Hafizul Islam Lab Fully Funded PhD Positions in Computer Architecture and Hardware Security at UNC Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Hafizul Islam Chowdhury is recruiting multiple fully funded Ph.D. students for Spring or Fall 2027 at UNC Charlotte to research computer architecture, microarchitectural security, secure processors, memory and storage security, and secure hardware-software infrastructure for AI and machine learning.
Hafizul Islam Chowdhury is establishing a research group in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is recruiting multiple fully funded Ph.D. students for Spring 2027 or Fall 2027.
The group will work in computer architecture, systems and security, with an emphasis on making security a first-order hardware-design objective. Research will investigate how processors and other shared hardware leak sensitive information and how processors, memory systems and AI accelerators can be redesigned to provide security without sacrificing performance.
Advertised research directions include:
- Computer architecture and hardware security: discovering side and covert channels in shared microarchitectural resources and developing low-cost defences.
- Secure and privacy-preserving AI/ML infrastructure: studying hardware-level threats to machine-learning systems and building leakage-resistant hardware-software stacks for GPUs, multi-tenant NPUs and secure inference.
- Secure processor architectures: analysing threats created by security extensions and designing processors resilient to physical and architectural attacks.
- Emerging memory and storage security: characterising device-level side channels and designing secure integration for high-performance non-volatile memory and storage.
How to apply: email hafizul.islam@charlotte.edu with your CV, transcripts and a few sentences describing your background and the research directions that interest you. This initial supervisor review does not replace the formal UNC Charlotte graduate application required of candidates who proceed.
Application timing: the lab does not state a fixed deadline. Apply early for the Spring 2027 or Fall 2027 intake and verify the applicable formal programme deadline before submitting.
Benefits
- Multiple fully funded Ph.D. positions for Spring 2027 or Fall 2027.
- Research supervision in a new group focused on secure computer architectures and hardware-software systems.
- Research opportunities spanning processors, shared microarchitecture, GPUs, NPUs, AI accelerators, emerging memory and storage, and practical secure inference.
- Access to UNC Charlotte's Electrical and Computer Engineering doctoral research environment.
Funding verification: the lab page directly describes the positions as fully funded but does not itemise the stipend, tuition support, health insurance, mandatory fees, duration or summer coverage. Applicants should obtain a written assistantship offer confirming every component and renewal condition.
Eligibility summary
- Highly motivated applicants seeking full-time Ph.D. study beginning in Spring or Fall 2027.
- Research interests aligned with computer architecture, hardware or systems security, secure processors, side-channel defence, secure memory and storage, or hardware-software infrastructure for AI/ML.
- The current ECE admissions page ordinarily expects a master's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering or a closely allied field and a strong academic record, with undergraduate and master's GPAs of approximately 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale.
- Exceptional applicants holding only a bachelor's degree may be considered for direct Ph.D. admission.
- Applicants from computer science, physics, mathematics or another related discipline may be considered if they demonstrate preparation for ECE doctoral research.
- No nationality restriction is stated; international candidates must satisfy current English-language, financial-document and immigration requirements.
Requirements
- Email the requested initial-review materials to the supervisor.
- Explain your background and identify the lab research direction or directions that interest you.
- If selected to proceed, submit the formal UNC Charlotte online graduate application.
- The current ECE Ph.D. admissions page lists three recommendation letters and a statement of purpose.
- The same page currently discusses GRE scores and English-proficiency requirements for applicable international students; verify the requirements for your 2027 intake directly with ECE Graduate Programs before applying.
Documents required
- Current curriculum vitae.
- Academic transcripts.
- A few sentences describing your background and preferred research directions.
- For formal admission: statement of purpose.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- GRE and English-proficiency results if required for the applicant's admission cycle and circumstances.
- Any additional academic, identity, financial or immigration documents requested by UNC Charlotte.
Language/test requirements
How to submit applications
Provider: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UNC Charlotte
The personal lab page confirms multiple fully funded positions. Formal application: https://gradadmissions.charlotte.edu/apply Programme requirements: https://ece.charlotte.edu/graduate-program/doctoral-program/admissions/ Department funding information: https://ece.charlotte.edu/graduate-program/doctoral-program/financial-aid
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