PhD student in Human-Computer Interaction and AI-supported creative programming

The Department of Computer and Systems Sciences. With over 200 employees and 4,500 students, the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV) is a strong and dynamic research and educational environment. The discipline of computer and systems sciences bridges the gap between technology and the humanities, social sciences, and behavioral sciences, with great relevance to our lives today and in the future. Our research addresses how new information and communication technology should be designed to benefit people, organizations and entire societies.

DSV offers a stimulating research community in an international environment. As a doctoral student at DSV, you study together with many other doctoral students, collaborate with senior research colleagues and get connected to other researchers in Sweden and abroad. DSV’s current location is Stockholm University's campus in Kista, north of central Stockholm, and we will move to the main Frescati campus within a couple of years.

More information about us, please visit: the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences.

Project description

You will conduct research in human-computer interaction, with a focus on design and creative programming (combing programming and creating interactive digital artefacts). Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping how we approach interaction design and creative programming. So far, this AI integration has mainly focused on text- and screen-based applications, but as AI moves beyond the screen, new opportunities and challenges arise in designing for embodied and multimodal interaction in design and creative programming. Interactive artefacts, such as embodied and social robots (agents) open up possibilities for richer, more diverse forms of engagement. This shift raises critical questions about how we design and program when AI expands into new modalities of interaction.

This PhD project aims to explore how multi-modal AI-based design and creative programming practices can extend into the domains of social robotics and embodied interaction. In particular, the project will investigate how social robots and embodied artefacts can act as co-creators alongside humans, supporting new approaches to interaction design and creative programming. The research will also consider contexts where interactions involve not only individual users and single AI tools, but also networks of humans and multiple AI-enabled tools and agents working together.

The project will involve both designing and building working prototypes, as well as conducting design-oriented empirical studies in varied contexts of use. The goal is to advance both theoretical and practical understandings of how creative programming and interaction design can expand into embodied forms of interaction, in particular, through the use of robots and physical artefacts.

In addition to a competitive salary and wellness benefits, you will receive strong support for your academic development, including funding for books, conference travel, and professional growth opportunities. You will join an interdisciplinary research environment with access to state-of-the-art facilities, international networks, collaborative projects, and mentoring throughout your PhD journey.    

Qualification requirements

In order to be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have the general and specific entry requirements. The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

You meet general entry requirements if you have completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

Specific entry requirements are described in the general syllabus for doctoral studies in the field of Computer and Systems Sciences and state that the applicant must have completed courses at second- cycle level in Computer and Systems Sciences with a minimum of 60 higher education credits, or equivalent, including a thesis with a minimum of 15 higher education credits. In addition, the applicant is required to have English language skills equivalent of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Level B2.

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training. The following criteria will be used to assess this capacity:

• Independence in the analysis and organization of the earlier work
• Problem formulation and rigor in previous work and in the research plan
• Previously shown ability to keep the specified time limits
• Methodological and scientific maturity
• Communication and cooperation skills
• Subject specific knowledge relevant to education.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a doctoral student, you should primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20 %).

A new employment as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

For more information, please contact Associate Professor Preben Hansen, preben@dsv.su.se, and Professor Harko Verhagen, verhagen@dsv.su.se, or Director of PhD studies, Åsa Smedberg, studierektorF@dsv.su.se.

Application

Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline. We recommend that the application, with associated documents, be written in English.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.