EPSRC PhD Studentship in Artificial Intelligence Monte Carlo Tree Search in Uncertain Environments - Application to the Magic:The Gathering Card Game

University of Bradford:  School of Computing, Informatics and Media.
Supervisor: Professor Peter Cowling (www.scim.brad.ac.uk/~picowlin). 
Financial Information: This studentship will pay PhD fees (UK/EU or worldwide) and a tax-free stipend of  £13,290 per annum, for a period of 3 years.
Start Date: 1st October 2010 (or later by agreement).

Background: The desire for better Artificial Intelligence (AI) in board games, card games and, more recently, video games have been a constant driver for AI research. There is considerable current excitement over the potential of Monte Carlo Tree Search algorithms (particularly UCT (http://senseis.xmp.net/?UCT)), which have produced professional-level computer Go players in the past year, a significant step towards addressing one of the major outstanding research questions of Artificial Intelligence (http://oase.nutn.edu.tw/FUZZ_IEEE_2009/result.htm). We have received substantial funding from EPSRC to investigate the full potential of Monte Carlo Tree Search (see http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/ViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/H049061/1), in a collaboration between the University of Bradford,  Imperial College London, the University of Essex, the University of Reykjavik (Iceland), AI Factory Ltd., Introversion Software Ltd. and Nestorgames Ltd. 

Project: For the majority of problems where game/decision tree models are appropriate, particularly real-time video games and industrial decision problems, the tree is nondeterministic, with both hidden information and randomness. This PhD project will investigate Monte Carlo Tree Search in a situation of hidden information and randomness, focussing specifically on one of the most popular card games in the world, Magic: The Gathering (www.magicthegathering.com). The student will investigate how to design AI to handle uncertainty in card draws and opponent plays, and the hidden information of the opponent's cards in hand, using Monte Carlo Tree Search, starting from simple sets of cards and increasing in complexity to deal with the fact that many of the rules of Magic:The Gathering are only introduced as cards are played (making Magic in some sense an exercise in General Game Playing (see http://games.stanford.edu/)).

The PhD student: The PhD student will work closely with Prof Peter Cowling and a post-doctoral research assistant (to be appointed), as well as another PhD student already in post, to read and synthesise research papers, design algorithms, write computer codes, conduct experiments, present their work to other consortium members and at international scientific conferences, and write high-quality journal and conference papers.
   Good programming skills are required, preferably in a range of languages including C# or C++, as well as good training (and preferably research/project experience and publications) in artificial intelligence, discrete mathematics and the design of algorithms and data structures. An enthusiasm for games and a knowledge of game tree search is desirable. Knowledge of parallel programming techniques is also desirable.

The University, School and City:  The School of Computing Informatics and Media at the University of Bradford has a strong research focus, as evidenced by our population of over 100 PhD students and the fact that 45% of our research was rated "Internationally Leading" or "World Class" by the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. In 2010, all research staff and students were relocated to purpose-built facilities within the University's city-centre campus. One of the UK's largest cities, set amongst some of the most spectacular countryside in England and yet one of the most affordable places to live in Britain, Bradford's wonderful paradoxes create a student city that is hard to beat. Bradford also has excellent transport links via Leeds/Bradford airport to London, Europe and the rest of the world, and via excellent UK road and rail connections.

General Information
Eligibility:  This studentship is open to all nationalities (UK/EU and worldwide) Academic Requirements: A First class or 2.1 honours degree or equivalent in a scientific discipline with substantial experience of discrete mathematics and programming.
English Language Requirements: Candidates whose first language is not English need to have IELTS 7.0 or equivalent.
Start Date: 1 October 2010 (or later by agreement).
Duration: 3 years
For informal enquiries: Contact Prof Peter Cowling (email: [log in to unmask], tel.: +44 (0) 1274 234005).
To Apply: The following documents should be sent in a single email to Prof Peter Cowling ([log in to unmask]) before the application deadline (7th July 2010):
-	Covering statement (500 words maximum) outlining your suitability and motivation for the PhD position.
-	Academic CV including marks transcript.
-	Two academic references.
-	Evidence of English language ability for candidates whose first language is not English (IELTS 7.0 or equivalent).