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Martha Shiell

Senior Scientist

“I hope that the future will bring more convergence between engineering/technology fields with social sciences. I think we are biased to look towards technology for solutions to problems because it is more tangible than the messy complexity of human behaviour, relationships, and societies. But technology will only take us so far on its own!”

What is your primary work area within Eriksholm Research Centre?

I am focused on two different topics right now –  first, trying to understand how people use their eyes when they are following a realistic conversation, and second, developing measures that capture how well people use their hearing as an alarm system to alert them to relevant sounds in their surroundings (what we call “non-target hearing”). With both topics, the aim is to get a better understanding of hearing in the real-world, so that we can build technology that helps listeners when they are in complex sound environments.

What is your primary work area within Eriksholm Research Centre?

I am focused on two different topics right now –  first, trying to understand how people use their eyes when they are following a realistic conversation, and second, developing measures that capture how well people use their hearing as an alarm system to alert them to relevant sounds in their surroundings (what we call “non-target hearing”). With both topics, the aim is to get a better understanding of hearing in the real-world, so that we can build technology that helps listeners when they are in complex sound environments.

What originally triggered you interest in the hearing care field?

Like many auditory neuroscientists, I was drawn to study how the brain processes sound because of a love of music. It can be super exciting to study something as complex as the brain, but it is also a bit distant from the real-world – most basic research is decades away from having any direct applications (if ever!). So, after several years of that, I wanted to try using my skills and knowledge for something that had a more direct impact on society, and given my experience with the human auditory system, hearing care was an obvious choice.

What originally triggered you interest in the hearing care field?

Like many auditory neuroscientists, I was drawn to study how the brain processes sound because of a love of music. It can be super exciting to study something as complex as the brain, but it is also a bit distant from the real-world – most basic research is decades away from having any direct applications (if ever!). So, after several years of that, I wanted to try using my skills and knowledge for something that had a more direct impact on society, and given my experience with the human auditory system, hearing care was an obvious choice.

What brought you to Eriksholm?

I was lucky – just when I had decided to start looking for ways to make my research more applied, I happened to see an announcement for a new position here. Since I wasn’t in the hearing care field, I didn’t know much about Eriksholm, but I had heard about it and met a few Eriksholm scientists at conferences in the past. I decided to take a chance even though the job wasn’t exactly my expertise. I am glad I did!

What brought you to Eriksholm?

I was lucky – just when I had decided to start looking for ways to make my research more applied, I happened to see an announcement for a new position here. Since I wasn’t in the hearing care field, I didn’t know much about Eriksholm, but I had heard about it and met a few Eriksholm scientists at conferences in the past. I decided to take a chance even though the job wasn’t exactly my expertise. I am glad I did!

What motivates you in your job?

I have many brilliant colleagues and get a lot of daily motivation through my interactions with them. In the bigger picture, I like that my work has the potential to improve people’s lives.

What motivates you in your job?

I have many brilliant colleagues and get a lot of daily motivation through my interactions with them. In the bigger picture, I like that my work has the potential to improve people’s lives.

What do you hope to achieve in the long run?

I hope that the research I contribute to leads directly to improvements in hearing care and the experiences of people with hearing impairment.

What do you hope to achieve in the long run?

I hope that the research I contribute to leads directly to improvements in hearing care and the experiences of people with hearing impairment.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not working at Eriksholm?

I’m a long-time yogi, so I am usually regularly on my mat. I am also a long-time expat, and so I spend a lot of time travelling to visit my diaspora community around Europe and Canada.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not working at Eriksholm?

I’m a long-time yogi, so I am usually regularly on my mat. I am also a long-time expat, and so I spend a lot of time travelling to visit my diaspora community around Europe and Canada.

What is the most exciting scientific breakthrough or invention in your time?

It is a cliché to say! The progress in machine learning and computing in the past decades has led to some astounding possibilities.

What is the most exciting scientific breakthrough or invention in your time?

It is a cliché to say! The progress in machine learning and computing in the past decades has led to some astounding possibilities.

What do you hope will happen in future science?

I hope that the future will bring more convergence between engineering/technology fields with social sciences. I think we are biased to look towards technology for solutions to problems because it is more tangible than the messy complexity of human behaviour, relationships, and societies. But technology will only take us so far on its own!

What do you hope will happen in future science?

I hope that the future will bring more convergence between engineering/technology fields with social sciences. I think we are biased to look towards technology for solutions to problems because it is more tangible than the messy complexity of human behaviour, relationships, and societies. But technology will only take us so far on its own!

Publications

To see related publications, please follow this link and type in the scientist’s name in the free text search field. The result shows publications by this scientist during collaboration with Eriksholm Research Centre and/or with relevance to current work.

