/!\ Due to the situation of COVID-19, considering that we might have difficulties in providing good quality support for the new PhDs in 2021, the department of Industrial Design of TU Eindhoven has temporarily decided not to open positions for CSC supported Ph.D. and PDEng applications, with an exception for a research topic as described below. We will reevaluate the situation in 2011. /!\

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) enables excellent Chinese students to obtain their PhD degrees at TU/e with a 4-year scholarship from the CSC. Students from all Chinese universities are eligible for this program. The program aims to foster long-term research co-operation between Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and Chinese universities. Students who receive a scholarship are provided with a living allowance as prescribed by the Chinese Government for the term of the scholarship, return airfare to the Netherlands by the most economical route, student visa fees and the cost of health insurance for international students.

tue.jpg

Introduction

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is among the top 100 universities according to the QS Global World Ranking. It is located in a highly industrialized region, known as ‘Brainport’. This region is internationally recognized as a top technology area with a special focus on the integration of design and technology. The department of Industrial Design was established in close collaboration with the technological industry, and, because of this, focuses its research on the Design of Systems with Emerging Technologies in a Societal Context.

PhD program Industrial Design

Changing demographics and social structures are putting several key human values of modern society under serious pressure; these include social inclusion, sustainable healthcare and healthy ageing. Department of Industrial Design envisions a world where these fundamental human values are addressed through interactive and evolving product-service-systems. The goal is to empower people towards a state of complete physical, mental, emotional and social well-being, through the creation of interactive and (co-)evolving systems where future technologies and humans co-adapt to achieve qualities beyond utility and usability.

As a PhD student, you will work on research topics related to the aspects above by exploring future technology (Research-through-Design) through probing prototypes in everyday-life settings (e.g. Experiential Design Landscapes).

Expected Background

Applicants to this PhD research shall have a background in industrial design, digital arts and interactive media, human-computer interaction, computer science, information technology, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering and physics.

Research Topic

We are aiming at recruiting up to 1 CSC PhD in 2021, for Double PhD degree in collaboration with Zhejiang University

In the context of the ZJU-TU/e Joint Research Institute of Design, Optoelectronics and Sensing (IDEAS), the TU/e candidates will join the Collaborative efforts in design research on health-related applications utilizing the advances in optoelectronics and sensing technologies, aiming at double degrees from TU/e and ZJU, under the condition that the requirements of the degree conferment from each Institution are completed, complying to relevant regulations.

  1. Connected Everyday Objects for Managing Stress in Children. Research has shown that the use of robots is effective in helping children in mitigating stress and anxiety, and in improving their social skills, especially for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Both TU/e and ZJU have a track record in this research area, from the perspectives of human-computer interaction and utilizing new sensing technologies. The objectives of the proposed joint research are two-fold:

    • The first objective of this project is to embed the proven benefits of the robotic technologies with the everyday products that are equipped with advanced non-invasive sensing technologies that can provide context based on physiological measurements and other information that this sensing can provide, for managing stress in Children with ASD. We will also investigate how the collected data could be utilized in detecting patterns and abnormalities and in engaging social ties and professionals.
    • The second objective is to utilize the same technical platform for managing stress in Chinese children with high study load and expectations. In China, primary school children have to work hard even during the off school hours with heavy study load, due to the highly completive education system with emphasis on school performance, intolerance of failure and high expectations from parents, relatives and friends. Connected everyday objects would help the children to manage their stress with playful interaction. Connectivity would provide the information to social ties such as parents and teachers for proper social intervention if necessary, and for proactive co-management of the stress of children.

Application Procedure

It is a two-step process:

  1. Applying with us. According to the quality of the application documents, you might be invited for an interview (video conferencing, if necessary). If the interview gives positive advice, you will be offered with the admission letter, with a tuition fee waiver.
  2. Applying at CSC. We will help you adjust, refine and improve your research proposal, and help you improve the quality of other application documents. We will assist and advise you throughout the CSC application process.

If you are interested in applying, please first address your interest to dr. Jun Hu: j.hu@tue.nl as early as possible for questions and guidance, and later prepare the following documents and submit them to j.hu@tue.nl, with "CSC PhD application 2020" in the subject:

  1. Curriculum Vitae
  2. Research plan according to one of the aforementioned topics (no more than 4-pages of A4 in English, Including Background, Objectives and Research questions, Methodology, Planning, Expected results, Feasibility, Future Plan after your PhD, and References).
  3. Motivation letter (no more than 1-page A4).
  4. Copy of Master Degree (if available, or a letter from your university to prove that you are expected to graduate in due time).
  5. Letter of recommendation from your supervisor at the home university.
  6. Any indication of your English level (IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 95, or equivalent) according to the requirements from CSC (http://www.csc.edu.cn/) and TU/e.

  7. If you have a design or art background, portfolio of your design or artwork.

If these documents are too big to be attached to an email, you are advised to simply send in a link to a single online ZIP file that contains all the documents.

Deadlines

Please notice the deadlines: February 15, 2021 at TU/e; for the deadline for applying at CSC, please check the CSC website http://www.csc.edu.cn/. For better support for your application, we would encourage you to apply as early as possible.

For more information

For more information, please contact dr. Jun Hu: j.hu@tue.nl

More about research at ID, TU/e: https://www.tue.nl/en/our-university/departments/industrial-design/research/

More about the requirements in applying for the Scholarship from China Scholarship Council (CSC) for Chinese PhD candidates: http://www.csc.edu.cn