Dear colleagues,

I currently have two open PhD positions at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam as part of a new NWO-funded project at the intersection of applied probability, graph theory, and network optimization.

The goal is to develop mathematical foundations for climate-resilient energy systems—a pressing challenge as extreme weather events increasingly threaten the reliability of our power infrastructure. The two positions focus on complementary but distinct aspects of the problem:

PhD 1 – Modeling Weather-Driven Failures
Develop parsimonious stochastic models using applied probability and graph theory to understand how spatially correlated extreme weather events cause multi-point failures across power grids.

PhD 2 – Optimizing Climate-Resilient Grid Operations
Design flexible, cost-effective decision-making tools using stochastic optimization and simulation to support smart planning and reconfiguration of energy networks under uncertainty.

Both positions are fully funded for 4 years, with a tentative start date in September 2025. The application deadline is May 25, 2025. I’m happy to answer informal questions directly by email, but formal applications must go through the following link: https://workingat.vu.nl/vacancies/phd-positions-in-applied-probability-and-network-optimization-amsterdam-1161112

If you know motivated students or recent graduates with a strong mathematical background and an interest in energy systems, sustainability, and uncertainty modeling, I’d be grateful if you could pass this along.

Best,

Alessandro

Alessandro Zocca (he/his)

Assistant Professor

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Department of Mathematics

https://alessandrozocca.github.io/