ICAD’s Old, Good Friend (ICAD 2015 General Co-chair)
So, who are you?
I am a senior scientist focusing on sonification and sonic interaction design at the Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics (the IEM) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in Austria: a great place of research between arts and engineering. Originally, I studied environmental sciences and recently tried to incorporate this into my research, for instance highlighting (mainly students’) projects on sound and sustainability, see below.
How did you end up working on Sonification and Auditory Displays?
Upon finishing my studies, I searched for a music-related science project: and there was a cooperation between the IEM and my physics’ department, where nobody wanted to do sonification. Also the IEM’s head told me, I could do a sonification thesis, but this would not be the start of a career… well, he was wrong.
What is the role of Sonification/Auditory Display in your research?
The topic is interdisciplinary and this is great: it allows me to follow various interests, starting from physics, one focus into climate science, a glimpse into physiotherapy, a little bit virtual acoustics and a lot about ecological perception.
What is the most challenging part in your work?
I am still – and probably always – sitting between many chairs, having studied neither sound engineering nor computer music – the main curricula taught at the IEM.
Anything special ICADders should know about you?
I plan to come to ICAD “terran” this year, which means I am looking forward to a 29 hours train ride… also travel terran!
What would you like to say to ICADders?
We should continue to do simple and intuitive sonifications and distribute them widely; this makes sonification alive – rather than focusing on the (complex) killer app 🙂
What is your favorite sonification/auditory display ever?
Loud numbers is (or was?!) a great attempt to bring sonification to the people – for instance the episode about the insect population decline: https://www.loudnumbers.net/podcast
What is the study/tool/work in the field of auditory display you are most proud of?
https://sidlab.iem.sh/project/pilotkitchen/