Paul Devos

Paul Devos received the M.Sc. degree in physics (1987) and the M.Sc. degree in physical engineering (1989) both from Ghent University, Belgium. In 1996 he received a PhD degree in physics from EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) after conducting research about mechanical and magnetic energy dissipation in ceramic superconductors.
In 2002, after taking positions in industry he became a Professor at the Ghent University College, and from 2013 at the University of Ghent, teaching students in the fields of Digital Signal Processing, Biomedical Electronics and Smart Instrumentation. Since 2015 he is part Waves research group at INTEC.
His research investigates the interplay between nature and sound, integrating bioacoustics, acoustics, machine learning, digital signal processing, and instrumentation. The overarching aim is to characterize natural and urban soundscapes (terrestrial and underwater) and assess their functions, significance, and impacts on both people and wildlife. A major emphasis is computational bioacoustics, advanced machine learning and AI methodologies with particular attention to birdsong — an exceptionally diverse acoustic signal that is biologically and ecologically extremely relevant and is associated with benefits for human well-being.

Current and previous projects include:
FWO postdoc (dr. Clea Parcerisas - VLIZ Oostende, marine bioacoustics)
EU-cost-EUFLYNET (Bird migration study)
BOF (Computational bioacoustics)
FWO WithMe (WithMe: making human-artificial intelligence interactions more entraining and engaging through biomonitoring of brain function)
VLAIO, IOF AcustiCare (The study of soundscapes in nursing homes, and The use of soundscapes for supporting residents with dementia.)