Openings

PhD position: Characterising biological active-sensing swarms in the field

What is actually happening inside a swarm of active-sensing agents? Echolocating bats show all kinds of collective movements from linear emergence to fly-like swarms. How are they able to manage despite what we expect to be a complex auditory scene? What is actually happening in a swarm of echolocating bats?

This project consists of using a next-generation multi-sensor setup with microphone arrays, acoustic & thermal cameras, as well as LiDAR data of active-sensing swarms. The project will involve setting up the multi-sensor rig and using the collected data on bat collectives in the field to answer exciting questions at unprecedented spatio-temporal resolutions: what are individual agents doing in the swarm, what does the collective movement of active-sensing swarms look like? Another optional component is to perform computational modelling to infer what sensorimotor strategies agents are adopting given the

The candidate is expected to have a Masters degree and relevant experience/background in at least two among the list of fields, along with a willingness to learn:

  • Sensory biology/animal behaviour (previous experience with any kind of animal tracking in audio/video is helpful)
  • Acoustics/physics/engineering
  • Computational science/ programming (previous experience in Python is helpful).

An EU-compatible driving license and field work experience is beneficial.

As a PhD candidate in the lab, you will be based in the IMPRS QBEE program and registered as a student at the University of Konstanz and be part of an active doctoral-student network. Moreover, being placed in the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour allows you to be part of the vibrant multi-disciplinary ecosystem of researchers from departments spread across psychology all the way to physics.

The official application portal will be shared soon. If you are interested in this position please contact me with a CV, and an email highlighting which parts of your training/work experience are relevant to the project. The candidate is expected to start spring-summer of 2025.

Relevant literature

Masters/bachelors student internships

If you think the ideas, methods or themes of the lab's work is exciting please reach out with specific mention of the things you may be interested in pursuing and a little bit about your background.

Other positions/own funding?

If the ideas and themes of the lab are generally interesting, or you have some ideas you'd like to realise in the form of a PhD/Postdoc or lab visit through your own funding please do get in touch.