Sensory Engineering. Adding senses to VR to promote immersion.

This PhD will involve adding senses to VR/AR, and evaluating sensory audience experiences. We expect the successful candidate’s background and skills will play a large role in the direction that the PhD project takes. We strongly encourage individuals who feel they would bring useful skills and experience to the project to apply.

Creativity, flexibility and a willingness learn are absolutely key for this PhD alongside excellent writing skills and the ability to work independently. The candidate will have an undergraduate and/or Master’s degree related to one of these subject areas: electronic engineering, perceptual psychology, acoustics and/or computer science. Being able to create content in virtual reality would be a plus, as well as the ability to interface with cutting edge technologies.

The candidate will join a cohort of six PhDs on the AHRC funded StoryFutures - an innovative project aiming to define and develop next generation storytelling approaches in the creative industries, with a focus on virtual, augmented and mixed reality. Partnered with a world-leading cluster of creative companies to the west of London, there is ample scope for the studentships to be shaped by the candidates as their research develops. Please see: https://storyfutures.com/

StoryFutures PhDs will be supported through an extensive range of training and other opportunities to grow networks, teach, and share research, including the Researcher Development Programme provided by Royal Holloway, contributing to your programme of continuing professional development (CPD) (please see https://intranet.royalholloway.ac.uk/doctoral-school/researcher-development/educational-development/researcher-development-programme.aspx ). Students will also have access to an exciting programme of cohort activities provided by Royal Holloway to the TECHNE AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership (please see https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/news/techne-doctoral-training-partnership-led-by-royal-holloway-secures-five-more-years-of-funding/ ), with lively postgraduate communities, and access to the latest VR, AR equipment at the StoryFutures audience engagement labs.

Our partners span film, TV, gaming, VFX and immersive and include: BBC Studios, Pinewood Studios, National Film and Television School, Immerse UK, Resource Productions, BFI, Connect TVT, Imaginarium Studios, The National Gallery, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, Creative Engine, Screen South, BSAC, BTVLEP, and nDreams.

Application form reference: StoryFutures PHD 5/ Theme 4 - Audience Engagement.

Candidates will be comfortable working within a highly interdisciplinary team and be able to demonstrate their competencies in problem solving and critical thinking skills, project time-management, organisational and communicational skills, flexibility in approach, while addressing clear creative industries business challenges, and identifying clear potential commercial returns.

The PhD is supervised by Professor David Howard (Department of Electronic Engineering), Professor Polly Dalton (Department of Psychology), and Dr Andy Woods (Department of Media Arts, and Department of Psychology). For an informal discussion of this PhD please contact Dr. Andy Woods: [Email Address Removed], Prof David Howard: [Email Address Removed], and Prof Polly Dalton: [Email Address Removed]

Theme 4 partners: BFI, BSAC, Creative Engine, Endemol Shine UK, Heathrow, n:Dreams, Sony Interactive, Atom Universe Ltd.

Applying

Submit, no later than midnight GMT on 31 August 2019, here:

https://admissions.royalholloway.ac.uk/#/HEapplicationForm////////1

Select ‘PhD Media Arts’ as the course name, and ensure that at the head of your Expression of Interest document you state the title and reference number of the PhD. Outline your qualification for the studentship, describing how the PhD would be approached, as well as the interests, experience and skills that would be brought to this. Please submit CV, writing sample, and creative sample (if applicable).

Form tips:

Section 6 Supporting Statements:
• ‘Research Proposal’ area, upload Expression of Interest (max 2 pages, Arial font, size 10, single spaced).
• ‘Personal statement’, select ‘Enter details’, enter “Not applicable.”
• ‘Pre-written Research proposal’, select ‘Enter details’, enter “Not applicable.”
• ‘Upload documents’, select ‘Upload’, select ‘Portfolio/practical assessment sample’, upload:
1. Writing sample.
2. Link to creative sample/s, if applicable.

Section 7 References:
• Enter details of academic referee.

Section 8 Additional Information:
• ‘Upload’, category ‘CV’, upload Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 A4 pages, Arial font, size 10, single spaced).

Shortlisted applicants will be notified shortly thereafter. Interviews will be at Royal Holloway’s Egham campus on the 12th September, 2019.