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PhD position in Multimodal Human-AI Interaction for Curiosity-Driven Discovery

  • //applyindex.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/belgium.png Belgium
  • University/Institute Name KU Leuven
  • Attendance Type On Campus (Full Time)
  • Position DurationSee Position Description
  • Position Funding Type PhD Research Funding
  • Application deadlineOctober 15, 2025
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Position Details (PhD Research Project)

We offer a fully funded four-year PhD position in multimodal human-AI interaction for a new interdisciplinary project on the use of generative AI for Digital Humanities research.

In its aim to combine design and artistic research approaches, this PhD position will be supervised from the research group Research[x]Design (RxD) at the Department of Architecture at KU Leuven university (prof. Andrew Vande Moere) and the research group Mediated Environments at LUCA School of the Arts (prof. Steven Devleminck).

The RxD group investigates the designerly potential of emerging technologies, among which novel approaches to interact, discover or design with AI. The Mediated Environments group specializes on media, sound, and installation art in the context of art-media-culture studies. Both groups generate fundamental scientific knowledge in human-computer interaction (HCI) by deploying design-oriented methods such as co-design, prototyping and real-life evaluation studies.
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Project

This PhD position forms part of a new interdisciplinary research project at KU Leuven that will use explainable, adaptive and multimodal human-AI interaction methods to let generative AI spark new insights and serendipitous discoveries in Digital-Humanities research. As such, the whole project will involve three PhD researchers in total. Whereas the two other researchers concern matters involving computer science (e.g. explainability) and computational linguïstics (e.g. computational creativity), the central aim of this PhD is to design, develop and evaluate new multimodal “phygital” interaction methods.
These interaction methods should draw on both Research-through-Design (RtD) methodologies and artistic practices, so to enable humanities experts to generate alternative perspectives on their subject matter. By presenting generative-AI-mediated content in novel ways, these methods seek to evoke curiosity and serendipity as experts move through successive phases of divergent and convergent inquiry. Accordingly, the underlying experimental approach should examine how artistic methods can shape interpretation and hypothesis-formation in the humanities, and, conversely, how the humanities practice can enrich artistic and creative processes.

Profile

We expect from an ideal candidate:

  • an excellent Master degree in digital humanities, design computing, computational arts, architectural design or a similar discipline that combines creative and digital practice;
  • alternatively, an excellent Master degree in computer science (or related discipline) with a demonstrable link to the creative arts;
  • demonstrable digital skills (e.g. programming, scripting, interactive media authoring) that reach beyond the use of default tools and programs;
  • experience in developing an interactive system in the form of digital, virtual (VR), augmented (XR), spatial, tangible, robotic, or physical interface;
  • ability to formulate valuable research questions, develop studies and deliver valuable results;
  • genuine interest in human-computer interaction (HCI) and/or human-AI interaction research;
  • strong commitment to working within an interdisciplinary team;
  • a high level of proficiency in English, both spoken and written.
All candidates are highly encouraged to provide a portfolio (e.g. PDF, web) or equivalent evidence (e.g. computer programs, video, design artefacts, publications) demonstrating the technical and creative competencies listed above.
Short-listed candidates will be asked to fulfill concise assignments to test their proficiency. 

Offer

Funding is available immediately. The research will be carried out at the Department of Architecture of KU Leuven in Heverlee (Leuven) and potentially LUCA School of Arts in Brussels/Ghent.

Interested?

For more information please contact prof. dr. ir. arch. Andrew Vande Moere, via email: [email protected].

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

Research Areas & Fields of Study involved in the position

Position Start Date

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