METROPOLIS: AI‑Powered Urban Digital Twins for Data‑Driven Cities

About the Project

Ariel University invites applications for three PhD scholarships within the METROPOLIS project. The successful candidates will join the Architectural Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (AAIRL) in the School of Architecture to undertake research at the intersection of urban analytics, AI, GIS, and urban planning.

Research environment

The PhD researchers will be hosted by AAIRL, a research lab within Ariel University’s School of Architecture focusing on the development and application of AI methods to the built environment and urban systems. Candidates will work within a multidisciplinary setting, collaborating across various domains. The project offers opportunities to engage with real-world urban stakeholders and datasets through the Tel Aviv pilot deployment, and to contribute to research outputs with practical impact, including publishable methods, prototypes, and deployable software components.

Project description

Cities face numerous challenges in achieving sustainable growth, enhancing climate resilience, improving energy efficiency, managing transportation, and promoting social inclusion. Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) are virtual representations of urban systems that combine real-world data with simulation and predictive modeling, offering significant potential to support evidence-based planning and governance.

The METROPOLIS project will develop an interoperable, AI-based UDT framework designed for rapid deployment and adaptation in different urban contexts.

Available PhD positions:

1) PhD: Interoperable Data Infrastructure and Harmonisation

2) PhD: Urban AI Models (Mobility, Climate, Energy, Morphology, Optimisation)

3) PhD: User Experience and Explainable AI (XAI) for Urban Digital Twins