Positions and application – Dr. Istvan David

Please inform yourself about the grade requirements, soft prerequisites, and potential topics below.
You will also find instructions about the application process at the end of this page. (Please note that I do not respond to emails that do not follow the application process.)

Jump to…
▸ Open positions
▸ How to apply
▸ Info for prospective grad students (Master’s and PhD)
▸ Info for undergrad students (research internship)
▸ Topics (flexible)

Currently available positions

As a rule of thumb, I try to keep my lab small with exceptional talent.

▸ I have one (1) fully-funded PhD position available at the intersection of AI and model-driven engineering.
▸ I have no (0) open Master’s positions.
▸ I have one (1) undergrad RA position for a student who either (i) holds an EREA; or (ii) is eligible for an NSERC USRA (GPA apprx. above 11.7) and has demonstrated the ability for reliable, precise work (e.g., in courses or projects).

As of 2025, I maintain a highly rigorous selection process and a small to find the best candidates for my small, focused research team.

How to apply?

As a rule of thumb: shallow outreach emails are deleted without response and the sender is blacklisted.

▸I am a McMaster student.
Reach out to me directly in an email to discuss a topic.
In parallel, apply here: https://applygrad.mcmaster.ca/portal/start_your_app. Applications typically open in November and close in March (international applicants) and June (Canadian applicants and PRs).
Indicate my name in your application.

▸I am not a McMaster student. (Grad positions only)
Apply here: https://applygrad.mcmaster.ca/portal/start_your_app. Applications typically open in November and close in March (international applicants) and June (Canadian applicants and PRs).
Indicate my name in your application.
Address one of my topics in your motivation letter.
If you choose to reach out to me in an email, please attach a research proposal.

Requirements for prospective graduate students

As a heads-up: I do not supervise MEng students; only PhD, MSc, and MASc.

Applicants in each graduate program (PhD, MSc, MASc)

▸ Strong background in at least one of these areas: software engineering, AI / machine learning, model-driven engineering, simulation. Experience in the following application areas is considered an asset: digital twins, sustainable AI, energy-efficient computing, green AI/SE.
▸ At least 90% cGPA in your current or most recently closed study program and a strong research proposal aligned with my research focus.
▸ At least an A grade in a selection of courses including: software design or software engineering, software testing, formal methods.
▸ Rock-solid programming skills.
▸ Proactive and motivated personality. I teach my students how to become autonomous researchers and/or engineers. You need to be a partner in this.

Undergrad applicants

I have a limited number of undergraduate research positions for reliable, research-focused students, including part-time research assistant positions and full-time Summer research positions. In general, precedence is given to students with scholarships and awards. Some of the scholarships and awards my students have received include the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), McMaster’s Engineering Research Experience Awards (EREA), and the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI) to support their work with me.

NSERC USRA

Specifically about NSERC USRA: this is a very competitive award. Based on the recent years, your GPA must be above 11.7 to get a chance at receiving it.
The Department of Computing and Software will advertise our topics every time the call opens.
But feel free to contact me directly (any time) you have a sufficiently high GPA and you’re interested in applying for an USRA with me.

Directed readings

If you are interested in working in my lab on a short project, consider taking the following undergrad course with me:
▸ COMPSCI 4Z03 – Directed Readings
▸ SFWRENG xxxx – A recently accepted course similar to directed readings but for software engineering students. Reach out to the registrar or CAS admin in case of interest.

Directed readings provide a great setup to test the waters of research while also working towards your undergrad degree.

Topics

Below is a selection of my research topics. Everything is very much flexible and the eventual topic should be mutually agreed on. Feel free to send me an email and suggest your topic of interest.

AI and machine learning

▸Main focus: reinforcement learning, foundation models (such as LLMs)
▸Surrogate models (e.g., DNNs encoding simulators)
▸Blended human-machine reasoning

Sustainable and green computing

▸Green computing, energy-efficiency
▸Lifecycle modeling and sustainability debt accounting
▸Energy-efficiency of AI, digital twins, etc

Automated systems engineering

▸Development and synthesis of Digital Twins (through machine learning, variability, etc)
▸AI-driven software engineering
▸Modeling and simulation, multi-paradigm modeling, hybrid co-simulation, causal and acausal simulations, etc.

Model-driven and model-based engineering

▸Collaborative modeling, especially real-time modeling
▸Multi-level modeling, multi-abstraction
▸Modeling languages, frameworks, and tools
▸Digital twins
▸Multi-disciplinary design
▸Design-space exploration (DSE)