<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=SV link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><a name="_Hlk165881399">PhD position in social robotics, with focus on LLMs and cybersecurity scenarios<o:p></o:p></a><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://usr-lab.github.io/">Uppsala Social Robotics Lab</a><o:p></o:p>Department of Information Technology<o:p></o:p>Uppsala University<o:p></o:p>**Deadline: 23 May 2024**<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Are you interested in working with social robotics and large language models in cybersecurity applications, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a doctoral student position at Uppsala University. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Project description<o:p></o:p> The project will investigate the use of social robots in cybersecurity scenarios. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>The overall objective is to investigate social robots as both a potential vehicle of cybersecurity attacks and a mechanism to protect users from them. First, it will explore the effect of large language models (LLMs)-powered social robots on user’s privacy and safety risks. Second, it will develop and evaluate new, user-centred mechanisms that leverage social robots and human-robot dialogue to successfully deliver the communication of cybersecurity risks to human users.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>This is an interdisciplinary project which will be supervised by an interdisciplinary team with expertise in social robotics and human-robot interaction (Ginevra Castellano and Katie Winkle), LLMs and deep learning (Ekta Vats), and privacy and cybersecurity (Boel Nelson).<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Duties<o:p></o:p> The successful candidate will work with social robots and LLMs in cybersecurity scenarios. The candidate is expected to program robots to develop robot’s capabilities and conduct empirical human-robot interaction studies for data collection and evaluation.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>The candidate will join the <a href="https://usr-lab.github.io/" target="_blank">Uppsala Social Robotics Lab</a> at the Vi3 Division of the Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University. Our vision is to develop computational social abilities that allow robots to behave in a socially intelligent way in natural interaction with humans. The natural testbeds for our research are socially assistive scenarios where robots provide not only physical, but also social support to humans, where robotic technologies have the potential to bring benefits to the society we live in, for example in application areas such as education and assistive technology, by enhancing the lives of children and other groups that require specialised support and intervention. The lab is equipped with a range of different robotic platforms, including Furhat, Pepper, NAO and Cozmo.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>The candidate will also be integrated into the <a href="https://www.it.uu.se/research/arenas/security/graduate_school" target="_blank">Graduate School in Cybersecurity</a> at the Department of Information Technology. The Graduate School provides an environment where students and researchers in cybersecurity and related areas work together, through a core PhD-level curriculum of joint courses and research activities. Regular seminars are planned with presentations from the school’s participants and by invited speakers. Active participation in the Graduate School activities is expected.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>A Ph.D. student is expected to devote their time to graduate education mainly. The rest of the duties may involve teaching at the Department, including also some administration, to at most 20%.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Requirements and information on how to apply <a href="https://www.jobb.uu.se/details/?positionId=724473">at this link</a>.<o:p></o:p>Deadline for applications: 23 May 2024<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Starting date: 1 September 2024 or as agreed<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p>--<o:p></o:p>Dr. Ginevra Castellano<o:p></o:p>Professor <o:p></o:p>Director, Uppsala Social Robotics Lab<o:p></o:p><a href="https://usr-lab.github.io/">https://usr-lab.github.io/</a><o:p></o:p>Department of Information Technology<o:p></o:p>Uppsala University<o:p></o:p>Box 337, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden<o:p></o:p><a href="https://www.katalog.uu.se/profile/?id=N14-947">Webpage</a><o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p></div></body></html>