PRR Project

Summary

The recruitment of a Principal/Coordinator Researcher in Performance and Cognition Studies, with a specialization and track-record on multimodal communication, cognition and digital archives corresponds to an emerging scientific area aligned with the current and future strategic agendas of the Research Unit (ICNOVA) and NOVA FCSH. ICNOVA’s interest in arts-based research as a novel territory for the progress of advanced studies in Communication sciences, namely through a sound scientific analysis of performing arts practices, derives from the fact that they are exceptionally rich in eliciting creativity and expressivity of human emotions, which consequently makes them challenging for communication research in general. The performing arts, such as contemporary dance and theatre, provide a rich and diversified corpus for the behavioural analysis of full body movements and verbal vs. non-verbal interactions, which are decisive for a deeper understanding of human decision-making processes in creative contexts. Moreover, the current progress in cognitive science provides the adequate theoretical base for this interdisciplinary endeavour. Key responsibilities include: - Develop an innovative vision on the future of the research field. - Lead a growing team in accordance with ICNOVA´s global research agenda. - Plan and conduct independent research on topics related with creative human behaviour and agency in the different modalities of communication (cognitive, cultural, technological, and social functions). - Design, lead and submit applications for competitive research funding. - Generate and disseminate high-quality research findings, including (but not exclusively) in international, peer-reviewed journals, as well as in more recent innovative journals or artistic publications. - Propose and edit books with renowned publishers. - Contribute to a supportive and productive research community. - Actively develop efforts to establish meaningful collaborative work with non-academic institutions, setting the ground for future partnerships and social engagement. - Propose and teach courses in the field of expertise, actively contributing to the renewal and improvement of curricula and educational practices at all levels, as currently in progress at FCSH. - Supervise post-graduate students by providing mentoring and advice. Accordingly, the prospective employee should have led interdisciplinary teams and have a proven track-record of securing competitive funding (e.g. by the ERC or equivalent) international projects, at the intersection of Arts, Science & Technology. He/she should have previously undergone solid interdisciplinary research and published significant research findings in peer-reviewed and indexed journals, books and other outlets, related to human behaviour and agency in creativity settings where the performing body is at stake. Furthermore, he/she should demonstrate: - Established reputation based on research excellence in the interdisciplinary field of Performance and Cognition Studies. - Leadership capacity, including working with both senior and junior scholars. - Deep knowledge of the state-of-the-art in social and embodied cognition, performance studies and new media. - Familiarity with the usage of different types of technology: motion tracking and capture, depth sensors, biomedical sensors, 3D modeling, VR visualizations, a.o. - Recognized positive contribution to the development of knowledge and research through collaborations with other R&D poles. - Capacity to conduct independent research, which advances the global research agenda of the Research Unit. - Pro-activity to identify research problems and opportunities within the area of expertise. - Ground-breaking and disruptive approaches to research. - Solid experience in the design, implementation and management of large-scale research projects. - Experience in publishing papers (both as lead and co-author), organizing major conferences, workshops or conference sessions. - Ability to communicate their research effectively to the research community and wider society. - A natural aptitude for teamwork. - Willingness to form research consortia and secure funding from well-established research councils, foundations and institutions. - Commitment to professional and ethical development of his/her own career, while acting as mentor for others.