Category: Research

PhD scholarship at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)

Understanding aesthetic experience using multisensory extended reality

The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) is seeking expressions of interest from bright-minded and highly energetic individuals who are ready to apply for a Scientia PhD scholarship to support their multidisciplinary research training in a project focusing on the science and art of aesthetics in multisensory experience.
The supervisory team includes Dr Juno Kim (School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Science), Professor Branka Spehar (School of Psychology, Faculty of Science) and A/Prof Tomasz Bednarz (School of Art & Design, Faculty of Art & Design)
 
 
PROJECT DESCRIPTION

We rely on information from all our senses when making aesthetic judgments. Recent work on visual perception has established fractal- and natural scene statistics-based frameworks to identify characteristics of image structure predictive of aesthetic preference. However, little is known about whether these fractal and structural characteristics are shared across senses. This multidisciplinary project will be the first to combine cutting-edge methods in computer graphics, virtual reality, 3D printing, psychological science and computational modelling to understand the cross-sensory perceptual processes that govern our experience of surfaces and materials in realistic everyday scenarios.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter who is highly capable of applying research subject matter across diverse fields of the arts, psychology and computer science. They should currently hold an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree with honours in psychology, computer science, vision science or equivalent Master’s program of study. The ideal candidate would have already initiated a publication track record in the area of the proposed project.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated relevant multi-disciplinary knowledge and experience in the following key research approaches relevant to the project:

*Psychophysics or Human Computer Interactivity (HCI) research on the quantification of human experience.
*Knowledge of methods used in Computer Graphics and 3D simulation.
*Understands lighting simulation and rendering material properties of surfaces
(e.g., diffuse and specular shaders).
*Knowledge and experience with programming applications (e.g., using C/C++, Unity or Unreal engines).
*Able to implement best practices in data analysis and computational modelling.

MSc in Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity

Looking for additional education opportunities in the field of creativity, art, empirical aesthetics or neuroaesthetics? Here is a great opportunity: Goldsmiths, University of London is launching a new MSc programme for the academic year 2018-19 in Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity. It will be led by Guido Orgs, Rebecca Chamberlain, and Joydeep Bhattacharya.

The MSc in Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity is the first postgraduate programme in the world for the scientific study of aesthetics and creativity. At the intersection of the arts and the sciences, the programme introduces you to the psychology and the cognitive neuroscience of how humans generate new ideas, how we appreciate beauty, and how we form preferences.

Students of this MSc will take core modules in psychology and neuroscience of aesthetics and creativity and scientific research methods, and optional modules in collaborating departments such as media and communications, computing and management students. A core component of the programme is a research project with an interdisciplinary focus, working with partners inside and outside the college.

The programme has a website with a broad overview: http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/msc-psychology-arts-neuroaesthetics-creativity/

Applications will open shortly before Christmas and in the meantime interested students can contact Guido Orgs (g.orgs@gold.ac.uk) or Rebecca Chamberlain (r.chamberlain@gold.ac.uk) for further information.