My research team at Loughborough University is named the Neuro-Symbolic Software Engineering and Reliable Verification (NERV) Lab. We are excited about tackling important, pressing, and difficult problems via principled, elegant, and practical solutions for ensuring the reliability of modern software. Our work is published routinely in top-tier venues, but more importantly, strives for conceptual elegance and practical impact.
I am always looking for excellent students who are
- passionate about research,
- open-minded and collaborative,
- committed to top-notch work.
Loughborough University is one of the Top 10 Universities in the UK, which has the best campus and facilities and a supportive environment. The study duration for a PhD is 3–4 years. Loughborough is a beautiful and safe town in the middle of England with a relatively low living cost.
If you are interested in a PhD student position at NERV Lab, please feel free to drop me an email (at c.zhang4 at lboro.ac.uk or dale.chengyu.zhang at gmail.com). I am also open to hosting academic visitors (students and faculty). Please also drop me an email if you are interested in visiting me.
Studentship Opportunities
In the UK, PhD students are usually supported by studentships from different funding sources. Here are some studentship opportunities that are currently available with me:
University Studentships: I have a PhD studentship in spatial databases funded by the university starting in fall 2026. The application is now open. The deadline is 19 April 2026.
Darktrace Studentships: I have a PhD studentship in the reliability of AI agents funded by Darktrace starting anytime. The application will be open soon. Please drop me an email if you are interested in this opportunity.
China Scholarship Council (CSC) Scholarships: I am always open to supporting CSC scholarship applications. Loughborough University has a joint program opening in January every year. I would suggest you contact me a few months before the deadline to better plan (and maximize the possibility of) the application.
Other Opportunities: Loughborough University regularly provides various internal and external funding sources here, such as Commonwealth Scholarships (for applicants from Commonwealth countries), and Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowships (for women from developing and emerging countries).