Under the primary supervision of Nicole Basaraba, Assistant Professor in Digital Humanities, there is now an open call for applications for a funded PhD in Digital Humanities in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies.
Post Summary
PhD-4: Sonic Narrative Approaches to Cultural Heritage – The Long Room’s Digital Twin
Part (4 of 4) of group project: From Silence to Story: Revisiting TCD’s Long Room through Acoustics and Immersive Storytelling
Core Principal investigators: Nicole Basaraba (Digital Humanities); Jennifer O’Meara (Film Studies); Gareth Young (Computer Science); Nils Peters (Engineering)
Supporting Principal Investigators: Fionnuala Conway; John Kennedy; Francis Boland
Funding provided by: Trinity Doctorate Research 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. This project will use state-of-the-art robot-aided acoustic measurements and employ advanced computational and acoustic modelling techniques to create a versatile Acoustic Digital Twin, which will be combined with existing 3D image data.
This approach allows for an unprecedented exploration of 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 precedence for future heritage preservation efforts by developing a preservation-by-design strategy accompanied by experts at TCD’s digital library and the Digital Repository of Ireland. This project addresses the Trinity College’s research themes on “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 personalised experiences for vision-impaired 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.
The project comprises four work packages including the training of four PhD researchers in four different disciplines under one unifying project goal: To preserve, enhance, and reimagine the Long Room Library’s unique acoustic and cultural heritage by creating a pioneering Digital Acoustic Twin that integrates advanced acoustic measurements with immersive storytelling tools, fostering innovative interdisciplinary research and transformative cultural experiences.
The project’s interdisciplinary PhD Team:
Four doctoral students will be funded under this award with specialisations across the domains of: engineering (PhD-1: “A data-driven Acoustic Digital Twin for Heritage Preservation and Interactive Experiences”), computer science (PhD-2: “Advanced Computational Models and Digital Tools for Immersive Storytelling”), creative arts (PhD-3: “Audiovisual Media Experiences using the Long Room’s Multimodal and Acoustic Digital Twin”), and digital humanities (PhD-4: “Sonic Narrative Approaches to Cultural Heritage – The Long Room’s Digital Twin”). This unique multidisciplinary approach will provide the students with invaluable experiences and skills extending far beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, preparing them to become leaders in academic and/or industry settings.
The recruited PhD-4 student in Digital Humanities (DH) will be registered with the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies (SLLCS) under the primary supervision of Nicole Basaraba, who is also affiliated with: Trinity Centre for Digital Humanities; Trinity Long Room Hub Research Institute; and the new Trinity Science & Society Research Centre. PhD-4 will also be supported by the Group’s collective faculty team from different disciplines to ensure a rich, interdisciplinary mentorship experience. The thesis committee for PhD-4 includes Jennifer O’Meara (Film Studies) and Fionnuala Conway (Electronic Engineering).
Funding Information
Trinity Doctorate Research Award for Group-based Research Projects 2026-27
Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post
PhD-4: Sonic Narrative Approaches to Cultural Heritage – The Long Room’s Digital Twin
Theoretical Context:
This PhD will draw upon transmedial narratology with a contribution to knowledge aimed at ‘audio narratology’ (and/or similar specialisations) for cultural heritage case studies. The PhD will draw upon concepts and methods from digital humanities and analyse datasets / case studies related to creating ‘digital twins’ and 3D models of heritage infrastructure to answer a research question that drives this interdisciplinary research forward.
Research Objectives:
- Investigate sensory-based opportunities for indoor spatial narratives to enhance visitor understanding of physical in-situ sonic/audio and multimodal narrative experiences.
- Develop a narrative framework focused on audio modalities for heritage XR storytelling using the Long Room’s Digital Twin as a case study.
- Collaborate with PhD-2 (Computer Science) and PhD-3 (Creative Arts) to integrate storytelling elements with film, soundscapes, and XR technologies based on the digital twin (PhD-1).
Expected Results:
- Create a multimodal framework of narrative techniques that communicate the Long Room’s cultural heritage significance.
- Advance theory in digital narratology for heritage sites, with emphasis on indoor spatial and acoustic narratives.
- Produce a set of user-centred design principles for heritage-based XR Digital Twin experiences (with the possibility of developing a digital prototype)
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Produce a PhD thesis according to Trinity College Dublin’s criteria
- Attend/organise interdisciplinary group project research meetings
- Identify and participate in research dissemination activities including conference presentations and writing academic papers (in consultation with supervisor(s))
- Identify and participate in public outreach activities (e.g., public lectures; workshops)
- Be an active affiliate researcher of the Trinity Centre of Digital Humanities and The Long Room Hub (e.g., attending networking and researcher development events)
- Engage with professional development opportunities (e.g., teaching assistance)
Person Specification
Minimum eligibility requirements (i.e., for PhD entry to SLLCS):
- A minimum 2.1 (Upper Second Class Honours) achievement in an undergraduate degree, equivalent to Ireland’s National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 8. A master’s degree (level 9) in a related subject is strongly recommended, ideally with a distinction classification.
- English-language competency at Band B is essential.
Skills and competencies (Essential & Desirable):
Essential:
- Commitment to interdisciplinary research approaches
- Strong academic writing skills in the English language
- Excellent research and project management skills
- Knowledge of digital media including audio and XR software
Desirable:
- A master’s degree in a related subject (e.g., digital humanities; digital media/cultural studies; game studies; comparative literature; literary studies), ideally with distinction.
- Software skills (e.g., digital media editing software; basic python programming; AI tools; game engine prototyping)
- English language proficiency at band C
- Experience in a cross-cultural or dynamic workplace/environment
Application Procedure
Applicants must submit:
- PhD project proposal according to SLLCS TCD template, based on above description: https://www.tcd.ie/media/tcd/langs-lits-cultures/docs/SLLCS-PhD-Proposal-Form.doc
- English-language competency (see accepted supporting documents here: https://www.tcd.ie/study/english-language-requirements/)
- Academic transcript(s)
- Academic writing sample in English (2,500 words – can be an extract of a longer work)
- Curriculum Vitae
- Names and email addresses of two referees (at least one should be an academic reference).
Please submit the above-mentioned application documents by 26 June 2026 12:00 (GMT) to:
Name: Nicole Basaraba, Assistant Professor in Digital Humanities, Trinity College Dublin
Email Address: n.basaraba@tcd.ie
Further Information for Applicants
Online (Zoom) interviews will likely take place between 6-10 July.
| URL Link to PI profile: | https://www.tcd.ie/research/profiles/?profile=nbasarab |
| SLLCS PhD entrance criteria: | https://www.tcd.ie/langs-lits-cultures/programmes/postgraduate/how-to-apply/ |
| Link to TDRA Group Project webpage: | https://dh.tcd.ie/projects-2/from-silence-to-story/ |
| URL Link to Human Resources | https://www.tcd.ie/hr/ |