Engineering science

  • Duration: 3 years
  • Admission: academic qualifications and interview
  • Coordinator: prof. Stefano Trillo
  • Head office: Università di Ferrara
  • Department: Ingegneria
  • Study abroad: not compulsory
  • Educational purpose: the PhD program aims to train highly qualified professionals with specific preparation in the different areas of engineering sciences to be employed in advanced scientific research institutions , such as universities, research organizations, industries, public administration,  and  professional studies.
    To this end, the doctorate program provides general and specific educational activities as well as an individual research program. The latter is agreed with the tutor who will  supervise the research throughout the three years. This program focuses on a specific research topic, possibly at the fronteer of international research in one of the three sub-areas of Engineering Sciences, each corresponding to one of the curricula in which the doctorate is articulated: Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Engineering Information.
    Overall, the PhD program aims (I) to educate students to the principles of basic and applied scientific research with particular emphasis on isuues of technology transfer and the advance of knowledge in the field of engineering, (II) to develop the ability to cooperate in international research groups and also in close liaison with industrial research to achieve given objectives, (III) to train highly qualified research personnel with specific expertise and skills in the methods and technologies related to the different areas of engineering.
  • Curriculum: 
    1) Civil Engineering
    2) Industrial Engineering
    3) Information Engineering
  • Educational plan: the doctorate program is aimed at training research staff that can carry out activities in highly qualified institutions encompassing both the academy and other public or private entities. In particular, the first year of the program  is more oriented to promote teaching and didactic activities, both with broad spectrum and more specific to the area of interest of the student. This training is diversified being carried  out through institutional courses of the University, courses in common with close-by doctorates of the same University, tranversal activities (common to all doctorates), schools and external courses. The last two years are more oriented to start the research activity by providing the tools and skills that will enable the student to develop the ability to analyze the scientific literature, and formulate and solve scientific and/or technical problems in autonomous way, by identifying also the most promising areas from the scientific point of view, and taking care of the presentation of their results, both in the form of communications to conferences and workshops and in terms of preparation of scientific papers. The level of qualification is guaranteed primarily by the high qualification of the teaching staff at local, national and international level. To qualify the students and improve their independence, stages and internships in universities and compagnie (both domestically and abroad), when not made mandatory, are strongly encouraged. This also includes, in addition to international activities of shorter duration, establishing the joint supervision with other universities abroad, in order to ensure high qualification in specific areas of interest.
    The verification of the validity of the individual training program is made at the end of each academic year, based on a summary report of the students and presentations to the board of professors. Based on these, the board decides for each student admission the following year or the final exam, according to the correspondence between the individual achievements and the objectives of the doctorate.
  • Research topics:
    Curriculum 1: Structural Mechanics. Design of Structures. Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering. Geotechnical Engineering, Building design. Acoustic characterization of structures and materials.
    Curriculum 2: Functional design of the machines; metallic materials; non-metallic and composite materials (microstructural and mechanical properties, treatments and use); Planning and analysis of manufacturing processes; conventional structural analysis and computer-aided mechanical components and machine parts; analysis of energy systems for the determination of performance, environmental impact and health status; Industrial technical physics. industrial automation and theory of control technologies.
    Curriculum 3: robotics; fuzzy logic, physics, reliability and modeling of electronic devices and systems; microwave components; design techniques, hardware, CAD circuit and system operating systems; artificial intelligence and vision; computer networks, testing of integrated systems; antennas and propagation, optical fiber transmission and signal processing; mobile radio systems; digital transmission and codes; radio and wired communications networks, IP protocol and the Internet; applications of chaos theory to communications; electromagnetic compatibility.