Opportunities

Ph.D. Students — two fully-funded positions, starting Fall 2027

I am recruiting two Ph.D. students with full funding (stipend and tuition coverage) along these directions:

• Trustworthy GeoAI — spatial explicit modeling, explainability, and uncertainty quantification of GeoAI.
• Multi-agent GeoAI modeling — LLM-driven, multi-agent frameworks for automated geospatial model discovery and reasoning.

Ideal background: GIScience, computer science, statistics, remote sensing, or a related field, with strong programming skills and a genuine interest in spatial data science and AI. Prior research experience is a plus but not required.

Applicants apply to the Ph.D. in Geography program (GIScience track) at SEES. Formal applications are submitted online through UI Graduate & Professional Admissions; supporting materials are uploaded via the MyUI portal after you apply.

Application deadline: December 1 (for admission the following Fall). Apply by this date for full funding consideration.

Required materials: CV, statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, and transcripts. An optional writing sample (thesis, manuscript, or abstract) is welcome.

Before you apply, please email me at peng-luo@uiowa.edu with your CV, transcripts, and a brief statement of research interests (mention which direction interests you), using the subject line “Prospective Ph.D. — [your name].” Informal inquiries are welcome.

Mentoring Philosophy

My mentoring philosophy is grounded in a fundamental Kantian principle: always treat people as ends in themselves, never merely as means. Guided by this conviction, my hopes and expectations for our partnership follow a clear hierarchy.

First — self-discovery over output. My foremost responsibility is not to maximize your external achievements or output, but to safeguard the space and opportunity for you to fully experience the doctoral journey. I have walked that road myself; I tasted both its sweetness and its hardship. Yet in the end, looking back, I realized that my greatest reward was a deeper understanding of who I am — and for that, I remain profoundly grateful for the journey. A Ph.D. is, first and foremost, a process of coming to know yourself on your own terms.

Second — intellectual freedom and good taste. Building on that, I value your intellectual freedom above all. I hope you will find the geographic questions that truly interest you, and come to believe that you are the right person to work on them. In the age of AI, I think a researcher’s taste matters more than ever. Publishing many average papers is not the goal — one piece of work with real taste is worth far more. And good taste only comes when you genuinely care about a problem: you do your best work when you are doing what you love.

Third — strategic alignment and shared growth. To be entirely transparent: as a junior faculty member, I navigate the real pressures of academic survival and promotion. While the first two principles always take precedence, I hope your interests can intersect with my own research trajectory. When our paths align, I can offer my most expert guidance with full confidence, and we both thrive.

Undergraduate & Master's Students

Students at the University of Iowa interested in hands-on research in GeoAI and spatial data science are welcome to reach out. No prior experience is required — just curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Email me a short note about your interests along with your CV.

Visiting Students & Postdocs

I am open to hosting highly motivated visiting students and postdocs who have (or are applying for) external funding or fellowships. Please email me your CV, a brief research statement, and the funding/fellowship programs you are considering, and I am happy to discuss potential projects and support your application.