Join PRIME Lab

We are recruiting one fully funded PhD student. Fall 2027 is preferred, and Spring 2027 may also be possible. You can apply for the PhD with a bachelor's degree. We welcome strong skills in either software or hardware. Previous publications are not required.

Email tianyou.bao@uah.edu

Funding

Funding is provided through a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA).

Tuition for up to 12 credit hours per semester
Infrastructure, College of Engineering, and international student fees
Individual health insurance

$20,000+ per year

The stipend includes summer support and increases as you progress. Level I applies before a master’s degree, Level II after a master’s degree, and Level III after the PhD qualifying exam. Your offer letter states the exact amount.

Stipend ranges and levels: UAH Graduate Assistantships.

Timeline

Spring 2027: Email by October 31, 2026
Fall 2027: Contact us at any time, preferably early
Review: Applications are reviewed as they arrive. Selected applicants are invited to interview.
Closing date: Recruitment ends when the position is filled
I-20: Admission and I-20 request by December 1 for spring or August 1 for fall

Formal admission requires an application to the UAH Graduate School. I-20 dates are listed by UAH international admissions. Some programs have earlier deadlines.

How to contact us

Email draft

Open email draft

The button opens your email app with a draft message. Add your name, degree, and other details. For a Spring 2027 start, update the term in both the subject and message.

Show email text to copy

Subject

[PhD Inquiry - Fall 2027] Name – Current Degree

Body

Dear Dr. Bao,

My name is [Name]. I [am completing / have completed] a [bachelor’s/master’s] degree in [major] at [university]. My [expected] graduation date is [month year]. I am interested in the funded PhD position in PRIME Lab for [Fall 2027 / Spring 2027].

Research interests:
[Write one or two sentences. Examples: hardware for post-quantum cryptography, side-channel analysis, or fully homomorphic encryption.]

Background:
- Degree, major, GPA:
- Hardware experience, if any (Verilog, SystemVerilog, VHDL, or design tools):
- Software experience, if any (Python, C/C++, or other languages):
- English test score, if any:

A project or research experience that shows my skills:
[Describe the work, your contribution, and the result. Add a link if available.]

Attachments: my CV, transcripts (unofficial copies are fine), and any available papers or project reports.

Best regards,
[Name]

Curriculum vitae (CV)
Transcripts (unofficial copies are fine)
A paper, project report, or code link, if available
English test scores, if available

A research proposal is not required for the initial email.

Who should apply

Tianyou Bao studied computer science for his bachelor's and master's degrees before pursuing a PhD in electrical and computer engineering. Students who want to move from software into hardware and security research are welcome. You do not need all the skills below when you apply.

Background. Computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field. Final-year undergraduates, current master's students, and graduates are welcome.
Technical skills. Experience with Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL for hardware, or Python, C/C++, or another programming language for software. You should be able to design, implement, and debug a project independently and explain your work. Experience with AMD Xilinx Vivado, Intel Quartus, Synopsys (Design Compiler, VCS), or Cadence (Genus, Innovus) is helpful.
Mathematics. A solid foundation in linear algebra and a willingness to learn more. Knowledge of number theory, abstract algebra, or cryptography is helpful.
Learning and communication. Explore problems independently and communicate early when you need help. Work carefully with experiments, code, and research results.

Your research

As the first PhD student, you will help discuss and choose the lab's early projects. You will start with a specific problem and gain experience in implementation, testing, analysis, and optimization.

Explore our research

P Privacy. Computing with encrypted data.
R Resilience. Protecting hardware against information leakage.
I Integrity. Hardware for digital signatures.
M Microelectronics. Arithmetic and circuit design for cryptography.
E Encryption. Hardware for post-quantum key exchange.

The PhD program at UAH

Lab students usually enroll in the Computer Engineering PhD program, which UAH shares with the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Formal admission requires an application to the UAH Graduate School. Contact us first to discuss your background and research interests.

Program page

EntryA master’s degree in computer engineering, or a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field. Strong applicants usually have a grade point average (GPA) above 3.0.
GREOptional.
CreditsAt least 48 credit hours of coursework and 18 credit hours of dissertation research. Up to 6 credit hours of master’s thesis work can count toward the coursework requirement.
ExamsComplete a preliminary evaluation within one year of admission. This requirement is waived for students with a thesis-based master’s degree in computer engineering. Later requirements include a qualifying exam and a dissertation proposal.
GraduationDefend your dissertation and have at least one paper accepted or published in a journal or at a major peer-reviewed conference.
ApplicationSubmit a graduate application through Charger Status, UAH’s application portal. Include official transcripts, a personal statement, a CV, and two letters of recommendation.

English requirements

You can contact us to discuss your research interests before you have English test scores. Check the UAH international admissions page for current requirements and exemptions.

Test	Minimum total	Minimum section score
TOEFL iBT (old scale)	79	each section ≥ 19
TOEFL iBT (new scale)	4	each section ≥ 3.5
IELTS	6.0	each band ≥ 6.0
Duolingo English Test	110	each subscore ≥ 105

Huntsville and UAH

Huntsville is known as the Rocket City and is home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The UAH campus is in Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park in the United States. Aerospace, defense, and technology companies are nearby. UAH spent $163.1 million on research and development in fiscal year 2025 (annual report). Career Services helps students find internships and cooperative education opportunities.

RentA two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment near campus rents for about $1,100 per month, or about $550 per person when shared by two people.
CityA quiet, affordable city, with most shops and restaurants about 15 minutes away by car.
WorkStudents must live in the Huntsville area. You can work remotely when the task allows. Come to campus for experiments, meetings, and classes.
SummerWe support summer internships related to your research or career goals.

Interested? Let's talk.

If the research interests you, get in touch early. Papers and materials can come later.

Email tianyou.bao@uah.edu Meet the lab director