The Trusted Networks Lab is always seeking qualified and highly motivated researchers and students to join its projects. The research opportunities include:
- PhD scholarships: scholarship opportunities are available to exceptional domestic and international students in the areas of blockchain, IoT, networks, trust, and related areas. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact us with their CV, transcripts, and statement of purpose.
- Masters research: supervision and in some cases scholarship opportunities are available for qualified students interested in masters research projects with the Trusted Networks Lab
- Undergraduate research: capstone project supervision and internship opportunities with TNL are available to interested undergraduate or honors students
- Postdoctoral research fellowships: the TNL may occasionally advertise open postdoctoral research fellowship opportunities
PhD project opportunities
Trustworthy distributed AI
A PhD scholarship is available to research trustworthy distributed AI. Distributed AI allows multiple learning agents to collaborate in addressing a learning problem. In such an environment, there is a need to ensure that contributions from each agent are trustworthy and reliable. This PhD will address the challenges in achieving trustworthy distributed AI systems.
A distributed and decentralised grid architecture for managing distribution networks with high penetration of distributed energy resources
A PhD scholarship on “A distributed and decentralised grid architecture for managing distribution networks with high penetration of distributed energy resources” is available with QUT’s Energy Transition Centre and the Trusted Networks Lab, in partnership with Energy Queensland. The PhD project will involve research relating to distributed systems, distributed energy resources, and communication architectures.
Optimizing Local Energy Market Design for Smart Local Energy Systems
A PhD scholarship on “Optimizing Local Energy Market Design for Smart Local Energy Systems” is available with QUT’s Energy Transition Centre and the Trusted Networks Lab, in partnership with Energy Queensland. The PhD project will involve research relating to market design for local energy systems with distributed energy resources.
IoT Networks for Water Management
We have multiple research opportunities, including PhD research scholarships, in the area of IoT for Water. These scholarship are supported by the ARC Industry Hub on IoT for Water. Research will include energy-neutral sensing for water, IoT data trust and security in water systems, and new communication protocols for the water ecosystem.
Trust in Internet-of-Things with blockchain
Blockchain is an unchangeable, distributed database. which provides trust in data once it is stored on the database. However, in Internet-of-Things (IoT), the data is an observation of physical context and is susceptible to noise, drift, or malicious alterations. Sensors may be even decoupled from their intended context by an attacker, which may compromise the blockchain data and its value for guiding decision.
This project aims to develop an innovative approach for pervasive trust in IoT, underpinned by blockchain. The research in this project will develop methods and algorithms for identity and data trust in IoT with the support of blockchain technology.
Internet of Mobile Energy
The emergence of the two-way communication model and Distributed Energy Sources (DES) is transforming traditional power systems from largely centralised energy production to more decentralised and connected management systems. This is called the ‘smart grid’.
As the smart grid evolves, electric vehicles (EVs) are emerging as unconventional and highly-disruptive participants in the grid that can add significant benefit and flexibility. Notably, EV’s are equipped with a relatively high capacity battery that stores energy to power the vehicle.
EV batteries, coupled with the recent introduction of two-way charging/discharging stations, open up the possibility of EV’s to also serve as mobile energy transporters within an electrical grid and as energy suppliers to the grid when they have disposable energy. Such functionalities allow EV’s to contribute to helping service peak demand or voltage regulation within specific zones of the grid.
The trends toward greater forecasting in smart grids, distributed energy generation and greater adoption and charging/discharging flexibility of EV’s highlight a greater convergence between the energy and transport sectors. The vision is a future where information and energy flow between the grid and electric vehicles is seamless and beneficial both to the grid’s stability and the end user’s interests. We refer to this vision as the Internet of Mobile Energy (IoME).
Interested applicants should contact Professor Raja Jurdak