PhD Stipend in Neural Oscillations and Architectural Rhythms

at  Aalborg Universitet

At the Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Department of Architecture, Design, and Media Technolgy, a PhD stipend is available within the study programme "Media, Architecture and Design". The stipend is open for appointment from 1 October 2024 or soon thereafter for a period of three years. The Department of Architecture, Design, and Media Technology has as its goal the development of an innovative cluster of engineering-based environments for education and research which integrate creativity, engineering and technology within the disciplines of architecture, urban design, industrial design, digital design and interactive media. The department is a leading research and educational environment in Denmark that addresses the challenge of the interplay between creativity and technology, and develops new areas in research and education directed towards the end-user.

JOBBESKRIVELSE

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented candidate for a PhD position as part of our research group"Brain, Body, Architecture Research”. We are a young, but growing, research group at the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology at Aalborg University led by Assistant Professor Zakaria Djebbara. As the name of the group implies, we do research in how the built environment influences the human brain and body on the basis of cognitive (neuro-)science. The PhD will investigate the intricate relationship between neural rhythms and the built environment, with a specific focus on both short-term memory and selective attention. The key idea of the research project rests on natural attunement and neural entrainment between the rhythms in body and environment. In particular, as both the built environment and the brain exhibit a rhythmic structure, this project will investigate how interacting with built rhythms contributes to short-term memory performance and selective attention. These cognitive processes are targeted as a subset of a much larger topic, namely how quality of life can be influenced and enhanced through the built environment. The PhD project will make use of both behavioral experiments and methods from cognitive neuroscience, such as Mobile Brain/Body Imaging technique to measure the electrophysiological activity of participants while they move in space. Furthermore, the project will largely rely on Virtual and Augmented Reality.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• A master’s degree in either Architecture, Urban Design, (Neuro-) Psychology, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, or related fields
• Personal suitability and motivation for the position

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on:

• Experience with experimentation that demonstrates experience in designing and running laboratory experiments independently, particularly in the context of human behavior, cognition, and environmental psychology
• Experience and/or skills in working with basic statistics, such as linear regression and post-hoc contrasts
• The applicant’s ability to complete the research training
• The candidate must demonstrate language skills to handle both spoken and written English at a level suitable for scientific communication.

Preferably, you have:

• Experience and/or skills in Matlab (EEGLAB) and/or Python (MNE)
• Skills in C# or Virtual and/or Augmented Reality (XR) experience in developing and running experiments VR environments are highly desirable.

The application must contain:

• A motivation letter
• Updated curriculum vitae
• Copy of educational degrees

We prioritize applicants who submit a short"project description” (2-5 pages), which is a suggestion for a PhD project within the theme mentioned above. This project description should include: one or more research questions, a study design including methods and theories for the research project and a time schedule. Applicants can also enclose recommendation letters, if they wish to do so.
You may obtain further information from Assistant Professor Zakaria Djebbara, Department of Department of Architecture, Design, and Media Technolgy, phone number: +459940 3524, email: zadj@create.aau.dk concerning the scientific aspects of the stipend.
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master’s degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.

Please refer the Job description for details