Making materiality audible

This is one of several fully-funded PhD studentships available within the College of Arts, Technology and Environment (CATE) at UWE Bristol.

Although many doctoral projects are being advertised across the College, CATE will only fund up to eight studentships in total. Projects selected for funding will be determined based on applicant merit through the selection process outlined below.

This project addresses the persistent exclusion of blind and partially sighted (BPS) visitors from the material knowledge embedded in cultural heritage objects. Material cues – such as tool marks, weave structures, brushwork, and relief – are central to interpreting artworks and artefacts but are typically communicated through visual media inaccessible to many BPS users. The aim of this research is to develop a pipeline that transforms 2.5D heritage imaging data – RGB imagery combined with surface normals and height information – into concise, evidence grounded audio descriptions suitable for both onsite and online engagement.

The project will use existing digitisation outputs supplemented by targeted new capture where necessary, spanning materials such as paintings, textiles, and manuscripts. Core research questions explore which geometric descriptors predict tactile salience, how interpretable models can infer process and condition cues, and how these findings should be verbalised for BPS audiences with appropriate qualification and clarity.

Methodologically, the project integrates data standardisation, multi scale descriptor extraction, interpretable modelling, and controlled language generation techniques to ensure that each descriptive claim is grounded in measurable geometric evidence. Co design with BPS participants will shape vocabulary, ordering, uncertainty presentation, and evaluation protocols.

Expected outputs include open source tools, a benchmark dataset, exemplar audio/text packages, and sector guidance for producing geometry grounded descriptions. The project aligns strongly with UWE’s Digital Futures and Creative Industries & Technologies research beacons, advancing inclusive, AI driven heritage access while fostering partnerships with major cultural institutions.

If you have any questions about the studentship, please contact Xavi Aure Calvet at xavi.aurecalvet@uwe.ac.uk.

The studentship is available from 1 October 2026 for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress and includes a tax-exempt stipend, which is currently £20,780 (2025/26) per annum.

In addition, full-time tuition fees will be covered for up to three years.

Please submit your application online. When prompted use the reference number 2627-OCT-CATE04. 

Application deadline

The closing date for applications is 12 June 2026.

Apply now

Applicants shortlisted for this project will be invited to interview with a panel comprising members of the supervisory team and the School’s Postgraduate Research (PGR) Lead and/or a senior researcher from the School or College. Successful candidates will be offered a studentship following interview.

Supporting documentation

You will need to upload your research proposal, all your degree certificates and transcripts and a recognised English language qualification is required.

You will need to provide details of two referees as part of your application.

Interview dates

It is expected that interviews will take place early July. If you have not heard from us by August, we thank you for your application but on this occasion you have not been successful.

Candidates who meet the entry requirements for doctoral study at UWE Bristol but are not awarded one of the funded studentships may be offered the opportunity to take-up a self-funded PhD place.