Fully Funded PhD in Statistical AI for Safe Robotics

Fully Funded PhD in Statistical AI for Safe Robotics – Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (Fall 2026)

Are you looking for a fully funded PhD in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Mathematics? Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi invites applications for a prestigious PhD position in Mathematics (Statistical AI) under a groundbreaking research project titled:

Safe and Trustworthy Robotics Control via Neuro-Symbolic AI Models

The PhD degree will be awarded by Sorbonne Université (ED 386), Paris, France.

Start Date: September 2026
Application Deadline: March 31, 2026
Funding: Fully Funded (3 Years)

About the PhD Project

Safety remains one of the most critical challenges in deploying autonomous robotic systems in real-world, human-centric, and high-stakes environments. Modern robotics requires more than predictive accuracy — it demands:

Explicit safety guarantees
Real-time adaptability
Explainable and auditable decision-making
Robust control under uncertainty

This PhD project proposes the development of a Neuro-Symbolic AI framework for learning and controlling robotic dynamics with explicit safety assurances.

Why Neuro-Symbolic AI?

The research integrates:

Symbolic AI → Interpretability, logical reasoning, structured constraints
Neural Networks → Flexibility in modeling high-dimensional spatio-temporal behaviors

By combining both, the project aims to create white-box, dynamical system-informed AI models that:

Define safe operating envelopes
Avoid hazards in real time
Adapt dynamically to disturbances
Produce human-understandable governing equations

Validation will be conducted on flexible robotic manipulators performing intricate tasks, with evaluation metrics including:

Safety margin improvements
Trajectory precision
Response time efficiency

Research Objectives

1. Design and Analysis of Explainable Dynamical Systems

Develop physics-informed symbolic AI models
Replace black-box predictors with transparent, closed-form equations
Capture rigid and flexible robotic dynamics
Ensure identifiability under realistic noise conditions

2. Neuro-Symbolic AI for Spatio-Temporal Learning

Build a hybrid architecture combining neural models and symbolic reasoning
Predict robot states within verifiable safety envelopes
Extract equations defining unsafe regions
Embed sparsity and logical reasoning directly into learning loops

3. Robot Control with Learned Dynamics

Integrate symbolic equations into real-time planners and controllers
Enable safer navigation and adaptive motion planning
Demonstrate superior performance compared to traditional control methods

Supervisors

Dr. Grace Younes – Assistant Professor
Dr. Tanujit Chakraborty (HDR) – Associate Professor

Both are faculty members at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi with expertise in AI, mathematics, and robotics.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must have:

A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Mathematics, Statistics, or Computer Science
Strong background in:
- Numerical Analysis
- Optimization
- Differential Equations
- Statistical Machine Learning
- Geometric Deep Learning
Interest in robotics and spatio-temporal data analysis
Programming experience in Python and ML libraries (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras)
Excellent English communication skills

Funding & Benefits (Fully Funded PhD)

This PhD is fully funded for 3 years by SAFIR and includes:

Competitive, tax-free monthly salary
Comprehensive medical insurance
Conference travel funding
Full visa application support

This makes it an exceptional opportunity for international candidates seeking a fully funded PhD in AI and Robotics in the UAE with a French doctoral degree.

Location & Degree

📍 Location: Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, UAE
🎓 Degree Awarded By: Sorbonne Université, Paris, France

Scholars benefit from:

International research exposure
European doctoral framework
Advanced research facilities
Strong academic and industry collaborations

How to Apply

Interested candidates must send the following documents:

CV (including Date of Birth, Country of Passport, and Residency)
Academic Transcripts
Cover Letter
Contact details of two references

📩 Email Applications To:

🌐 Official Website: https://www.sorbonne.ae

Why Apply?

This PhD position offers:

Cutting-edge research in Explainable AI and Robotics
International doctoral degree from Sorbonne Université
Fully funded financial support
High-impact research in safety-critical AI systems
Strong academic mentorship

If you are passionate about Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Mathematical Modeling, and Safe Autonomous Systems, this is a unique opportunity to contribute to the future of trustworthy AI-driven robotics.

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For more details and official updates, visit: https://www.sorbonne.ae