Tell us about your work?
My research is focused on connecting sound perception and more particularly in listeners with hearing loss, with audio engineering. Through our work we aim to develop effective audio enhancement methods for broadcast audio, guided by psychoacoustic research. As part of our project we have recently developed a hearing loss simulation for use in audio production, which was also used in the production of an episode from the BBC series ''Casualty''.
Tell us how you got into EE&CS?
My background is in audio engineering, however, I always had a keen interest in psychoacoustics and sound perception. With the rapid evolution of intelligent audio engineering in the last decade, I became more interested in automated mixing and machine learning. EECS's Centre for Digital Music is a renowned department in the world of audio research, so joining EECS as a PhD student was a great opportunity for me to use my existing skills as an engineer and advance my knowledge in new technologies.
What brought you to Queen Mary?
I was aware of Queen Mary University's reputation as well as the contributions of the audio research department in my field, which made it a very appealing choice for me when I was considering my options for a PhD. Seeing so many great projects in conferences was also one of the things that made me choose Queen Mary.
What’s the best thing about your work?
One of the best things about my work and the one that I enjoy the most is that I learn something new and exciting every day! Being a PhD student, you quickly realise that the learning process is very different compared to taught programmes. It can sometimes be disheartening and difficult, but it is always a great feeling and achievement to discover something new on your own, as well as realise the potential impact it could have in the world, even if it is just a very small contribution.
When not at EECS, what are your interests/what do you enjoy doing?
When I am not working on my PhD I also work as an audio engineer and I have my own home studio. I am also a musician and currently a member of an extreme metal band in which I play electric guitar.