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Bilert, S. P., Hjortkjær, J., Alickovic, E., Shiell, M. M., Rotger-Griful, S., Zaar, J. (2021). Neural speech processing during selective listening in an audio-visual monologue vs. dialogue paradigm [Poster]. ARO 2021.
Hausfeld, L., Shiell, M., Formisano, E., & Riecke, L. (2021). Cortical processing of distracting speech in noisy auditory scenes depends on perceptual demand. NeuroImage, 228, 117670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117670
Skoglund, M. A., Andersen, M. R., Shiell, M. M., Keidser, G., Rank, M. L., & Rotger-Griful, S. (2022). Comparing in-ear EOG for Eye-Movement Estimation with Eye-Tracking: Accuracy, calibration, and speech comprehension. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.873201
Rotger-Griful, S., Shiell, M. M., Skoglund, M. A., Keidser, G., Zaar, J. (2022). Eye-Gaze Behaviour of Hearing-Impaired Listeners in Conversational Turn-Taking [Conference poster]. IHCON.

Projects

Mapping the curve of communication breakdowns during conversations in noise
Current
Mapping the curve of communication breakdowns during conversations in noise
4415,6493,18220,18222

Personalised Audiology

This project aims to determine the curve of communication breakdowns for hearing aid wearers and the...
This project aims to determine the curve of communication breakdowns for hearing aid wearers and…
Assessment of non-target hearing through immersive audio
CURRENT
Assessment of non-target hearing through immersive audio
4403,14576,14556

Intent Decoding, Cognitive Hearing Science, Personalised Audiology

We usually measure hearing based on “target” tests, where we evaluate a listener’s perception ...
We usually measure hearing based on “target” tests, where we evaluate a listener’s perception of…
Attention decoding in real-world listening
FINALIZED
Attention decoding in real-world listening
4341,4415

Intent Decoding, Cognitive Hearing Science, Personalised Audiology

When attending speech, a listener’s brain activity tracks the characteristics of the speech signal...
When attending speech, a listener’s brain activity tracks the characteristics of the speech signal. The…
Eye Gaze Behavior when Following Conversations
FINALIZED
Eye Gaze Behavior when Following Conversations
4403,4415

Intent Decoding, Cognitive Hearing Science, Personalised Audiology

This work was inspired by the observation that most research on eye gaze and speech has focused on b...
This work was inspired by the observation that most research on eye gaze and speech…
Mapping the curve of communication breakdowns during conversations in noise
Current
Mapping the curve of communication breakdowns during conversations in noise
4415,6493,18220,18222

Personalised Audiology

This project aims to determine the curve of communication breakdowns for hearing aid wearers and the...
This project aims to determine the curve of communication breakdowns for hearing aid wearers and…
Forming and Following Auditory Objects
Current
Forming and Following Auditory Objects
18176,1037,18178

Cognitive Hearing Science

This project investigates how the brain represents these auditory objects and how this process is af...
This project investigates how the brain represents these auditory objects and how this process is…
EASY LISTENING: Optimizing the consequences of effortful listening in occupational settings
CURRENT
EASY LISTENING: Optimizing the Consequences of Effortful Listening in Occupational Settings
3008,1037

Cognitive Hearing Science, Personalised Audiology

The project aims to train a new generation of entrepreneurial scientists skilled in using interdisci...
The project aims to train a new generation of entrepreneurial scientists skilled in using interdisciplinary…
Mapping the curve of communication breakdowns during conversations in noise
Current
Mapping the curve of communication breakdowns during conversations in noise
4415,6493,18220,18222

Personalised Audiology

This project aims to determine the curve of communication breakdowns for hearing aid wearers and the...
This project aims to determine the curve of communication breakdowns for hearing aid wearers and…
Assessment of non-target hearing through immersive audio
CURRENT
Assessment of non-target hearing through immersive audio
4403,14576,14556

Intent Decoding, Cognitive Hearing Science, Personalised Audiology

We usually measure hearing based on “target” tests, where we evaluate a listener’s perception ...
We usually measure hearing based on “target” tests, where we evaluate a listener’s perception of…
Attention decoding in real-world listening
FINALIZED
Attention decoding in real-world listening
4341,4415

Intent Decoding, Cognitive Hearing Science, Personalised Audiology

When attending speech, a listener’s brain activity tracks the characteristics of the speech signal...
When attending speech, a listener’s brain activity tracks the characteristics of the speech signal. The…
Eye Gaze Behavior when Following Conversations
FINALIZED
Eye Gaze Behavior when Following Conversations
4403,4415

Intent Decoding, Cognitive Hearing Science, Personalised Audiology

This work was inspired by the observation that most research on eye gaze and speech has focused on b...
This work was inspired by the observation that most research on eye gaze and speech…

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