[visionlist] Studentships available at the University of Glasgow, UK

[David Simmons]

Two funded studentships are available at the University of Glasgow 
beginning in Autumn, 2008. Please send expressions of interest as soon 
as possible:

1.  Making 3D faces look better

A Masters studentship, funded by the ESPRC Collaborative Training 
Account in collaboration with the local company Dimensional Imaging 
Ltd. (http://www.di3d.com/) will examine image quality in the capture 
of 3D and 4D (i.e. dynamic 3D) images of human faces and will link in 
with a new ESRC-funded large grant on social interactions. The 12-month 
studentship will cover fees and stipend for the taught M.Sc. programme 
"Research Methods of Psychological Science", which is accredited by the 
ESRC (see http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/students/) with the project 
component being a placement with Dimensional Imaging Ltd.
Departmental supervisors will be Dr. Martin Lages and Dr. David 
Simmons. Applicants should have a good honours degree in an appropriate 
subject.

Contact: Dr. David Simmons
Telephone: +44 (0)141 330 3612
e-mail: david at psy.gla.ac.uk
url: http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/staff/index.php?id=DRS01

2. The Colours of Voices: Multimodal linkages between phonetic and 
visual perception

The Colours of Voices is an exciting interdisciplinary research project 
involving linguistics, psychology and engineering. It focuses on the 
way some people, known as synaesthetes, regularly experience sounds as 
colours: hearing a musical note, or a spoken word, triggers a vivid 
coloured image. These unusual experiences, which may be shared to a 
weaker degree by the general population, offer a window onto how 
information from different senses is integrated in the brain.

Sound-colour synaesthesia has been researched for music and individual 
vowels or consonants, but not for longer-term phonetic attributes of a 
voice, such as voice quality and intonation. Yet lay labels for voices 
like ‘silvery’ or ‘muddy’ suggest strong links with colour. Vocal 
attributes are likely to prove an especially intriguing aspect of 
synaesthesia, as they are communicatively complex, conveying 
information about language, affect and personal identity.

This project examines whether voice quality and pitch evoke reliable 
colour associations in both synaesthetes and non-synaesthetes. It uses 
speech analysis and synthesis along with psychological experimental 
methods, potentially including neuroimaging. The research team includes 
Dr Rachel Smith (English Language), Dr David Simmons and Professor 
Pascal Belin (Psychology) and Dr Nick Bailey (Engineering).

The studentship is for four years and is suitable for candidates with a 
good first degree (or Masters) in either Linguistics (including 
Phonetics) or Psychology and a willingness to work as part of an 
interdisciplinary team.

Contact: 	Dr Rachel Smith
Telephone: 	+44 (0)141 330 5533
Email: 	R.Smith at arts.gla.ac.uk
URL:	http://www.gla.ac.uk/departments/englishlanguage/staff/rachelsmith/

The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401