prof Sankar Sivarajah (Sankar.Sivarajah@kingston.ac.uk) or Prof Gaëlle Vallée-Tourangeau (g.vallee-tourangeau@kingston.ac.uk).

How to apply: Potential candidates should apply directly through the online application portal. Any application queries should be directed to the Research Student Coordinator k.geary@kingston.ac.uk

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