PhD in Data Science and Computation

Academic Year 2020-2021
Subject area Mathematical Physical, Chemical and Astronomical Sciences
Cycle 36
Coordinator Prof. Andrea Cavalli
Language English, Italian
Duration 4 years
Positions 14 positions. More information in the PhD Programme Table
Application deadline May 21, 2020 at 01:00 PM (Expired)
Enrolment period From Jul 21, 2020 to Jul 30, 2020
Doctoral programme start date Nov 01, 2020
Operating centre
Bologna
Main Department
Department of Computer Science and Engineering - DISI
Associated Departments
Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi" - DEI
Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician" - CHIM
Department of Physics and Astronomy "Augusto Righi" - DIFA
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology - FaBiT
Department of Political and Social Sciences - SPS
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - DIMEC
Department of Economics - DSE
Associated locations (agreements)
Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Mobility abroad
3 months
Research topics
  • Quantitative Finance and Economics
  • Materials and Industry 4.0
  • Genomics and bioinformatics
  • Personalised medicine
  • Hardware and Infrastructure
  • Machine learning and deep learning
  • Computational physics
  • Big Data, Smart Cities & Society
Job opportunities and potential areas of employment
This course builds upon fundamental data science disciplines to train candidates that should become able to carry out academic and industrial research at a higher level of abstraction, with different final specializations in several different fields where data analysis and computation becomes prominent. The principal career opportunities include, but are not limited to: academic career; research activities for industries or institutions; management companies and organizations where data manipulation need an analytic as well scientific approach.
Admission Board

Surname Name Institution Role email
Bonacorsi Daniele Università di Bologna Member daniele.bonacorsi@unibo.it
Cavalli Andrea Università di Bologna Member andrea.cavalli@unibo.it
Decherchi Sergio Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Member
Olivia Università di Bologna Member olivia.levrini2@unibo.it
Zerbetto Francesco Università di Bologna Member francesco.zerbetto@unibo.it
Affinito Fabio CINECA Consorzio Interuniversitario Expert Member f.affinito@cineca.it
Cestari Mirko CINECA Consorzio Interuniversitario Expert Member m.cestari@cineca.it
Grandi Claudio INFN Substitute
Masetti Matteo Università di Bologna Substitute matteo.masetti4@unibo.it
Musiani Francesco Università di Bologna Substitute francesco.musiani@unibo.it
Sartori Laura Università di Bologna Substitute l.sartori@unibo.it
Learning outcomes
This course aims at being "special" in the sense that it should train people to become able to carry out academic and industrial research at a level of abstraction that builds atop each single scientific skill which lies at the basis of the field of "data science". Drawing on this, each PhD student should produce original and significant researches in terms of scientific publications and innovative applications, blending basic disciplines, such as for example: mathematics, statistics, computer science, computational sciences ..., and finally specializing in specific fields such as for example: Quantitative Finance and Economics; Materials and Industry 4.0; Genomics and bioinformatics; Personalised medicine; Hardware and Infrastructure; Machine learning and deep learning; Computational physics; Big Data, Smart Cities & Society.
Activities to be carried out by Doctoral candidates
At the beginning of the course each student is supported by a supervisor, member of the Collegio dei Docenti (Faculty Board), who guides him throughout the PhD studies. The first 24 months are devoted to the integration and deepening of the student expertise, according to a personalized learning plan (drawn up by the student in agreement with the supervisor and then submitted to the Board for approval). The learning plan foresees reaching 40 CFU (credits) by attending courses and passing the corresponding exams. By the 20th month (from the beginning of the course) the student must submit a written thesis proposal to the Board for approval. By the end of the 24th month the student must have completed the personalized learning plan and must report on the progress of the thesis draft. The admission (from the first) to the second is taken into consideration by the Board (and approved in the positive case) on the basis of the fact that the candidate has obtained an adequate number of CFU. The admission (from the second) to the third is taken into consideration by the Board (and approved in the positive case) if the candidate has obtained all the CFU and on the basis of a candidate's public presentation regarding his/her thesis proposal. The third and the fourth years are entirely devoted to the thesis work. The admission (from the third) to the fourth is taken into consideration by the Board (and approved in the positive case) on the basis of a candidate's public presentation regarding the current status of his/her thesis. The Board finally approves the admission to the final exam, on the basis of the reviewers' comments. The Board may authorize a student to spend a period in Italy at universities, research centers or companies. It is mandatory for the student to spend a period of at least 3 months abroad, during the 3rd/4th year of the course.
Research training activities compliant with the Doctoral programme's learning outcomes
At the beginning of the course each student is supported by a supervisor, either a member of the Collegio dei Docenti (Faculty Board) or an external one upon the confirmation by means of one of the Members of the Collegio, who guides him throughout the PhD studies. The first 24 months are devoted to the integration and deepening of the student expertise, according to a personalized learning plan (drawn up by the student in agreement with the supervisor and then submitted to the Board for approval). The learning plan foresees reaching 40 CFU (credits) by attending courses and passing the corresponding exams. By the 20th month (from the beginning of the course) the student must submit a written thesis proposal to the Board for approval. By the end of the 24th month the student must have completed the personalized learning plan and must report on the progress of the thesis draft. A further assessment of thesis is scheduled by the end of the third year. Finally, the thesis will be discussed and defended at the end of the PhD course (end fourth year).
Internationalization features
This PhD course starts off based on a joint collaboration of the University of Bologna with Politecnico di Milano, the Golinelli Foundation, the Italian Institute of Technology, Cineca, the ISI Foundation and INFN. Even though they are all Italian, each of the aforementioned institutions has already achieved a renown international role in the upcoming field of scientific management and processing of data. Nonetheless, as a new course we are going to discuss, design and establish a series of international initiatives that include the possibility to reach agreements with foreign Universities and Research Institutions to issue, for example: joint doctoral degrees, co­tutorships and student exchanges. These activities will be carried out also based on the contribution that each member of the Course Board will provide.
Expected research results and products
Original, relevant and significant research results are due by the end of the course that can take different forms including for example: scientific publications, system and software design, realization and production, and any kind of innovative applications specializing on a broad gamut of topics, such as for example: Quantitative Finance and Economics; Materials and Industry 4.0; Genomics and bioinformatics; Personalised medicine; Hardware and Infrastructure; Machine learning and deep learning; Computational physics; Big Data, Smart Cities & Society.
Doctoral programme Academic Board
Surname Name University/Institution Qualification
Bazzani Armando Università di Bologna Professore Associato Confermato
Benini Luca Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Bonacorsi Daniele Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Capriotti Emidio Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Cavalli Andrea Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
De Vivo Marco Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italy) Primo Ricercatore
Decherchi Sergio Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italy) Ricercatore Ente
Grandi Claudio INFN (Italy) Primo Ricercatore
Levrini Olivia Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Masetti Matteo Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Musiani Francesco Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Musolesi Mirco Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Panzeri Stefano Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italy) Primo Ricercatore
Prarolo Giovanni Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Roccetti Marco Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Sartori Laura Università di Bologna Professore Associato
Seri Marco Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Vitali Fabio Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Zerbetto Francesco Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
Zoccoli Antonio Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario

Notices

Amendment - Final Ranking List

Amendment of the Final Ranking List - Data Science and Computation

Final Ranking List

36th cycle - Final Ranking List - Data Science and Computation