OPEN POSITION: A DOCTORAL STUDENT IN NEUROCINEMATICS 

Aalto University is a new university with over a century of experience. Created from a high-profile merger between three leading universities in Finland - the Helsinki School of Economics, the Helsinki University of Technology and the University of Art and Design Helsinki - Aalto University opens up new possibilities for strong multi-disciplinary education and research. The university's ambitious goal is to rank among the top universities in the world in its areas of specialization. At Aalto there are 20,000 students with around 75,000 alumni. We have a staff of 4,500 including 300 professors.

NeuroCine research team directed by Doctor of Arts, filmmaker Pia Tikka at the Aalto University School of Art and Design, Department of Motion Picture, Television and Production Design is looking for a new team member to conduct doctoral research in neurocinematics. 
The NeuroCine team combines the latest findings of social and cognitive neuroscience with the practical expertise in filmmaking and cognitive film studies. The aim is to study intersubjectively shared aspects of cinema, creativity, and the underlying neural dynamics.

NeuroCine team is associated with the multidisciplinary neuroimaging project aivoAALTO [http://neuro.hut.fi/aivoaalto] of Aalto University. The applicant will work together with Doctor of Arts Pia Tikka (PI, NeuroCine) and associated neuroscientists at the aivoAALTO. Employed by Aalto University School of Art and Design, Department of Motion Picture, Television and Production Design, the daily work of the applicant is conducted at the Aalto University School of Science, AMI Center [http://ami.tkk.fi/en/]. Closest collaborative institutes are Low Temperature Lab Brain Research Unit (BRU) [http://ltl.tkk.fi/wiki/BRU] and Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science (BECS) [http://www.becs.tkk.fi/en/ at the Aalto University School of Science.

The doctoral student must have a Master's degree in cognitive (neuro) science, biological psychology, or equivalent, with explicit interest in cinema, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience methods. Expertise in experimental design and programming, or practical experience in fMRI or M/EEG is considered an advantage. The applicant's interdisciplinary research potential and co-operation skills, as well as their scientific writing skills will be given particular emphasis during the selection process. Preferably (but not necessarily) the doctoral student possesses a post-graduate study place in a University.

The position is available for two years starting a.s.a.p. The salary is determined by the salary system of Aalto University. Possibilities to obtain funding for an additional one or two years are available through Finnish Foundations [http://www.saatiopalvelu.fi/en].

Application materials should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a possible list of publications, and 1 page description of future research interests related to neurocinematics. In addition, reprints of publications (max 2) and reference letters (max 2) are appreciated. Note, all single pdf-files should contain applicant's last name: "NeuroCine_LASTNAME_otherinfo". In addition, the email should be named "Application: NeuroCine". The right to extend the search or not to fill a position is reserved.

The applications are to be submitted on a single pdf-file by email to [log in to unmask] before 15.04.2012 a.s.a.p.


Pia Tikka
Researcher, Filmmaker
aivoAALTO research project
Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland
- Dept. of Motion Picture, Television and Production Design
US online phone + 1 213 785 7048
Finland mobile phone  +358 50 347 7432
Skype: piatikka
e-mail: [log in to unmask]