Project
Many industrial and societal challenges are related to dynamical systems and processes characterized by a strongly increasing level of interconnectedness and complexity. This is particularly the case systems that involve interaction between continuous and discrete elements on multiple timescales. Current analysis and control approaches, which are based on purely continuous or discrete-time approximations and on time-scale separation, do not offer stringent stability and performance guarantees and badly scale with the system or network size.
The aim of the doctorate is to contribute to a new generation of analysis methods with strong mathematical foundations, that explicitly take timescale coupling into account and can be translated into scalable design tools. The focus is on the design of generic analysis and control methodologies, in line with the transversal paradigm of control theory, yet the developments will be steered and validated by application cases in electrical systems and networks.
The methodology is grounded in the input-output viewpoint towards dynamical systems and networks, the theory of dissipativity, and recent advances in the domains of network science and hybrid control systems.
The successful applicant will start the PhD at KU Leuven and spend three periods of 6 months of research time at the Université de Lille during the PhD trajectory, resulting in a joint doctoral degree of both universities, under supervision of L. Hetel (Université de Lille) and W. Michiels (KU Leuven). The supervisors have a significant track record of collaboration, including collaboration in the framework of the European Joint Doctorates Project UCoCoS (Understanding and Controlling Complex Systems), and complementary expertise on hybrid systems and network science, respectively.
Profile
The ideal candidate has a master’s degree in engineering (control, electrical, mechanical, mathematical) or mathematics (applied, computational), with a strong interest in systems and control theory. Applicants whose mother tongue is not English, must present an official language test report.
Offer
We offer:
- A fully funded PhD position in an international context for four years, in the framework of the Global PhD Fellowship Program of KU Leuven, supplemented with a yearly benchmark fee
- A competitive salary (tax-free fellowship starting from approx. 2500 EUR/month), social and medical insurance
- Additional benefits such as a KU Leuven bike, access to university sport facilities, priority access to the university daycare centers
- Flexible working hours and home office arrangements
- A diverse and multi-disciplinary research team
- Collaborations with international research labs and experts
- Support for professional career development (e.g., a large variety of technical and transferable skill courses offered by the Arenberg Doctoral School of KU Leuven and the MADIS doctoral school of the Université de Lille)
At KU Leuven the PhD researcher will be hosted by the Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics (NUMA) section, a hub for interdisciplinary research in the fields of Applied Mathematics and Systems & Control. At the Université de Lille, the researcher will be hosted at the CRIStAL laboratory (Research center in Computer Science, Signal and Automatic Control of Lille - UMR 9189) which covers many digital science themes, from the most theoretical to the most applied.
KU Leuven is one of the top 50 universities in the world (top 10 in Europe) according to the Times Higher Education ranking. Since 2016, KU Leuven has headed the Reuters list of Europe's most innovative universities. It offers an exciting multi-disciplinary research environment, many opportunities for collaboration, and a broad range of training courses. Located in Belgium, at the heart of Europe, 25 minutes by train from Brussels and less than 3 hours from cities like Paris, London, Köln or Amsterdam, Leuven is a cultural city, whose rich history is tightly connected with the history of its university, founded in 1425. The city is characterized by a vibrant international student lifestyle. The NUMA section is part of the Department of Computer Science, located on the Heverlee Campus. This campus is spread over a beautiful park, two kilometers from the city center and easily accessible by bike and public transport.
The Université de Lille is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its research. It ranks among the finest higher education institutes in France and Europe. Located at the crossroads of Europe, close to Paris, Brussels and London, Lille is a youthful and dynamic city with close to 107,000 students. It is one of France’s most attractive cities and an exceptional place to live.
The cities of Leuven and Lille are well connected by high-speed rail (1h15), regular train connections (2h15) and the road network (2h).
Interested?
Submit your application via the online application tool, including
1) a letter of motivation with a statement of skills and research interests,
2) a curriculum vitae,
3) university diploma copies and transcripts, and
4) names and contact information of 2 references.
The formal deadline is September 16, 2024. However, interested candidates are encouraged to apply soon. The vacancy will namely be closed once a suitable candidate has been found.
For more information please contact Prof. Wim Michiels, mail: wim.michiels@kuleuven.be, or Dr. Laurentiu Hetel (Senior scientist, CNRS), mail: laurentiu.hetel@univ-lille.fr.
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