ARC-funded project - From noise to signal: improving sonic experiences in the gallery

Funded PhD to begin Term 2, June 2026.

We invite applications for a fully funded PhD position investigating audience experience of sonic arts and sound installations in art museum and gallery contexts.

This PhD is part of the Australian Research Council (ARC)-funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery' under the supervision of Associate Professor Oliver Bown and Associate Professor Caleb Kelly in the School of Art & Design at UNSW Sydney.

Your Research

You will conduct innovative, creative experiments using the state-of-the-art National Facility for Human-Robot Interaction Research at UNSW's Paddington Campus' facility with a 256 channel speaker array and 120 microphone channels as a simulation and prototyping environment. Employing qualitative human research methods, you will explore how audiences respond to different sonic scenarios and design interventions. Your research will contribute to new exhibition design principles and industry standards for sound-based exhibitions.

You will work with a collaborative team of artists, curators, technologists, and designers, towards the goals of the ARC research project, while also developing your own dissertation aligned with the project.

Ideal Candidate Profile

We seek a candidate with a solid understanding of audio and sensing technologies, as well as technology-based human research methods. Relevant backgrounds include sonic arts, HCI, museum studies/visitor studies, and music technology.

Eligibility

Domestic PhD candidates only.

Scholarship

$39,206 per annum (2026 rate), 4 years. 

How to apply 

Please email Associate Professor Oliver Bown o.bown@unsw.edu.au a copy of your CV and academic transcripts by the deadline.

Further information on how to apply can be found here HDR Application Process

Application deadline: 13 March 2026