PhD in Extended Reality for Behaviour Change

The Pioneer Centre for AI and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen invite applications for a fully funded PhD Fellow working with Assistant Professor Teresa Hirzle and Professor Kasper Hornbæk. Starting date 1 May 2025 or later.



The project
Extended reality (XR) technologies, including Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), enable us to display digital information in our physical surroundings, tailored to individual perspectives, environments, and preferences. This integration of digital content into our surroundings, either by creating virtual worlds (VR) or overlaying the physical world with digital content (AR), has the potential to significantly shape our future interactions with computers and influence our behaviours.

This PhD project will explore the potential of XR for behaviour change. On the one hand, Virtual Reality can help us train responses to various situations (e.g., exposure therapy), and even allows us to experience the consequences of our actions that are otherwise difficult to anticipate. On the other hand, Augmented Reality (AR) integrates information into our daily lives, making them practical for everyday use. This PhD project aims to better understand what makes those examples work by focusing on two research objectives:

• Understand the underlying factors that drive behaviour change in XR, focusing on fundamental XR properties like embodiment and presence.
• Develop a framework for interventions that integrate behaviour change techniques into everyday life using XR technology, supporting sustained change

The PhD student will have much freedom to shape the focus of their work and the research questions they are interested in. The project will use methods from human-computer interaction, including implementing and empirically evaluating XR prototypes with quantitative and qualitative methods. The project requires knowledge and interest in human-computer interaction and extended reality.

The principal supervisor is Professor Kasper Hornbæk ([email protected]); the project is led by Assistant Professor, Teresa Hirzle ([email protected]).

The research environment
The candidate will be a member of the Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence, a 5-university Danish research endeavor, and the Human-Centered Computing research section at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Computer Science. Both the centre and research section are highly international and well-funded, working on a broad range of fundamental research topics.

This position offers an opportunity to join a globally recognized, highly ambitious, creative, collaborative, and fun group of international researchers working at the forefront of human–computer interaction. The Human-Centered Computing section aspires to be a top research group for human-computer interaction that bridges technology, theory, and empirical studies. We have a regular presence at top-ranking HCI venues (e.g., CHI, TOCHI) and do well in rankings (like https://csrankings.org/#/index?chi&europe). We are currently 11 faculty, and a large and active group of PhD fellows and postdocs for peer-support and to engage with in social activities.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions and significant freedom in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include virtual and augmented reality headsets and tracking tools (Varjo XR-3, Oculus Quest 3, Optitrack, etc.) and a modern fabrication space (3D printers, laser cutters, electronics tools, 3D scanners, etc.).

Copenhagen is a vibrant city, with many cultural offerings and easy access to the rest of Europe. For more information about working in Denmark, consult International Staff Mobility or write to Michelle Løkkegaard, Chief Operating Officer at the Pioneer Centre for AI, [email protected].

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates with knowledge and interest in the field(s) Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, and Extended Reality (Virtual Reality and/or Augmented Reality).

General qualifications

• Master (Option A below) or Bachelor (Option B below) degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer interaction, or a related field.
• A curious mind-set with a strong interest in designing technologies and in technology driven behaviour change
• Being very comfortable with software development for VR/AR (for instance C# and Unity3D or Unreal Engine) and analysis/scripting
• Experience with user interface design and/or designing and performing user studies is helpful
• Strong team working and critical thinking skills
• Strong English language skills
• Relevant publications, if any

The PhD programme

Depending on your level of education, you can undertake the PhD programme as either:

• Option A: A three-year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.
• Option B: An up to five-year full-time study programme within the framework of the integrated MSc and PhD programme (the 3+5 scheme) if you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master´s degree – but you have an education equivalent to a Danish bachelor´s degree.

Option A: Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme

Qualifications needed for the regular programme

To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

The terms of employment and salary are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Option B: Getting into a position on the integrated MSc and PhD programme
Qualifications needed for the integrated MSc and PhD programme

If you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master´s degree, you might be qualified for the integrated MSc and PhD programme, if you have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish bachelor´s degree. Here you can find out, if that is relevant for you: General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of the integrated programme

To be eligible for the integrated scholarship, you are (or are eligible to be) enrolled at one of the faculty’s master programmes in Computer Science.

Students on the integrated programme will enroll as PhD students simultaneously with completing their enrollment in this MSc degree programme.

The duration of the integrated programme is up to five years, and depends on the amount of credits that you have passed on your MSc programme. For further information about the study programme, please see: www.science.ku.dk/phd, “Study Structures”.

Until the MSc degree is obtained, (when exactly two years of the full 3+5 programme remains), the grant will be paid partly in the form of 48 state education grant portions (in Danish: “SU-klip”) plus salary for work (teaching, supervision etc.) totalling a workload of at least 150 working hours per year. A PhD grant portion is DKK 6,820.00.

When you have obtained the MSc degree, you will transfer to the salary-earning part of the scholarship for a period of two years. At that point, the terms of employment and payment will be according to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes

• Complete and pass the MSc education in accordance with the curriculum of the MSc programme (ONLY when you are attending the integrated MSc and PhD programme)
• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

Application and Assessment Procedure

Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below. Please include:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
• Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
• Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
• Publication list (if possible)
• Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline
The deadline for applications is 1 December 2024, 23:59 CET.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held toward the end of April/early May 2025.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.