[iva] PhD Student Position in Social Virtual Reality Research at RWTH Aachen University

[Bönsch, Andrea]

Dear all,



are you passionate about exploring the intersection of auditory cognition
and virtual reality? We have an open position for a motivated PhD student at
RWTH Aachen University, Germany in the SPP AUDICTIVE (SPP 2236) program,
focusing on listeners' cognitive performances within complex audiovisual
immersive virtual environments!


Start Date: February 1st, 2026

Duration: 3 years


Project Overview: 

The project investigates how audiovisual variations in complex listening
environments impact attention, speech intelligibility, and memory
performance. The aim is to develop realistic virtual scenarios populated by
embodied conversational agents (ECAs) to enhance our understanding of
cognitive processes during social interactions.

>From a virtual reality perspective, we will work on tracking user attention
during conversations with ECAs while analyzing signs of distraction.
Building on these insights, we strive to explore effective strategies for
regaining user attention after distractions and assess their impact on
cognitive load and memory performance. 


What We Are Looking For:

•              A master’s degree in computer science or a related field is
required.

•              Solid knowledge and experience in Unreal Engine is essential

•              Experience with designing, conducting, and evaluating user
studies would be advantageous. 

•              Strong analytical skills and the ability to work
collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team 

 

How to Declare Your Interest Now!
If you are interested in contributing to research that bridges computer
science, psychology, and acoustics, we welcome your application.
Send an application (CV, cover letter, proof of academic qualifications
obtained) detailing your interest in this opportunity to
boensch at vr.rwth-aachen.de <mailto:boensch at vr.rwth-aachen.de> .

 

Best,

Andrea Bönsch

 

--

Dr. Andrea Bönsch

[sie/ihr; she/hers]

 

RWTH Aachen University

- Visual Computing Institute - Virtual Reality & Immersive Visualization    

- Computer Science Department – LuFG i12 – Deputy Head of LuFG and Social VR
Teamlead

- IT Center - Computational Science & Engineering – Co-Lead of Department

 

 Kopernikusstraße 6, 52074 Aachen, Germany

 Phone +49 241 80-24922; Fax +49 241 80-6-24922; Mobile +49 170 5650437

 Email boensch at vr.rwth-aachen.de

 URL www.vr.rwth-aachen.de

 

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