McGill University post-doctoral position in auditory perception

[Stephen McAdams <smc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

POST-DOCTORAL POSITION IN AUDITORY PERCEPTION

A post-doctoral researcher (within 5 years post-PhD) is sought to 
perform perceptual experiments in spatial audio under the direction of 
Stephen McAdams within a project that aims to develop novel 
compositional and technological methods for the advanced use of the 
multidimensional nature of auditory space in music composition. The 
post-doctoral project will study auditory scene analysis in 
multi-source environments, focusing on the relevance of spatial cues 
and on natural musical instrument tones rather than on synthetic 
materials. Also the relevance of spatial cues to schema-based vs. 
primitive segregation processes will be assessed. A second part of the 
project conducted by a PhD candidate will involve the design of 
algorithms for the active manipulation of existing auditory scenes, 
with an emphasis on the perceptual fusion of otherwise separated 
sources. Optimal gestural control of such algorithms will also be 
evaluated by another PhD candidate. The project will be carried out 
within an interdisciplinary environment with different research groups 
focusing on the audio synthesis of auditory virtual environments (Jonas 
Braasch), gestural and psychoacoustic aspects (Marcelo Wanderley and 
Stephen McAdams, respectively) and music composition (Sean Ferguson). 
At the end of the project, the methods developed and validated by the 
post-doc and doctoral students will be demonstrated in a composition by 
Sean Ferguson for chamber ensemble and live electronics to be performed 
in Montreal at the 2008 MusiMarch Festival. The project is funded by 
the New Media Initiative of the Canada Council for the Arts and the 
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's.

SKILLS

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in experimental psychology or audio 
engineering with skills in psychological testing, programming, 
statistical data analysis, and sound analysis and synthesis. Applicants 
with research experience in auditory scene analysis or spatial hearing 
and with experience in music performance research and/or gesture-based 
human-computer interaction are strongly encouraged to apply. The 
candidate should be excited by the idea of collaborating with other 
scientists, engineers, composers and performers in an interdisciplinary 
project and have the necessary social skills for an intensely 
collaborative effort.

CENTRE AND LAB

The Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory (MPCL) is part of the 
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media & Technology 
(CIRMMT – www.music.mcgill.ca/cirmmt) and the Music Technology Area of 
the Theory Department in the Schulich School of Music of McGill 
University (www.music.mcgill.ca/musictech). CIRMMT has strong ties with 
the psychology department, the engineering faculty and the Montreal 
Neurological Institute at McGill University, the psychology and music 
departments at the Université de Montréal, and the Acoustics Group at 
the Université de Sherbrooke (GAUS). The MPCL is already equipped with 
IAC sound isolation booths, state-of-the-art computer and audio 
equipment and laboratory workstations and will soon be equipped with a 
virtual reality system merging 3D binocular and 3D audio technologies.

SALARY AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applicants should send a CV and letter describing how their skills 
could best be employed within the context of the proposed project to 
Stephen McAdams. The post-doctoral rate scale is $27,000-35,000 (CAD) 
plus benefits, depending on qualifications. There is a possibility of 
obtaining exemption from Québec provincial taxes for non-Canadian 
applicants. The position is for one year, renewable according to 
performance during the initial year. In the case of international 
applicants, final acceptance for the post-doctoral position is 
conditional upon obtaining necessary documents for entry into Canada 
and returning to the home country at the end of the contract period.

 


Stephen McAdams, PhD
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Music Perception and Cognition
Director, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music, Media & 
Technology (CIRMMT)
Schulich School of Music of McGill University
555 Sherbrooke St. W.
Montréal, Québec, Canada  H3A 1E3
Email: smc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.music.mcgill.ca/cirmmt/
tel: +1-514-398-2464
fax: +1-514-398-8061