PhD Scholarship: AI-Driven Dementia Risk Assessment

Singapore–New Zealand Research Collaboration with Industry Partners

Join an international research team to develop explainable AI models for dementia risk prediction and contribute to tools that could transform clinical practice.

Quick Facts

PositionPhD student (Doctoral Researcher)
FundingNZD 35,000/year (tax-free stipend) + ~NZD 9,000/year (tuition costs)
Duration3 years
Start DateJanuary–February 2026
LocationUniversity of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Deadline22 October 2025, Anywhere on Earth (AoE)

Your Research

  • Develop deep learning & multimodal fusion approaches for dementia risk prediction
  • Advance explainable AI for clinical interpretability
  • Collaborate with clinicians & industry partners (Siemens Healthcare, Dex-Lab)
  • Validate models on Singapore & New Zealand dementia cohorts (3,000+ participants)

What You Gain

  • Vibrant, supportive research environment in the Machine Learning group at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland
  • Fully funded PhD with international collaboration
  • Access to unique datasets & high-performance computing
  • Interdisciplinary expert supervision and mentoring
  • Industry exposure and conference travel support

Who We Are Looking For

  • BSc (Hons) or MSc in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, or a related field
  • Advanced coding and machine/deep learning skills (Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow)
  • Interest in collaborative and interdisciplinary research
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Preferred: Experience in medical imaging analysis (MRI), explainable AI, or multimodal data fusion

Apply Now!

Send a single PDF (not exceeding 15 MB):

  • CV (including list of research outputs, such as publications and research thesis, & contacts of 2 referees)
  • Transcripts (BSc, BSc Honours/ Master)
  • Motivation Letter (maximum 600 words)
  • GitHub repository or code samples showing relevant project experience

Katerina Taskova (katerina.taskova@auckland.ac.nz), CC Tobias Olenyi (tobias.olenyi@auckland.ac.nz)
Subject line: “[PhD AI4Dementia] – Name”

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds (both international and domestic applications), including domestic applicants expected to complete their degree by December 2025.
Deadline: 23:59, 22 October 2025, anywhere on earth (later consideration might be possible, but please inquire).