Isabelle Mareschal

This PhD project at Queen Mary University of London, supervised by Dr Alexander Mielke and Professor Isabelle Mareschal, investigates the syntax of facial communication using a combination of psychological, linguistic, machine vision, and statistical approaches. Unlike speech and gestures, which can be segmented into clear units and studied for syntactical rules, facial communication is complex due to the rapid and independent movement of different facial parts. The project aims to develop statistical methods to segment complex facial muscle movement patterns into discrete units, analyze sequences of naturally occurring facial signals, and explore how the combination of facial signals in time influences social interactions. The research is highly relevant for advancing human-machine communication and the automatic categorization of facial signals. The successful candidate will join the Mielke Lab, which focuses on understanding communication and cooperation in humans and non-human primates through observational studies and innovative data analysis methods. Training will include observational data collection, video coding, computational and statistical modelling, programming in R and Python, and academic writing, with a strong emphasis on open science practices. The position is part of a joint scholarship programme between Queen Mary and the China Scholarship Council (CSC), offering full tuition coverage and living expenses for eligible Chinese applicants. Applicants must hold or expect to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in a relevant field, meet English language requirements, and submit all required documentation by the deadline. The application process includes a formal online submission, identification as a CSC Scholar, and an interview for shortlisted candidates. The project provides an excellent opportunity to develop interdisciplinary skills in psychology, linguistics, data science, and machine vision within a supportive research environment.