Scholarship Stories: Joe Oakley

Driven by a passion for solving real-world problems, Joe spent nearly nine years at Warwick and has just graduated from his PhD researching scalable cost-efficient AI – all thanks to the Feuer International Scholarship in Artificial Intelligence, generously funded by Warwick alumnus Jonathan Feuer (BSc Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics, and Economics, 1983).

From a young age, Joe (MEng Computer Science, 2020; PhD Computer Science, 2025) was drawn to technology, but it wasn’t until his A-levels that he considered turning that interest into a career. Fascinated by its potential – and teachers who nurtured his curiosity and independent thinking – he decided to study computer science at university.

“The idea that computer technology could be used to address complex real-world problems really inspired me.”

Consistently ranked among the top departments for Computer Science in the UK, Warwick has a reputation for academic excellence and cutting-edge research. This is what first attracted Joe, and once he arrived, he quickly felt at home – making continuing to a PhD an easy decision.

“The opportunity to work in a supportive, intellectually stimulating environment – especially under the guidance of experts like my supervisor Professor Hakan Ferhatosmanoglu – made Warwick the ideal place to carry out my doctoral research.”

His passion for building intelligent systems that learn from data, combined with an interest in designing platforms to make AI models faster and more scalable, led him to focus his PhD on using serverless cloud computing to run AI workloads more efficiently.

"My PhD explored how to use serverless computing – a type of cloud computing where you only pay for what you use and resources scale automatically – to handle large, data-heavy AI tasks that usually run on costly, always-on servers.

“My work showed that serverless platforms can run demanding tasks efficiently – often at a fraction of the cost. This could help make advanced AI more accessible, especially when workloads are irregular or unpredictable."

Supported by the prestigious Feuer International Scholarship in AI, Joe was able to dedicate himself fully to his PhD, receiving full tuition coverage and grants for research, training, and conferences.

“Receiving the scholarship was an incredible honour and a turning point in my academic journey. It not only provided the financial support necessary to pursue my PhD without distraction but also gave me a sense of belonging to a forward-thinking, interdisciplinary community.”

As a Feuer International Scholar, Joe also had the opportunity to engage with world-leading academics and experts, and access industry partners and mentoring opportunities.

“The scholarship opened doors to interdisciplinary collaborations and provided access to a network of like-minded researchers and mentors, which helped shape the trajectory of my work and clarify my career goals. It also enabled me to present my work at the International Conference on Data Engineering in the Netherlands and to work with industry partners like Transport for the West Midlands. Attending research events, meeting Jonathan Feuer and other academic leaders, and discussing the broader impact of our work has been a rare and valuable experience.”

This summer, Joe completed his PhD, marking the end of an extraordinary academic journey at Warwick. Now, with the experience he’s gained, he’s ready to take the next step in AI and cloud computing.

“Graduating felt incredibly rewarding. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and deeply grateful to everyone who supported me – especially my supervisor, fellow researchers, and the Feuer Scholarship team. I’m now aiming for a career where I can apply my skills in research and machine learning engineering to make a real-world impact.”

Joe credits his experience – and the opportunities it brought – to the generosity and personal support of Jonathan Feuer.

“I sincerely thank Jonathan for his generous support. The scholarship not only enabled my research but also helped build a unique community of scholars passionate about shaping the future of AI. I’ve truly valued his willingness to engage with us personally and share insights from his own experiences. His vision for supporting impactful, interdisciplinary AI research is one I deeply admire, and I hope he knows how much of a difference his support has made to me and many others.”

Scholarships like these play a vital role in advancing pioneering research and enabling talented students like Joe to tackle real-world challenges. By donating to Warwick, you can help create more opportunities that empower the next generation of leading young researchers to make a difference in their fields.