PhD Studentship

Post Summary 

PhD Topic: A data-driven Acoustic Digital Twin for heritage preservation and interactive experiences 

Group project title: From Silence to Story: Revisiting TCD's Long Room through Acoustics and Immersive Storytelling 

Core Principal investigators: Nils Peters (Engineering), Nicole Basaraba (Digital Humanities), Jennifer O’Meara (Film Studies), and Gareth W. Young (Computer Science). 

Supporting Principal Investigators: Fionnuala Conway, John Kennedy, and Francis Boland. 

Funding provided by: Trinity Research Doctorate Award (Group) 2026.

About the group project: 

The renovation and public closure of Trinity College Dublin’s (TCD) Long Room of the Old Library present an unparalleled opportunity to conduct pioneering research "on," “through,” and "for" this iconic space. This initiative will redefine how we preserve and enhance one of Europe’s premier cultural heritage landmarks. This project will delve into aspects of the Long Room that have been largely overlooked: its acoustic experiences and sonic architecture. It will use state-of-the-art robot-aided acoustic measurements and employ advanced computational and acoustic modeling techniques to create a versatile Acoustic Digital Twin, which will be combined with existing 3D image data. 

This approach enables unprecedented exploration of the Long Room's physical properties, enabling new acoustic experiences for both physical and virtual visitors. Previous related research includes the “Jonathan Swift in VR/AR Long Room Project” in 2018. The From Silence to Story project will create immersive XR experiences that preserve and reimagine the library’s significance through site-specific media art and storytelling. This research will set a precedent for future heritage preservation efforts by developing a preservation-by-design strategy in collaboration with experts at TCD’s digital library and the Digital Repository of Ireland. This project addresses Trinity College’s research themes of "Identities in Transformation" and “Digital Humanities” by preserving and innovating the Long Room through state-of-the-art acoustic and digital technologies. By creating immersive and interactive experiences, we aim to foster meaningful connections between visitors and the cultural significance of the Long Room. Furthermore, this project aims to promote inclusiveness by enabling personalized experiences for vision- and hearing-impaired visitors and for those with diverse linguistic backgrounds and neurodivergent needs. We aim to create a resilient digital preservation system for sustainable, long-term, inclusive access.

Minimum eligibility requirements for PhD entry: 

The ideal candidate should hold an honours undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. acoustics engineering, music technology, or electrical engineering). We are looking for someone that is motivated, intrigued by science and innovation, diligent and communicative; and overall a good team player.