The UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in the Application of Artificial Intelligence to the study of Environmental Risks (AI4ER ) trains researchers to develop and apply leading edge computational approaches to address critical global environmental challenges by exploiting vast, diverse and often currently untapped environmental data sets. Embedded in the outstanding research environments of the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the AI4ER CDT addresses problems that are relevant to building resilience to environmental hazards and managing environmental change. The primary application areas are: Weather, Climate and Air Quality, Natural Hazards, Natural Resources (food, water & resource security and biodiversity).

The AI4ER CDT Research Experience Placement (REP) scheme aims to encourage suitably qualified undergraduate students to consider a career in artificial intelligence applied to environmental risk.

We encourage that placements are undertaken in person, however this can be flexible depending on student and supervisor’s circumstances.

REP placements will be between 6-8 weeks and each student will be paid a stipend equivalent to the Real Living Wage (currently £10.90 per hour), paid monthly, based on 35 hour week.

A list of available projects will be published shortly.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for this placement:

Be studying for an undergraduate degree (or integrated Masters degree) in one of the following subjects: natural sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, earth sciences, biology), engineering, computer science, mathematics. (The degree course should continue beyond summer 2023, i.e. students should not currently be in their final year. Priority will be given to students who will complete their course in 2024.)
Be expected to obtain a first or upper second class UK honours degree.
Be eligible for subsequent UKRI PhD funding and have the right to work in the UK.
Meet the particular requirements (academic background/skills) associated with the project or projects of interest.

How to apply

Students should submit their application by email to the CDT administrator (ai4er@esc.cam.ac.uk).

Single sheet giving: (a) Full Name, (b) DOB, (c) email, (d) Home address, (e) Nationality including confirmation of right to work in UK, (f) current academic course and expected graduation date, (g) List of projects for which you wish to apply, in priority order (most preferred first), (h) Name and contact details of referee (we will contact referee but applicants must have informed referee in advance of application).
CV (no more than 2 pages).
Brief covering letter giving motivation for application – maximum 1 page.

Closing Date: TBC

What is expected of you

If you apply and are successful, we will expect you to join the University for 6-8 weeks on a full-time basis, and to participate fully in the Research Experience Placements programme. This will include:

fulfilling the project requirements;
attending all training and development sessions offered as part of the programme;
engaging with the other Research Experience Placements students and working as a team;
providing feedback at the time;
providing feedback after the scheme;
keeping in touch with supervisors and with the programme to let us know how your internship progresses;
following codes of conduct in the Department that hosts you;
submit a report after the placement ends.

Previous Year Interns

rep_2022.jpg

Testimonials from interns

''Brilliant placement with a lot of opportunities to learn and develop, as well as gain a better understanding of a professional workspace.''

''It was very rewarding, given the flexibility and systematic agenda of the placement. The experience is one of the best I have ever had.''

''I greatly enjoyed what I did and learnt! (...) I found the transition from being an undergraduate learning in a structured way to having more independence trying to teach myself things being a super useful experience and would definitely recommend to others! I really liked the sense of freedom with this project to explore the topic.''

''Easy to access & very rewarding.''

Previous Years Projects

2021

PROJECT 1

Title	Bayesian citizen science for STEM students at the Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia
Supervisor	Prof Alan Blackwell and Dr Tesfa Tegegne
Department/Institution	Computer Science and Technology / Bahir Dar Institute of Technology and STEM Centre

PROJECT 2

Title	Can machine learning link ocean data with the polar vortex? Using unsupervised classification of ocean data to track changes in Southern Hemisphere winds.
Supervisor	Emma Boland and Dan Jones
Department/Institution	British Antarctic Survey

PROJECT 3

Title	Using machine learning to explore options for replacing lead in lead perovskite solar cell
Supervisor	Bingqing Cheng
Department/Institution	Department of Computer Science and Technology

PROJECT 4

Title	Can Federated Learning Save the Planet?
Supervisor	Nicholas Lane and Pedro Porto Buarque de Gusmão
Department/Institution	Department of Computer Science and Technology

PROJECT 5

Title	Assessing the effects of forestry on natural climate solutions
Supervisor	Dr Andrew Tanentzap and Dr Jeremy Fonvielle
Department/Institution	Plant Sciences / Conservation Research Institute

PROJECT 6

Title	Monitoring changes in tropical forest carbon storage at the individual tree level.
Supervisor	Dr Toby Jackson
Department/Institution	Plant Sciences / Cambridge Conservation Initiative

2022

More details here.