PhD in Sonic Arts, Sound Installations, and Digital Design at RMIT University (Fully Funded)
Expressions of Interest are now open for a fully funded PhD position at RMIT University as part of the Australian Research Council (ARC) project, 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery.' This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in sonic arts, sound installations, 3D audio production, digital design, and music technology. The research will focus on investigating audience experiences of sonic arts and sound installations within art museum and gallery contexts, contributing to new exhibition design principles and industry standards for sound-based exhibitions.
The PhD candidate will join the SIAL Sound Studios, School of Design at RMIT University, and work closely with a collaborative ARC team comprising artists, curators, technologists, and designers. Supervision will be provided by Associate Professor Lawrence Harvey and Dr Jeffrey Hannam. The research involves creating sonic models (simulations) of four exhibition spaces in selected art museums and galleries, utilizing the state-of-the-art National Facility for Human-Robot Interaction Research (NFHRIR) at UNSW’s Paddington Campus. This facility features a 256-channel speaker array and 120 microphone channels, providing a unique simulation and prototyping environment for spatial soundscapes and acoustic modeling.
Key research activities include auralisation of gallery spaces, multichannel spatial sound design, and qualitative human research methods to explore how audiences respond to different sonic scenarios and design interventions. The project aims to advance both academic knowledge and practical applications in the fields of sonic arts and exhibition design.
Applicants should have a relevant background in sonic arts, electroacoustic music composition, 3D audio production, digital design, or music technology. Experience with 3D sound spatialisation technologies and techniques is essential, while experience with 3D digital modeling is advantageous but not required. Domestic Australian PhD candidates are preferred, but international applicants may also be considered. The scholarship offers $39,206 per annum (2026 rate) for four years, supporting living expenses during the PhD.
To apply, candidates should email Associate Professor Lawrence Harvey ([email protected]) with a CV and academic transcripts by midnight 12 March 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full PhD application via the RMIT Higher Degree by Research process. For further details, visit the RMIT research degrees website.
Keywords: sonic arts, sound installations, 3D audio production, digital design, music technology, electroacoustic music composition, spatial soundscapes, auralisation, gallery sound design.
