PhD studentship available
Improving the understanding and diagnosis of auditory processing disorder (APD)
Based at UCL Speech, Hearing and Phonetic Sciences
Sponsored by Action on Hearing Loss
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Friday 27 th May 2016
A 3 year studentship for the academic year commencing September 2016 is available to study the auditory, speech perceptual and language abilities of children suspected of having an auditory processing disorder (APD). The main presenting complaint in APD concerns difficulties hearing speech in noisy backgrounds without any hearing loss. APD is, however, poorly understood, and there is much dispute about it, even to the extent of doubts about its existence as an independent disorder. Other developmental disorders frequently co-occur with APD (e.g., language impairment), and may in fact be responsible for the diagnosis. We hope to improve the diagnosis and treatment of APD by clarifying its nature and developing appropriate diagnostic tests for it. The primary supervisor will be Professor Stuart Rosen with mentoring by Dr Doris Bamiou of the UCL Ear Institute and Great Ormond Street Hospital for
Children.
UCL is one of the world’s leading research universities, with particular strengths in the study of language, hearing and speech sciences. The department has access to a wide-range of research facilities, including anechoic chambers for recording and testing, EEG, eye-tracking and pupillometry, all with extensive technical support.
We seek a highly motivated, intellectually curious and hard working person with a good first degree in Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Hearing Science, Audiology,
Speech & Language Therapy or a related field. Highly desirable in a successful candidate will be: experience of working with primary-school aged children; expertise concerning developmental disorders in children; knowledge and expertise in statistical analyses; experience in computer programming in any language. Any offer of a position will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
The studentship provides three years full funding for postgraduate training, covering tuition fees and a maintenance grant starting at £17k in year 1 (£17.5k Year 2 and £18k in Year 3).
Full funding is only available for UK/EU citizens. UCL’s policies on determining this status can be found at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students/money/fees-support/fee_status_proc
Applicants should send a CV and the names and email addresses of two referees to Stuart
Rosen at stuart@phon.ucl.ac.uk (from whom further information about the project can be obtained). A covering letter should include an outline of the applicant's long-term research and professional goals, as well as describe any particular expertise they have that they think may be applicable in this work.