This interdisciplinary PhD project investigates whether humour can bridge divides between opposing social or ideological groups. It does so by combining social psychology with philosophy. The research theorizes humour as an interaction ritual that can foster pluralistic cohesion, valuing both solidarity and differences. The methods consist of a literature review, standardized experiments and philosophical analysis to develop and test a conceptual framework. The ideal candidate is a (near) master’s or research master’s graduate in social psychology or a related field, with strong quantitative skills and an affinity for philosophy. The project will produce both theoretical insights and practical guidelines for using humour in diverse societal settings.

Over the past two decades, the field of swarm and multi-robot systems has made significant progress in devel oping ground, aerial, and aquatic robot collectives that exhibit diverse collective behaviours. A key open challenge, however, is the deployment of large groups of resource-constrained robots that can sense, process data, and make decisions locally while operating in complex environments. This PhD project focuses on the design, implementa tion, and experimental evaluation of a new generation of miniaturized mobile robots, equipped with sensing, onboard computation, and wireless communication, that can operate in coordinated groups for sensing and inspection tasks.

Over the past two decades, the field of swarm and multi-robot systems has made significant progress in devel oping ground, aerial, and aquatic robot collectives that exhibit diverse collective behaviours. A key open challenge, however, is the deployment of large groups of resource-constrained robots that can sense, process data, and make decisions locally while operating in complex environments. This PhD project focuses on the design, implementation, and experimental evaluation of a new generation of miniaturized mobile robots, equipped with sensing, onboard computation, and wireless communication, that can operate in coordinated groups for sensing and inspection tasks.