Subject: [AUDITORY] Marie-Curie PhD position on human voice at the ENES Bioacoustics lab in France From: David Reby <000001a5f0f68b12-dmarc-request@xxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2025 16:18:53 +0100--Apple-Mail=_A0F5F10A-7D9B-4AA1-91BF-A9F16F63E15A Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Dear all, =20 We are recruiting a Doctoral Candidate for the =E2=80=9CSeeing Voices=E2=80= =9D project, part of the EU-funded MSCA Doctoral Network project titled = Voice Communication Sciences (VoCS.eu.com <http://vocs.eu.com/>).=20 =20 Applications are not open until March 15th, 2025 (apply here: = https://www.vocs.eu.com/).=20 =20 The PhD will be based in Saint =C3=89tienne, France, and will start = September/October 2025, with a, EU contract of 36 months. =20 The Seeing Voices Project:=20 =20 The PhD will investigate the power of the spectrogram (a visual = representation of sound) to enable people to see voices for social = communication and person perception. The project relies on sensory = substitution, which allows one modality (e.g., audition) to be swapped = for another (e.g., vision), taking advantage of existing cross-modal = correspondences such as associations between large physical size and low = voice frequencies, or between emotional distress and vocal harshness.=20 =20 Using an experimental approach within a bioacoustics evolutionary = framework, the PhD will test the extent to which participants can decode = information about speakers, such as their physical traits or emotional = states, using spectrograms of their speech and non-linguistic = vocalisations, and will explore the mechanisms and audiovisual features = driving this ability. The PhD is likely to test both typically hearing = adults as well those with hearing loss. =20 The successful candidate will be hosted at the ENES Bioacoustics = Research Laboratory <http://www.eneslab.com/> in Saint-=C3=89tienne, = France, under the supervision of Dr. Katarzyna (Kasia) Pisanski, Prof. = David Reby, and Nicolas Mathevon. The ENES lab <http://www.eneslab.com/> = is part of the CNRS French National Centre for Scientific Research and = specializes in research on animal and human communication. The PhD = degree will be awarded by Jean Monnet University (UJM), Saint-=C3=89tienne= , France.=20 =20 The project also includes two secondments each spanning up to six = months. An academic placement at the UCL Vocal Communication Laboratory = <https://www.carolynmcgettigan.com/>, University College London (London, = UK) under the co-supervision of Prof. Carolyn McGettigan will allow the = PhD to examine the neural correlates of cross-modal voice perception. An = industry placement with Cochlear Inc <http://www.cochlear.com/> = (Vallauris, France) will further allow the PhD to examine the sensory = mechanisms involved in cross-modal voice perception, taking advantage of = virtual reality (VR) technologies. =20 The PhD will be part of the wider Voice Communication Sciences (VoCS) = MSCA network. This is a groundbreaking initiative that aims to position = Europe at the forefront of Voice Research. Its primary goal is to equip = a network of 19 Doctoral Candidates with integrated knowledge spanning = cognitive neuroscience, acoustics, phonetics, and computing science, via = a unique combination of hands-on research training in labs, with = cross-sectorial workshops in fundamental, technological, and clinical = domains relevant to voice communication. The PhD student will thus take = part in several international networking and training events. See below = for more about the VoCS MSCA Network. =20 Applicants must hold a master=E2=80=99s degree and must not have lived = in France for more than 12 months in the past 3 years. =20 More details including eligibility and selection criteria can be found = on the VoCS <https://www.vocs.eu.com/> and Euraxess = <https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/308720> websites =20 =20 The Voice Communication Sciences (VoCS) MSCA Network:=20 =20 With AI-driven advances, the rapidly developing field of voice = technology has transformed European life through voice assistants, = text-to-speech systems, and cochlear implants. However, severe = challenges remain in processing paralinguistic information such as = identity, emotional state or health in voices. The Voice Communication = Sciences (VoCS) project, a Marie Sk=C5=82odowska-Curie Doctoral Network = collaboration, is an ambitious international initiative to address these = challenges and advance Europe's position at the forefront of voice = technology. VoCS aims to train a new generation of scientists with = interdisciplinary expertise in Voice Communication Sciences. The project = gathers a consortium of 21 academic and non-academic partners across 12 = countries, collaborating to provide a world-class training-by-research = program. The primary goal is to equip 19 doctoral candidates with = integrated knowledge spanning cognitive neuroscience, acoustics, = phonetics, and computing science, via a unique combination of hands-on = research training in labs, with cross-sectorial workshops in = fundamental, technological, and clinical domains relevant to voice = communication. The project's innovative aspects lie in its comprehensive = approach to voice processing, bridging disciplines from neuroscience to = engineering. The VoCS research program is structured around three = scientific objectives: (1) advancing basic knowledge of natural voice = processing and exploring paralinguistic information in voices; (2) = building on these insights to design more natural and flexible synthetic = voices; (3) transferring this knowledge into user-oriented applications = in health and forensics, including the improvement of voice perception = for hearing-impaired individuals, advancements in forensic speaker = comparison