PhD Studentship - Multi-user Extended Reality (XR) Experience in Cultural Heritage

Project Title: Multi-user Extended Reality (XR) Experience in Cultural Heritage

Funding amount: £17,668 maintenance grant per annum

Lead Supervisor name: Vedad Hulusic

Project description

Cultural Heritage is arguably one of the leading sectors in digitalisation. The transformation of heritage assets into digital forms has widened the accessibility of people engaging with both tangible and intangible cultural heritages. Although they offer novelty and unique experiences, virtual museums still present significant challenges to match the physical experience of museum visits. The challenges are both technical and cultural.

This project seeks to fully explore the potential of XR in digital cultural heritage and its role as a collaborative tool to support creativity and look at the XR design process from the curator’s perspective. The project will study multi-user XR experience in cultural heritage and explore user interactions with physical and virtual objects/spaces, as well as the critical transitions of user experience between physical and virtual museum assets and spaces through a unique Hybrid Spaces approach. The project will research whether tangible interfaces would have a positive effect on user experience and immersion, through which the user receives haptic feedback from the interaction with the objects and the environment.

What does the funded studentship include?

A fully-funded Studentship includes a maintenance grant of £17,668 per year to contribute towards living expenses during the course of your research, as well as a fee waiver for 36 months. Associated costs, such as for fieldwork and conference attendance, will also be met under the Studentship.

Eligibility criteria

The BU PhD and MRes Studentships are open to UK, EU and International students. Candidates for a PhD Studentship should demonstrate outstanding qualities and be motivated to complete a PhD in 4 years and must demonstrate:

• Outstanding academic potential as measured normally by either a 1st class honours degree (or equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA) or a Master’s degree with distinction or equivalent
• An IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 minimum (with a minimum 6.0 in each component, or equivalent) for candidates for whom English is not their first language and this must be evidenced at point of application.

Additional Eligibility:

In addition to satisfying minimum entry criteria, BU will look closely at the qualities, skills and background of each candidate and what they can bring to their chosen research project in order to ensure successful completion.

Applicants will be asked to submit an online application form and a proposal (approximately 1500 words) outlining their understanding of the project for which they are applying, the approach they would envisage taking and what qualities they will bring to the research community.

Closing date: 28 February 2023.

For further information on how to apply click the ‘Apply’ button below or email pgradmissions@bournemouth.ac.uk

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