Call for postdoctoral researchers in human computation

The University of  Gothenburg is looking for a highly motivated researcher interested in human-computer interaction and/or human computation. The methodology in this project will involve an iterative interplay between observation, game development, and evaluation. Specifically, the postdoc is expected to evaluate the interactions between individual players and different game versions by conducting cognitive ethnographic studies on how players use the features of the game interface to turn information into sense-making and decision-making. The findings of the evaluation will be used by the programmers at ScienceAtHome to develop a new and more interactive version of the game. The postdoc will conduct independent research under the supervision of a senior lecturer. In this project, we encourage cooperation initiatives with researchers both within the University of Gothenburg and in other relevant departments worldwide.

The successful applicant will be employed by the University of Gothenburg and will be an active member of a research project group at the Department of Applied Information Technology with the goal of addressing the challenges of developing new ways of collaboration between humans and machines. Specifically, the research group will work on optimizing a hybrid configuration, involving both human and machine intelligence, which can make the most of the capability of both intelligences in a citizen science serious game in quantum physics, called Quantum Moves. This project will use a design science approach that combines research methodologies, such as exploratory lab studies using cognitive ethnography, focus groups and large-scale A/B testing, with the development of algorithms to make the game more interactive. The main expected outcome is a contribution to the design of cooperative human-computer systems able to solve outstanding scientific problems. The postdoc will be an integral part of all project activities, but his/her main responsibility will be to conduct the lab studies, the focus groups, and the A/B testing.

This project offers a great opportunity to study this human-computer interaction process in the complete development stage. The starting point of this project is the ongoing development and research work on Quantum Moves done at the AU Ideas Center for Community Driven Research (CODER) at Aarhus University in Denmark, which has developed the platform ScienceAtHome, currently featuring several scientific games. CODER aims to merge theoretical and experimental quantum research with online community efforts to explore the potential for online citizen science in this otherwise highly specialized field.

The successful applicant will work closely with the project leader, Dr. Marisa Ponti, as well as the programmers and researchers at ScienceAtHome (https://www.scienceathome.org/), led by Prof. Jacob Sherson.

This research project is funded by the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation in Sweden. The postdoc will be the third member of the core project team and will have the opportunity to attend international conferences and publish.

Read more and apply here