PhD Studentships Machine Learning and Text Classification School of Computing

Applications are invited for two fully funded, three year PhD studentships in the School of Computing at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

The project is in the area of machine learning for text classification and more specifically case base maintenance. Because case-based classification techniques are local learners they are particularly susceptible to the problem of noisy training data. Previous work by the project leader has shown that in certain domains, particularly spam filtering, standard case-base editing techniques are unsuitable. This project aims to investigate why the newly developed blame-based noise reduction technique is particularly successful in the spam domain and whether its success can be transferred to the broader, but related, domains of text classification and fraud detection. Furthermore, the project will investigate whether the techniques of feature free learning and active learning can be applied to the noise reduction problem.

Applicants for these studentships are expected to have a good honours degree in computer science or a related discipline, excellent technical and programming skills and strong written and spoken English. Previous experience of artificial intelligence or machine learning is desirable but
not essential.

The grant covers a studentship of €16,000 per year plus all fees. For further information on the project contact Dr Sarah Jane Delany (www.comp.dit.ie/sjdelany/) or Dr Brian Mac Namee (www.comp.dit.ie/bmacnamee/).

Formal applications can be made through the Postgraduate Research Office in Dublin Institute of Technology (www.dit.ie/DIT/study/graduate/research/). Applicants should complete the Funded Postgraduate Research Application Form.

The closing date for applications is 15/6/2007 with the project proposed to start on 1/9/2007.