The aim of the Structured PhD in Computer Science is to provide the student with an opportunity to carry out a significant body of research work with support from the teaching component of the programme. The programme will offer both academic modules to enhance the student's specialist knowledge, and transferable and generic skills modules. These modules will add significantly to the PhD experience by broadening the skill base of the candidate.
The first step to applying is to identify a potential supervisor; this involves deciding on a general research area that you are interested in and then contacting a member of the department's staff that is specialising in that area. More information on research in the department can be found at https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/computer-science/our-research.
Research postgraduates are typically (though not exclusively) funded during their research. Support varies depending on the source, but funding can include payment of fees, a salary and travel expenses. Please note that all funding programmes are highly competitive, and most are contingent on the applicant securing high marks in their primary degree.
Research students can also register to work jointly with the Department of Computer Science and one of the following Maynooth University research institutes: National Centre for Geocomputation, An Foras Feasa, the Hamilton Institute, the Callan Institute, and the Innovation Value Institute. Please see the entries for these institutes for more details of the research topics available.
A secondary interest of Prof Pearlmutter is in programming systems, especially advanced programming language design and implementation. One of his projects is to build a new efficient advanced programming language with novel constructs that allow many numeric algorithms and scientific computations to be expressed very clearly and succinctly.
Ronan Reilly's main research interests are in the areas of visual perception and language understanding. His interest in vision research primarily relates to eye movement control in reading, which also conveniently combines a language dimension. His research in this area involves data collection using an eye tracking system, and the computational modeling of these data. More recently he has started to look at the application of my reading model to web usability analysis. Within the language area, he has a specific interest in alternatives to the currently dominant nativist accounts of language acquisition. Again, this work is underpinned by computational modelling. Prof Reilly has also been working on a theoretical approach to modelling cortical computation, which he refers to as 'Cortical Software Re-Use'. The goal of this theory is to try to account for the construction of cognitive capabilities within a developmental and evolutionary framework.
Rosemary's research is concerned with the development of reliable software systems. She works with the Principles of Programming research group which specialises in the static and dynamic analysis of objectoriented programs and programming languages. Her research interests are in program verification and in particular, the verification of data refinement within an object-oriented setting. Current research includes collaborations on Data Refinement with Prof J Morris at Dublin City University, on the Spec# Programming System with the Research in Software Engineering (RiSE) group at Microsoft Research, Redmond, on Event B with MOSEL Research Group, LORIA and on verifying safety critical properties of PLC's with TramPower UK.
Mr Lysaght received his BA degree in Music and Mathematical Physics in 1984, his HDipEd in 1991 and his MCompSci from Maynooth University in 1996. He is currently finishing a PhD in Computer Science at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth and is a permanent member of the Department of Computer Science's lecturing staff. Mr Lysaght's main research area is sound analysis and synthesis, particularly the area of timbre morphing with applications in the area of synthesis and composition. He uses the Wigner Distribution as his time-frequency representation for timbre and develops signal processing techniques for morphing. This research is carried out in collaboration with Dr Victor Lazzarini of the Music Department and Dr Joseph Timoney of the Computer Science Department at Maynooth University.This group of researchers regularly publish papers in the area of signal processing techniques for audio applications.
The PhD consists of 30 credits minimum / 90 credits maximum in taught modules (15 must be in generic or transferable skills and 15 in subject-specific or advanced specialist advanced modules) with the remaining 270–330 credits being allocated to the research project and thesis.
On completing a PhD in Computer Science the graduate has a number of options open to them. They can continue to build their career as a researcher in academia, for example as a Post-Doctoral researcher, or in the technology industry. They will also be attractive as an educator in all facets of the Higher Education sector.
Other possibilities include working in scientific research administration or a high-tech start-up environment. The experience and discipline gained from completing a PhD in Computer Science also can open other avenues outside of Computer Science where these skills are prized.
Prior to applying, the candidate must have identified and contacted a member of staff prepared to act as their PhD supervisor.
A personal statement is required as part of the application statement online.