Subject: [AUDITORY] Competitively funded PhD project on accessibility in processed audio, University of Manchester From: Michael Stone <michael.stone@xxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2020 08:43:04 +0000--_000_DB8PR01MB54822C813D8BF65322429C3CD01C0DB8PR01MB5482eurp_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable "Enhancing the accessibility of speech used in broadcast media for an agein= g population" A competitively funded 4-year PhD studentship is being offered at the Unive= rsity of Manchester under the supervision of Dr. Rebecca Millman and Dr. Mi= chael Stone. The project involves collaboration and short-term placements (= in the first year of the PhD), with Prof. Trevor Cox and Dr Ben Shirley at = the nearby University of Salford, as well as with Dr Matt Paradis at the Br= itish Broadcasting Corporation Research and Development group, also based i= n Salford. The accessibility of online and broadcast media is crucial for older people= s=92 engagement with society, but complaints about unintelligible speech in= such contexts have increased in recent years. A number of factors contribu= te to the intelligibility of reproduced speech including; clarity of speech= delivery, balance between individual sub-mixes and the effects of reproduc= tion equipment. Past research has focused on clinical measures of hearing d= isability and the benefit of interventions on task accuracy (i.e. whether p= eople can accurately recognise speech). But this overlooks a vital issue: c= ognitive (listening) effort. If the listening effort required for successfu= l listening is too great, then listeners will disengage and switch off. We will use a multi-modal approach, including subjective, behavioural and p= hysiological (pupillometry and electroencephalography) metrics, to quantify= the intelligibility of reproduced speech and the listening effort required= to engage with reproduced speech. The outcomes of this project will inform= the development of alternate mixes for individualised content to improve a= ccessibility for older people. More details of the project are given here: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/bbsrc-dtp-enhancing-the-accessibility= -of-speech-used-in-broadcast-media-for-an-ageing-population/?p124975 N.B. Please read "Funding Notes" on findaphd.com if you are a non-UK applic= ant. The deadline for the receipt of applications is Sunday 31 January 2021. For= mal applications must be made through the University of Manchester's online= application form (see "Making an application"): https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/bbsrc-dtp/ If, after reading the above links, you would like to discuss the project fu= rther, please contact either rebecca.millman@xxxxxxxx or michael.stone@xxxxxxxx We strongly encourage potential applicants to contact the supervisors befor= e making a formal application. sincerely ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= -------------------------- Dr Michael Stone, Senior Research Fellow in Audiology / Hearing Sciences Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Ellen Wilkinson Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK Tel: +44 161 275 8563, Fax: +44 161 275 3373. Follow ManCAD at : @xxxxxxxx --_000_DB8PR01MB54822C813D8BF65322429C3CD01C0DB8PR01MB5482eurp_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> <head> <meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3DWindows-1= 252"> <style type=3D"text/css" style=3D"display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bo= ttom:0;} </style> </head> <body dir=3D"ltr"> "<span style=3D"font-weight:normal"><span style=3D"font-size:12pt; fon= t-family:Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif">Enhancing the accessibility of speec= h used in broadcast media for an ageing</span><span class=3D"x_x_noWrap" st= yle=3D"font-size:12pt; font-family:Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif"> population"</span></span> <div> <div dir=3D"ltr"> <div> <div dir=3D"ltr"> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> A competitively funded 4-year PhD studentship is being offered at the Unive= rsity of Manchester under the supervision of Dr. Rebecca Millman and Dr. Mi= chael Stone. The project involves collaboration and short-term placements (= in the first year of the PhD), with Prof. Trevor Cox and Dr Ben Shirley at the nearby University of Salford, a= s well as with Dr Matt Paradis at the British Broadcasting Corporation Rese= arch and Development group, also based in Salford.<br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> The accessibility of online and broadcast media is crucial for older people= s=92 engagement with society, but complaints about unintelligible speech in= such contexts have increased in recent years. A number of factors con= tribute to the intelligibility of reproduced speech including; clarity of speech delivery, balance between individual s= ub-mixes and the effects of reproduction equipment. Past research has focus= ed on clinical measures of hearing disability and the benefit of interventi= ons on task accuracy (i.e. whether people can accurately recognise speech). But this overlooks a vital issue:= cognitive (listening) effort. If the listening effort required for success= ful listening is too great, then listeners will disengage and switch off. <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> We will use a multi-modal approach, including subjective, behavioural and p= hysiological (pupillometry and electroencephalography) metrics, to quantify= the intelligibility of reproduced speech and the listening effort required= to engage with reproduced speech. The outcomes of this project will inform the development of alternate mixe= s for individualised content to improve accessibility for older people.<br> </div> <div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> More details of the project are given here: <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <a href=3D"https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/bbsrc-dtp-enhancing-the-ac= cessibility-of-speech-used-in-broadcast-media-for-an-ageing-population/?p12= 4975" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer">https://www.findaphd.co= m/phds/project/bbsrc-dtp-enhancing-the-accessibility-of-speech-used-in-broa= dcast-media-for-an-ageing-population/?p124975</a></div> <br> N.B. Please read "Funding Notes" on findaphd.com if you are a non= -UK applicant.<br> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> The deadline for the receipt of applications is<b> Sunday 31 January 2021</= b>.<b> </b>Formal applications must be made through the University of Manchester's= online application form (see "Making an application"):</div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <a href=3D"https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/bbsrc-dtp/" targ= et=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer">https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/= study/research/bbsrc-dtp/</a></div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <br> </div> </div> If, after reading the above links, you would like to discuss the project fu= rther, please contact either <br> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> rebecca.millman@xxxxxxxx</div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> or</div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> michael.stone@xxxxxxxx</div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> We strongly encourage potential applicants to contact the supervisors befor= e making a formal application.</div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <br> </div> <div style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size= : 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> sincerely </div> <br> </div> <div id=3D"x_x_Signature"> <div> <div style=3D"font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px"> <div style=3D"font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px"> <div style=3D"font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px"> <div style=3D"font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px"> <div style=3D"font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px"> <div dir=3D"ltr"><font size=3D"1">-----------------------------------------= ------------------------------------------------------------</font><br> <div style=3D"font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px"> <div style=3D"font-family:Tahoma; font-size:13px"> <div style=3D"font-size:13px; font-family:Tahoma"> <p class=3D"x_x_x_MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;m= argin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"> <font size=3D"1">Dr Michael Stone, Senior Research Fellow in Audiology / He= aring Sciences <br> </font></p> <p class=3D"x_x_x_MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;m= argin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"> <font size=3D"1">Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness</font></p> <p class=3D"x_x_x_MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;m= argin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"> <font size=3D"1">School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine an= d Health</font></p> <p class=3D"x_x_x_MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;m= argin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"> <font size=3D"1"><font size=3D"1">Ellen Wilkinson Building, </font>Universi= ty of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK</font></p> <p class=3D"x_x_x_MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;m= argin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"> <font size=3D"1"><font size=3D"1">Tel: +44 161 275 8563<a tabindex=3D"0" na= me=3D"x_x_x__GoBack"></a>, Fax: +44 161 275 3373.</font></font></p> <p class=3D"x_x_x_MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-top: 0px; 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