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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">A postdoctoral position is available to work on the GRAPPA project, funded by an ERC Advanced Grant, awarded to Johan Wagemans at KU Leuven (Belgium). The GRAPPA project (acronym for “Gestalts Relate Aesthetic Preferences
to Perceptual Analysis”) aims to develop and test a model to predict, explain and understand aesthetic preferences for natural images and pictures of artworks on the basis of mid-level vision factors. The central working hypothesis is that these factors (e.g.,
figure-ground segmentation, symmetry, composition, color harmony, perceptual ambiguity) provide a bridge between supposedly universal principles of low-level perceptual analysis based on image statistics and high-level style and content preferences that may
vary between different cultural groups and individuals (“the eye of the beholder”). The GRAPPA project combines large-scale online testing of aesthetic preferences for images and psychophysical experiments on specific perceptual organization principles with
gradually more sophisticated modelling based on machine learning and computer vision. The validation stage goes beyond mere preference and beyond images to include more general measures of aesthetic appreciation, mobile eye-tracking studies in museums, and
collaborations with contemporary artists. For more information on the project, see
<a href="https://research.kuleuven.be/EU/p/he/p1/erc/GRAPPA">here</a>.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Responsibilities<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We seek to complement our current team, consisting of five PhD students and one postdoc, with an additional postdoc who can help to form a bridge between the research on perceptual organization in human vision and its
role in aesthetic appreciation by the psychologists in the group, on the one hand, and the machine learning models developed by the computer scientists on the project, on the other hand. In particular, the postdoc we are recruiting now will need to have a
strong background in human vision and/or empirical or computational aesthetics, with specific required expertise in one or more of the following areas: (1) psychophysics or experimental psychology of perceptual organization, (2) eye-tracking experiments and
its data-analysis pipeline, (3) sophisticated statistics for behavioral data analysis (e.g., linear mixed models, hierarchical Bayesian regression models, cluster analysis, PCA, SEM), (4) computational models of human vision, (5) machine learning models of
vision and/or image aesthetic analysis.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Profile<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Eligible candidates have research experience and a PhD in a relevant area, preferably demonstrated with first-author peer-reviewed publications in the domain of interest. In addition to the expertise described in the
5 areas above, further assets are experience with interdisciplinary research, experience in visual neuroscience or computational neuroscience, a creative mind, good problem solving skills, international and interdisciplinary mobility, and a collaborative,
open-minded, and collegial attitude.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Offer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We currently have funding for up to three years, starting with a one-year contract. We have a good track record helping postdocs to obtain their own personal prestigious fellowships afterwards, allowing them to extend
their stay and broaden the range of research questions and skill development. The net amount of the salary will be competitive and in accordance with the university fellowship scales for postdoctoral researchers. The position is research-only, without teaching
obligations, but teaching opportunities can be arranged if wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">KU Leuven is one of the best European universities according to international rankings (#43 world-wide in the 2025 THE ranking). KU Leuven has expertise in all relevant areas of research for these positions, and co-supervision
from relevant neighboring disciplines can easily be arranged. Our research group belongs to the department of Brain & Cognition, located in the center of Leuven, a vibrant university town which is only a 25-minute commute from the center of Brussels and its
international airport.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Interested?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">For more information please contact Prof. dr. Johan Wagemans, tel.: +32 16 32 59 69, mail:
<a href="mailto:johan.wagemans@kuleuven.be">johan.wagemans@kuleuven.be</a>. You can apply for this job no later than January 31, 2025 via the </span><a href="http://www.kuleuven.be/eapplyingforjobs/light/60419383" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">online application
tool</span></a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">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 </span><a href="mailto:hr.diversiteit@kuleuven.be"><span lang="EN-US" style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">hr.diversiteit@kuleuven.be</span></a><span lang="EN-US">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><a href="https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/academic-staff/academic-staff-research-education-information#job-application">Job application procedure</a><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><a href="https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/academic-staff/academic-staff-research-education-information#working-conditions">Working conditions</a><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><a href="https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/academic-staff/academic-staff-research-education-information#career-opportunities">Career opportunities</a><o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Do you have a question about the online application system? Please consult our </span><a href="https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/vacancies/faq-about-applying-online"><span lang="EN-US">FAQ</span></a><span lang="EN-US"> or
email us at </span><a href="mailto:apply@kuleuven.be"><span lang="EN-US">apply@kuleuven.be</span></a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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