PhD Studentship: PhD in Immersive Audio Technologies

Immersive technologies will transform not only how we communicate and experience entertainment, but also our experience of the physical world, from shops to museums, cars to classrooms. Despite significant progress in the computer vision community, long-standing fundamental challenges adversely impact on audio technologies, preventing immersion into realistic acoustic scenes in which the audience feels transported to an alternate reality.

In this role, you are expected to contribute to the field of immersive sound by optimising spatial audio reproduction using perceptually relevant metrics. For that, you must be interested in combining psychoacoustics, audio signal processing, auditory modelling and machine learning.

The IoSR is home to the Tonmeister degree in Music and Sound Recording, which produced a stream of highly successful graduates (including two Oscar winners, ten Grammy winners, and twelve BAFTA winners), and is a leading centre for research in acoustic engineering.

Supervisors: Dr Enzo De Sena

Entry requirements

Open to any UK or international candidates. Starting in January 2025.

You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements for our PhD programme.

You will have a strong interest in audio and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement in relevant subject areas and a clear aptitude for research. We will need to be happy that you have the necessary background subject knowledge and the necessary research skills to begin your doctoral training.

You will ideally have a Masters in a relevant discipline and will definitely have a 1st or 2:1 Bachelors degree (or equivalent). You will be able to demonstrate excellent mathematical, analytical and computer programming skills. Advantage will be given to applicants with experience in one or more of: signal processing, machine learning, deep learning, mathematics, programming, acoustics, and psychoacoustics.

Furthermore, you will have excellent research skills evidenced by a significant Bachelors/Masters research project, involving experimental research, appropriate use of the literature and/or computer-based simulations, and a formal dissertation-style report. You will be enthusiastic about working in a team.

At Surrey we are committed to providing an inclusive environment that offers equitable opportunities for all, in the pursuit of Surrey’s vision to be a leading global University. We are seeking to increase the diversity within our community and would particularly encourage applicants from underrepresented groups.

How to apply

Applications should be made online via the Audio Engineering PhD programme page. Please mark clearly on your application that you wish to apply for the “Immersive Audio Technologies Project”. Interviews will be carried out shortly thereafter. Informal enquires are welcome and should be made to Dr Enzo De Sena. Please use the “Research Proposal” section of the application to explain (a) why you want to pursue a PhD, both in general and specifically in the field of immersive audio and (b) how your skills and previous experiences meet the Candidate Profile specified in this ad. When you apply, please send an email to Dr Enzo De Sena to us enable to more easily track applications.

Funding

The funding is for 3 years and includes:

• Standard UKRI stipend for 36 months (currently £19,237 per year)
• Tuition fees at national or international level for 36 months (currently £22,500 per year)
• Research Training Support Grant (£1,750)

Application deadline

6 October 2024

Enquiries

Contact Dr Enzo De Sena

Ref

PGR-2425-005

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