I am looking for motivated PhD students to join my research group at The University of Memphis. Our group focuses on advancing fundamental and applied research in machine learning, with particular interest in Active Learning, Uncertainty Quantification, and AI for Science. Students will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge research problems, publish in top-tier venues (NeurIPS, ICML, AAAI, etc.), and collaborate across disciplines.

Spring and Fall 2026

There are multiple positions open in Spring and Fall 2026. Students with deep learning skills and a strong foundation in programming/mathematics are encouraged to reach out. Students with research experience in machine learning, data mining, or computational physics are preferred. For those looking to apply, you should check the application deadlines and admission requirements from the Graduate School. Please also share your CV/resume, transcripts for all of your degrees, and publications (if any) to my email: dyu[at]memphis[dot]edu with the subject line “Prospective PhD Student”.

About UofM

The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students. UofM is classified among “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High research activity”. The Department of Computer Science has 23 full-time faculty members (including 2 IEEE Fellows) and 44 PhD students (as of 2024). According to the CSRankings 2025 data, the department is ranked #111 in the USA, while the US News 2024 rankings place our computer science program at #163 and our computer engineering program at #136. The department is well-equipped with high-end computational resources, including GPU servers. The university’s HPC Unit provides a GPU cluster with 20 GPUs (12 V100 and 8 A100), and our department provides an AI cluster featuring 88 GPUs (8 H100, 32 RTX 6000 Ada, and 48 RTX 5000 Ada).

Memphis is the second-largest city in Tennessee and ranks among the top 30 cities in the United States. Nestled along the banks of the Mississippi River, Memphis is one of the oldest and most culturally significant cities in the southern United States, renowned as the birthplace of rock, blues, and soul music. Graceland, the former residence of Elvis Presley, is a major attraction here. Additionally, Memphis is home to the NBA’s Grizzlies. Memphis International Airport, the second-largest cargo airport in the world, offers direct flights to nearly 30 cities across North America. The city is also the headquarters of three Fortune 500 companies: FedEx, International Paper, and AutoZone. East Memphis, where the University of Memphis is located, is one of the safest areas in the city and just a 15-minute drive from the airport. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the best children’s hospitals in the country, are also situated in Memphis. The city is affordable, with convenient transportation and amenities. Join our team to explore this vibrant and historic city together.