Andrew Johnston

University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in collaboration with the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), is inviting expressions of interest for a PhD project in New Frontiers in Performance Technology . This opportunity sits within UTS Creativity & Cognition Studios and the Animal Logic Academy, part of the broader Visualisation Institute, and focuses on practice-based research in hybrid performance environments where physical and virtual elements combine in live work. Research areas of interest include: • Audience experience and participation: how audiences behave, feel, and make meaning when they are inside the work. • Responsive environments and scenography: stages, sets, and environments that shift in real time in response to performers, audiences, or systems. • Non-human performers: robots, autonomous objects, props, digital avatars, holograms, and voice transformation. The post is aimed at suitably qualified and experienced candidates for specific PhD projects. Applicants must be Australian residents and should have completed a UTS-recognised masters by research, a bachelor's degree with first or second class honours (division 1), an equivalent higher qualification, or provide other evidence of strong preparation for graduate research. Selected candidates will be supported in applying for PhD scholarship funding. If successful, the scholarship provides a tax-free stipend to support the research. How to apply: email your CV to Prof. Andrew Johnston and Dr. Julia Scott-Stevenson to register your expression of interest. The closing date for scholarship applications is 2026-09-23, and the recommended EOI deadline is 2026-09-02.