PhD studentship in acoustic

PhD Studentship
Synthesized Music for Room Acoustic Measurement - Architectural Acoustics and Music Technology
Acoustics Research Centre

School of Computing, Science and Engineering

Expected start date: As soon as possible after sated closing date

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship funded by the Leverhulme Trust to research into the use of synthesized music as probe stimuli to determine parameters of acoustically critical spaces such as concert halls, cinemas, lecture theatres, recording studios and listening rooms.

When measuring room acoustics with traditional methods, loud and unpleasant test signals are inevitably used in most cases to maintain sufficient signal to noise ratios. These noisy probe stimuli are intolerable to audience, and consequently, in-situ, occupied measurements of rooms are rarely carried out. This hinders our understanding of the acoustic properties of a space when it is in a realistic in-use situation. The project will develop a new method that employs purposely synthesized music to replace the noisy test signals to enable occupied measurements. The synthesized signals will have to satisfy musical aesthetic requirements, as well as a scientific need of being suitable for the measurement: - a paradigm where science and art meet. Signal processing algorithms will be developed to resolve impulse responses from the received new music. The method will advance acoustic measurement techniques and enable better understanding of architectural
acoustics.

Suitable candidates will have or expect to obtain a good Bachelor's (a minimum of a 2.1 Honours Degree), or preferably a Master's Degree in a suitable area (e.g. acoustics, physical science, engineering or music technology, computer composition), and be able to demonstrate competent problem solving and analytical abilities. A keen interest in this particular area of the research is essential. Competence in audio signal processing, programming and knowledge of music theory/computer music composition (e.g. ability of score reading, A level music, ABRSM grade 5+) would be a significant advantage.

The studentship is open to EU candidates and includes a tax-free stipend (identical to the standard EPSRC rate) for up to three years, plus PhD tuition fees at home student rate over the same period. The stipend will be £12,940 per annum for the 2008-09 academic year.

Interested applicants should contact Dr Francis Li (email: f.f.li@salford.ac.uk) for an informal discussion in the first instance.

Full application should include

1. A completed application form, (downloadable online www.salford.ac.uk/study/forms/postgraduate_research_application.pdf)
2. A full academic CV with contact details of at least two referees from whom we can obtain references regarding your most advanced academic work.
3. A cover letter explaining how your interests and experience relate to the project.

Full applications should be sent to: - Keren Maloney, School of Computing, Science & Engineering, Newton Building, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT (email: k.Maloney@salford.ac.uk), quoting reference number Lev-01.

Closing date for applications: 12 Dec, 2008