Latest revision as of 10:53, 2 February 2017

Security in IoT for Smart Grids
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University of Oslo offers 3 PhD positions in the area of
"Security Modelling for the Internet of Things (IoT)"

The University of Oslo (UiO), in collaboration with our industrial partner eSmart Systems, increases the focus on information security. A total of three PhD positions are envisaged:

• PhD-IoTSec: Semantic modelling of security in a System of Systems
• PhD-Provability: Semantic provability of Security
• Industrial-PhD: Measurable security and privacy for Smart Grid Systems

The future smart grid with prosumers (producers and consumers) provides a wide variety of opportunities for a better and greener environment, and for novel services related to smart everywhere (Smart Grid, Smart Home, Smart City). Our focus is on increasing security and privacy, which are essential for the customers, the provider of the grid, and the society as a whole.

The envisaged PhD positions are related to both the IoTSec.no initiative and the Strategic Research Initiative ConSeRNS. The novel concept of "Measurable Security and Privacy" was established through an international collaboration, and is now applied to the Smart Grid. Though the principle is understood, the challenges addressed through these PhD positions are in the description of the system, the creation of security ontologies and the verification of the semantic models.

Envisaged tasks

Theoretical:

• Establish semantic descriptions for system of systems related to Smart Grid networks
• Create ontologies for security and security functionality
• Establish mechanisms for applying the semantic descriptions to measurable security and privacy
• Extend reasoning to address validation of semantic models

Implementation:

• Implement a semantic framework for security and privacy in a system of systems
• PhD-IoTSec: Develop the semantic modelling of security in a System of Systems, see IoTSec:T1.1
• PhD-Provability: Provide methodologies for semantic provability of semantic frameworks, see IoTSec:T2.3
• Industrial-PhD: Establish system and goal analysis of measurable security and privacy for Smart Grid Systems, see IoTSec:T1.2

Demo

• visualise the results in the visualisation studio of eSmart Systems
• discuss the impact with industry

General information

The research is performed in the context of the IoTSec and the ConSeRNS initiatives, which is financed in part by the Norwegian Research Council, the University of Oslo and eSmart Systems. You will work together in a team with national project participants, and international partners, as well as becoming part of the UiO/UNIK student environment.

The work will be conducted at UiO (Oslo), at UNIK (Kjeller), or respectively eSmart Systems (Halden) in Norway. All PhDs will work closely together. You will be part of the exciting arena for innovation, and have the opportunity to work in an exciting internal environment with close contact to Research Institutes and Industry.

Application documents

PhD-IoTSec and PhD-Provability will follow the traditional PhD education, while the Industrial-PhD will be performed as part of an Industrial PhD Scheme. All PhDs require the admission to the PhD program of the University of Oslo. Salary is after the rules from the state, based on your experience.

The application (Norwegian or English) should contain

1. CV including names and contact information of two references
2. List of publications (if applicable)
3. Transcript of records for both the MSc and the BSc
4. Summary and status of your master thesis
5. A statement from you indicating your ideas and interests in one of the three topics, and an indication if any of the other two fields are relevant for you

Application submission

Please submit your application through the electronic submission system at the University of Oslo: https://uio.easycruit.com/vacancy/1554363/64290?iso=no

Submission deadline 31 January 2016.

After submission, an evaluation committee will establish a ranked list of candidates, including these criteria:

• Scientific merits (grades and evtl. publications)
• Research topic relevance and understanding
• Nordic mindset

The top candidates will then be invited for an interview.

Further information

For further information, please contact:

• PhD-IoTSec and PhD-Provability: Olaf Owe, UiO/Ifi, m: +47 951 51 500, olaf@ifi
• PhD-IoTSec and PhD-Provability: Christian Johansen, UiO/Ifi, m: +47 9753 5582, cristi@ifi

• PhD-IoTSec and Industrial-PhD: Josef Noll, UiO/Ifi and UNIK, m: +47 9083 8066, josef@jnoll.net
• Industrial-PhD: Davide Roverso, eSmart Systems, m: +47 9261 5003, davide.roverso@

Related links

• IoTSec project: http://IoTSec.no, PhD description: http://IoTSec.no/phd
• Institut for Informatics, Ifi: http://ifi.uio.no
• UNIK's Web: http://www.unik.no and Wiki: http://cwi.unik.no
• eSmart Systems: http://esmartsystems.com
• Doctoral education at the University of Oslo (UiO), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Industrial Ph.D Scheme (NæringsPhD) from the Research Council of Norway

References

1. J. Noll, I. Garitano, S. Fayyad, E. Åsberg, H. Abie, «Measurable Security, Privacy and Dependability in Smart Grids», Journal of Cyber Security, 3_4, (2015)
2. I. Garitano, S. Fayyad, J. Noll, «Multi-Metrics Approach for Security, Privacy and Dependability in Embedded Systems», Wireless Pers. Commun. 81, pp1359-1376 (2015)

Working environments

About UNIK

UNIK has just the right size to be flexible enough to support individual wishes, has own parking spaces and reasonable bus connections to Oslo and Lillestrøm (15min train connection to Oslo centre). An own fitness area with sauna allows for a work-out whenever you feel like. For more information see UNIK.no

About UiO

UiO offers top class sport facilities at very low prices for employees or students, with facilities s.a. swimming basin, or many organized training classes e.g. in martial arts, dances, or even nature trailing. Employees can benefit from the popular UiO mountain and summer cabins. The department organizes recreational events for their employees, like Christmas parties, skying day, biking trips, children’s Christmas tree day, summer camps, etc. In the campus there are regular events like lunch concerts, popular scientific events, or student nights in campus pubs. In the PMA and ConSeRNS groups there is a good gender balance (the PMA group has currently more than 50% women). Our research environment is international, with people from approx. 10 countries, and the working language is English. UiO offers a good range of language courses, e.g. Norwegian for foreigners or English academic writing.

For families

There are several kindergartens around the campus (one of which is Montesouri) which give priority to PhD students, as well as to foreigners. Oslo public transportation is well spread, and the Blindern campus is close to the city centre and to the forest recreational areas of Holmenkollen. The research groups have flexible working hours, with possibility of working from home if needed.

For your economy

The department offers very competitive salary for PhD students (currently 430 500 NOK - 483 700 NOK per year, i.e., around 50 000 Euro). As a state employee you have the right for favorable house loans, and you have access to many economical advantages, like special offers to bank credit cards, travel agencies, as well as easier entry on the house renting market (as a foreigner).

Admission criteria for UiO/UNIK

The purpose of the Ph.D. fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree. The fellowship requires admission to the research training programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Firstly, the applicants must have obtained undergraduate (Cand.mag., i.e. B.Sc. level) with a level corresponding at least "C" and postgraduate (cand.scient. or Siv.ing., i.e. M.Sc. level) qualifications with a level corresponding at least "B". This represents approximately five years of full time studies after completion of European Upper Secondary School/International Baccalaureate. For more information see: Admission requirements for a PhD education at the University of Oslo (UiO), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Average grade calculator, to be taken without Master Thesis