Power-Efficient, Secure Edge AI Architectures
About the Project
This PhD projects is built on a multidisciplinary collaborative project between Anglia Ruskin University and Arm Ltd. This is for a full-time PhD, starting in the 2026/7 academic year (either September 2026 or January 2027).
New Edge AI architectures focus on bringing intelligent data processing closer to the data source by integrating computation, storage, and security directly on the edge devices. Such architectures are designed to be power-efficient and scalable, enabling real-time decision-making while reducing latency, bandwidth usage, and dependence on cloud infrastructure. By combining specialized AI accelerators, lightweight models, and secure hardware–software co-design, the new Edge AI architectures enhance privacy and resilience against cyber threats. They support adaptive workloads across heterogeneous devices, making them well suited for applications such as smart healthcare, autonomous systems, industrial IoT, and smart cities. The project aims to develop robust leakage models that explain the interaction between Edge AI algorithms and underlying hardware, and propose novel energy-efficient architectures to enable secure AI at the edge.
The supervisory team for this project area will consist of Dr Partha De and Prof Silvia Cirstea and will also include advisors from Arm Ltd. Candidates interested in this project area are encouraged to contact Dr De (partha.de@aru.ac.uk) for an informal discussion.
Entry criteria
Qualifications: Applicants should have a minimum of a 2.1 Honours degree in a relevant discipline. An IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 minimum (or equivalent) is essential for candidates for whom English is not their first language.
In addition to satisfying basic entry criteria, the University will look closely at the qualities, skills, and background of each candidate and what they can bring to their chosen research project in order to ensure successful and timely completion.
You will demonstrate excellent knowledge and skills in:
- Electronic Engineering or Computing Engineering
- Advanced Mathematics
- Programming
- Analytics and Problem Solving
How to apply:
To apply, please complete the application form available from the following website: Apply for a course - ARU. Please ensure you select ‘PhD with progression from MPhil School of Computing and Information Science’ and that the reference ‘PhD Studentships: Power-Efficient, Secure Edge AI Architectures’ is clearly stated on the application form, under the title ‘Outline of your proposed research’. Within this section of the application form, applicants should include a 500-word outline of the skills that they would bring to this research project and detail any previous relevant experience. For enquiries regarding the process and eligibility, please contact SE-Research@aru.ac.uk. We value diversity at Anglia Ruskin University and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
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