methods, and the development of tools to combat deepfake = speech. VoCS aims to contribute not only to scientific knowledge but = also to the exponential growth of the voice technology industry by = creating a network of skilled experts shaping the future of voice = technologies in Europe. =20 VoCS.eu.com <https://www.vocs.eu.com/> David REBY Professor of Ethology Equipe de NeuroEthologie Sensorielle (ENES) - Universit=C3=A9 Jean = Monnet Senior member of Institut Universitaire de France Mobi Director National Geographic Explorer=20 Visiting Professor at Sussex University --Apple-Mail=_A0F5F10A-7D9B-4AA1-91BF-A9F16F63E15A Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 <html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; = -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><span = style=3D"font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; font-size: 13pt;">Dear = all,</span><br><div> <meta charset=3D"UTF-8"><div><span style=3D"font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></div></div><div><div = style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = line-break: after-white-space;"><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: = 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">We are = recruiting a Doctoral Candidate for the <b>=E2=80=9CSeeing = Voices=E2=80=9D project</b>, part of the EU-funded MSCA = Doctoral Network project titled<b> Voice Communication = Sciences</b> (<a href=3D"http://vocs.eu.com/"><span style=3D"color: = windowtext;">VoCS.eu.com</span></a><u>)</u>. </span></div><p = class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: = Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; = font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size:= 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b><span = lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;">Applications are not open </span></b><span = lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;">until March 15th, 2025 (apply here: <a = href=3D"https://www.vocs.eu.com/"><span style=3D"color: = windowtext;">https://www.vocs.eu.com/</span></a><u>)</u>. </span></di= v><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; = font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: = 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div = style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, = sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;">The PhD will be based in Saint =C3=89tienne, France, = and will<b> start September/October 2025</b>, with a, EU contract = of 36 months.</span></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: = 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"><font = color=3D"#0000ff"> </font></span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"><font = color=3D"#0000ff">The Seeing Voices = Project: </font></span></b></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, = sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: = 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">The PhD will = investigate the power of the spectrogram (a visual representation of = sound) to enable people to <b><i>see voices</i></b> for = social communication and person perception. The project relies = on <b>sensory substitution</b>, which allows one modality (e.g., = audition) to be swapped for another (e.g., vision), taking advantage of = existing cross-modal correspondences such as associations between large = physical size and low voice frequencies, or between emotional distress = and vocal harshness. </span></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, = sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Using an = experimental approach within a bioacoustics evolutionary framework, the = PhD will test the extent to which participants can decode information = about speakers, such as their physical traits or emotional states, using = spectrograms of their speech and non-linguistic vocalisations, and will = explore the mechanisms and audiovisual features driving this ability. = The PhD is likely to test both typically hearing adults as well those = with hearing loss.</span></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: = 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">The = successful candidate will be hosted at the <a = href=3D"http://www.eneslab.com/"><b><span style=3D"color: windowtext; = text-decoration: none;">ENES Bioacoustics Research = Laboratory</span></b></a> in Saint-=C3=89tienne, <b>France</b>, = under the supervision of <b>Dr. Katarzyna (Kasia) Pisanski, Prof. = David Reby,</b> and <b>Nicolas = Mathevon. </b>The<b> <a href=3D"http://www.eneslab.com/"><span = style=3D"color: windowtext;">ENES lab</span></a><u> </u></b>is part = of the CNRS French National Centre for Scientific Research and = specializes in research on animal and human communication. The PhD = degree will be awarded by Jean Monnet University (UJM), Saint-=C3=89tienne= , France. </span></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: = 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">The project = also includes <b>two secondments</b> each spanning up to six = months. An academic placement at the <a = href=3D"https://www.carolynmcgettigan.com/"><b><span style=3D"color: = windowtext;">UCL Vocal Communication Laboratory</span></b></a>, = University College London (London, UK) under the co-supervision of Prof. = Carolyn McGettigan will allow the PhD to examine the neural correlates = of cross-modal voice perception. An industry placement with <a = href=3D"http://www.cochlear.com/"><b><span style=3D"color: = windowtext;">Cochlear Inc</span></b></a><b><u> </u></b>(Vallauris, = France) will further allow the PhD to examine the sensory mechanisms = involved in cross-modal voice perception, taking advantage of virtual = reality (VR) technologies.