- Bath Artificial Intelligence

 

Prospective Student Information

Bath AI is a part of Bath's Department of Computer Science, which offers a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including PhDs. Please see the link for the degree you are interested in for explanations of our courses of study and application instructions.

If you are interested in studying for a PhD, then please find a member of staff with appropriate Research Interests, read their web page and some of their publications, and contact them directly. It's good to do this well in advance (even over a year) if you do not have your own funding, since applying for funding takes time. See Postgraduate Funding Opportunities on the Department website.

If you are a diploma student looking to do a 6-month research project, follow the same instructions as a PhD student for finding a member of staff to work with. We generally welcome such students if they already have coursework in relevant areas, are willing to participate in our active research areas, and have good references. We do not provide any funding or housing, only desk space and a PC. There is also a bench fee, though this can sometimes be waived.

This should go without saying (but doesn't seem to): Be certain when you contact the staff member to mention what aspect of their research attracts you, and to explain how you see yourself contributing to it. A cover letter is not impressive if it makes no reference to specific publications or research projects that have motivated you to contact that potential supervisor. Do not expect an academic to spend more time reading your application than you have spent specifically customising that application to them.

We have had two very succesful internships in the last two years, both resulting in publications. Maria Shugrina wanted to work on a vision project, and wound up working with John Collomosse to develop an Empathic Painting.  Ivana Cace wanted to work on AI modelling and worked with Joanna Bryson on the Evolution of Communication. Note that Maria succesfully applied for a grant to work with us while Ivana paid for her own living and travel expenses. Normally we do not have money for interns, so you are more likely to be succesful in your application if you are self-funded.

All degrees in Bath's Computer Science department require completing a research project, which can be about artificial intelligence. See our list of Research Interests to the left, which lists interests by staff member, for possible project areas and supervisors.  For undergraduates, our degrees offer a sandwich year either in industry (generally in the UK) or doing academic research, (generally at a lab in continental Europe).  We can organize research placements with labs or companies doing AI. If you are an exceptionally good first or second year student and find you have spare time on your hands after completing your coursework, you may want to do a UROP.

Anyone who happens to be in the area may attend our Seminar Series. BAI is not only a research group, it is also an inclusive social organisation for anyone near Bath interested in AI.