PhD in Electronics, Telecommunications, and Information Technologies Engineering

• Analog and digital circuits and electronic systems
• Analysis and simulation of semiconductor devices
• Applications of Information technologies: smart cities, smart grid, etc.
• Cyber-physical systems
• Communication theory and its applications
• Telecommunications architectures, systems, and networks: wireless, cellular, fixed / mobile terrestrial / satellite, wired and optical
• Electromagnetic theory, antennas, antenna systems, beamforming, electromagnetic characterization of materials, channel propagation models
• Near- and Far- field wireless power and information transmission
• Internet-of-Things and applications
• Electronic devices
• Electronics for telecommunications
• Power electronics, power converters and semiconductor devices
• Embedded systems
• Energy harvesting
• Information theory and its applications
• Intelligent sensors
• Micro and nano-technologies
• Microwave Photonics
• Microwave and millimetre wave circuits and systems
• Navigation and positioning systems and applications
• Network control and management: software defined networks
• Performance evaluation of communication networks
• Statistical signal processing and its applications
• Ultrasonics
• Wireless power and data transfer
• Science of Creative Thinking with Applications in the ICT Domain
• Precision agricolture and IoT circuits, systems for pervasive monitoring
• Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces

Call for Application, NRRP Call and NRRP Call - Further PhD Positions
Appointed by RD 830/2022 Prot. n. 0127511 of 30/05/2022
Confirmed by RD 1103/2022 Prot. n. 0162873 of 17/07/2022
Confirmed by RD 952/2022 Prot. n. 0357333 of 02/12/2022

* The following shall take part in the work of the Examination Board as expert members for positions linked to specific research topics for the NRRP Call:

• Marco Losi - STMicroelectronics Srl
• Antoine Pavlin - STMicroelectronics Srl
• Bernardi Federico - Telebit Spa
• Carlo Cavazzoni - Leonardo SpA
• Guido Riva - Fondazione Ugo Bordoni
• Simon Huang Wei - Evidence Srl
• Livio Gobbato - STMicroelectronics Srl
• Mattia Rossetti - STMicroelectronics Srl
• Giulio Ricotti - STMicroelectronics Srl
• Natale Aiello - STMicroelectronics Srl
• Matteo Borga - IMEC

The objective is to prepare researchers able to autonomously perform scientific and industrial research, to innovate, and to manage complex projects. The program covers research topics related to: Electronics, Telecommunications and Electromagnetic Fields. The Electronics area covers the study of electronic devices, circuits and systems, microelectronics, micro-and nano-technologies, analog and digital systems, electronic systems for actuation and monitoring, modern hw/sw computing systems. The Electromagnetic Fields area covers topics related to microwaves and optical systems, antennas and propagation, theory of electromagnetic fields applied to electronics and telecommunication systems and devices. The Telecommunications area covers the study of telecommunication systems and networks (wireless/cellular, terrestrial/satellite, wired/optical networks), and associated devices. The Ph.D. program focuses also on ICT topics, including multimedia applications and related services.

PhD candidates' activity is mainly focused on the following two areas: a) training through research b) training through structured training courses and specific workshops and seminars. Training through research: the aim of this activity is to increase the know-how of the PhD candidates through research activities related to the specific research programs identified and designed by the PhD Board on the basis of the Supervisor proposals. PhD candidates dedicate a large part of their time to perform high level research activities under the guidance of their supervisor and in the context of larger research groups. Participation to structured courses and specific workshops. The aim of this activity is that of complementing the knowledge background of the PhD candidates through ad-hoc courses on specific topics related to their field of research. A significant part of the training through courses aims also at broadening the PhD candidate perspective and knowledge base by providing courses on interdisciplinary and basic topics.

Training activities are planned throughout the PhD program, aiming to complete and complement basic knowledge, and above all to support the acquisition of methods and knowledge necessary to carry out research under the chosen theme. This is achieved mainly through specialized seminars, given by professors of the University or external guest lecturers, invited as part of national and international research collaborations. Lectures and laboratory courses cover advanced topics of the PhD course, and often have a highly multi- disciplinary character. Students may also participate, subject to authorization by the PhD Board, to master-level courses. Graduate students' training also makes use of educational activities coordinated at national or international level (e.g. PhD Schools), generally organized for teaching advanced topics to students from different universities. Furthermore, the University of Bologna organises basic training on research and IPR management, third mission, exploitation of research results, and business development. Overall, in three years, students have to spend at least 180 hours in training activities documented by an officially final test. At the end of each academic year, the PhD Board will evaluate the training program for each student. An updated calendar of the graduate courses offered to students is regularly published on the PhD official web site.

Mobility period abroad optional but ordinarily pursued by PhD students. Dissemination of the course abroad through contacts and international collaborations of all the ET-IT and DEI professors. More than 10% of ET-IT students have foreign degrees. Co-tutelage with European and non-European instititutions:

• active external co-tutelle agreement with Université de Rennes 1 (France) and CEA-LETI;
• successful application to VINCI call 2019 (https://www.universite-franco-italienne.org) of the Italian-French University (applicants: ET-IT and École Doctorale en Mathématiques et Sciences et Technologies de Information and Communication (MSTIC) of the Université de Paris Est) and activation of a co-tutored PhD position in the 35th cycle;
• ET-IT members promoted a framework agreement with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), The Republic of China for doctorates in co-tutorship with many PhD courses of the University of Bologna, specifically with ET-IT doctoral research projects in co-operation with the International College of Semiconductor Technology (NCTU) Marie Curie projects.

ETIT welcomes foreign students within specific international mobility and training programs (e.g. China Scholarship Council, fully supporting Chinese students to attend the ETIT doctorate). Participation to university programs (e.g. Marco Polo Program) to support PhD students' mobility and training abroad. Research and/or teaching collaborations with: ETH Zurich, Imperial College London, CTTC Barcelona, UPC Barcelona, UCLA, UCSD, KU Leuven, Univ. De Aveiro, Univ. Of Erlangen, TU Munich, U. of Colorado, DLR Munich, CEA-LETI, Oulu Univ., Georgia Tech, U. of Bristol, NTNU Trondheim, KTH Sweden, MIT, TU Eindhoven, Southampton Univ., Penn State Univ. Participation of PhD students to international conferences and PhD schools is encouraged.

Expected outcomes of the PhD activities are: - Publications on peer-reviewed highly-ranked international scientific journals; - Publications and participation to international high-quality scientific conferences; - Generation of new IP; - Strengthening and generation of international collaborations (mainly through the research periods spent abroad); - Knowledge transfer to other PhDs and Researchers through seminar and workshops.