</span></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, = sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">The PhD will = be part of the wider<b> Voice Communication Sciences (VoCS) = MSCA network</b>. This is a groundbreaking initiative that aims to = position Europe at the forefront of Voice Research. Its primary goal is = to equip a network of<b> 19 Doctoral Candidates </b>with = integrated knowledge spanning cognitive neuroscience, acoustics, = phonetics, and computing science, via a unique combination of hands-on = research training in labs, with cross-sectorial workshops in = fundamental, technological, and clinical domains relevant to voice = communication. The PhD student will thus take part in several = international networking and training events. See below for more about = the VoCS MSCA Network.</span></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, = sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Applicants = must hold a master=E2=80=99s degree and must not have lived in France = for more than 12 months in the past 3 years.</span></div><p = class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: = Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; = font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size:= 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">More details = including <b>eligibility and selection criteria </b>can be = found on the <a href=3D"https://www.vocs.eu.com/"><span = style=3D"color: windowtext; text-decoration: = none;">VoCS</span></a> and <a = href=3D"https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/308720"><span style=3D"color: = windowtext; text-decoration: = none;">Euraxess</span></a> websites</span></div><div = style=3D"border-width: medium medium 1.5pt; border-style: none none = solid; border-color: currentcolor currentcolor windowtext; padding: 0cm = 0cm 1pt;"><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"border: medium; padding: 0cm; = margin: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span = lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" = style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, = sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><b><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"><font = color=3D"#0000ff">The Voice Communication Sciences (VoCS) MSCA = Network: </font></span></b><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: = 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"></span></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"= style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, = sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: = AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size: 12pt; = margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">With = AI-driven advances, the rapidly developing field of voice technology has = transformed European life through voice assistants, text-to-speech = systems, and cochlear implants. However, severe challenges remain in = processing paralinguistic information such as identity, emotional state = or health in voices. The Voice Communication Sciences (VoCS) project, a = Marie Sk=C5=82odowska-Curie Doctoral Network collaboration, is an = ambitious international initiative to address these challenges and = advance Europe's position at the forefront of voice technology. VoCS = aims to train a new generation of scientists with interdisciplinary = expertise in Voice Communication Sciences. The project gathers a = consortium of 21 academic and non-academic partners across 12 countries, = collaborating to provide a world-class = training-by-research program. The primary goal is to equip 19 = doctoral candidates with integrated knowledge spanning cognitive = neuroscience, acoustics, phonetics, and computing science, via a = unique combination of hands-on research training in labs, with = cross-sectorial workshops in fundamental, technological, and = clinical domains relevant to voice communication. The project's = innovative aspects lie in its comprehensive approach to = voice processing, bridging disciplines from neuroscience to = engineering. The VoCS research program is structured around three = scientific objectives: (1) advancing basic knowledge of natural = voice processing and exploring paralinguistic information in voices; (2) = building on these insights to design more natural and flexible = synthetic voices; (3) transferring this knowledge into user-oriented = applications in health and forensics, including the improvement of = voice perception for hearing-impaired individuals, advancements in = forensic speaker comparison methods, and the development of tools = to combat deepfake speech. VoCS aims to contribute not only to = scientific knowledge but also to the exponential growth of the voice = technology industry by creating a network of skilled experts = shaping the future of voice technologies in Europe.</span></div><p = class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: = Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" style=3D"font-size: 13pt; = font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"> </span></p><div style=3D"font-size:= 12pt; margin: 0cm; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span lang=3D"EN-GB" = style=3D"font-size: 13pt; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;"><a = href=3D"https://www.vocs.eu.com/"><span style=3D"color: = windowtext;">VoCS.eu.com</span></a></span></div><div><div><br></div><div><= br></div><div><br></div><div>David REBY<br>Professor of = Ethology<br>Equipe de NeuroEthologie Sensorielle (ENES) - = Universit=C3=A9 Jean Monnet<br><br>Senior member of Institut = Universitaire de France<br>Mobi Director<br>National = Geographic Explorer <br>Visiting Professor at Sussex = University</div></div></div></div><br></body></html>= --Apple-Mail=_A0F5F10A-7D9B-4AA1-91BF-A9F16F63E15A--