Christian Lorenzi

I was trained in Psychology at Univ Lyon II. I then obtained a Master degree in Cognitive Sciences and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology in the same university. I have worked at the Applied Psychology Unit of the Medical Research Council (MRC, Cambridge, UK) as a post-doctoral scientist, and at the Institute of Hearing Research of the MRC (Glasgow, UK) as a junior scientist. I was recruited at the Univ Paris Descartes as lecturer (1997) and then full professor (2001), before taking a position of full professor in Experimental Psychology at the Ecole normale superieure (Paris) in 2011. I am a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and a former (junior) member of IUF (2001). My research focuses on temporal processing by the normal and impaired human auditory system, the perception of speech and natural soundscapes by normal-hearing and hearing-impaired people.
 

My research program focuses on the processing of the temporal structure of sounds by the normal and impaired auditory system in humans. I study the auditory perception of two types of temporal modulations of the acoustic signal, the temporal envelope and temporal fine structure, using various approaches (psychophysics, clinical audiology, computer modeling, developmental psychology, neuropsychology, brain imaging, electrophysiology).

For some years now, our research in human auditory ecology has focused on the auditory perception of natural scenes - i.e. natural soundscapes (forests, savannahs, deserts) - by normal-hearing and hearing-impaired people, as well as our ability to perceive the presence of living beings and biodiversity of these environments.

My teaching focuses on human auditory perception and the scientific methods used to study it. At Bachelor level, I teach and coordinate a general introduction to the psychology of perception. At Master's level, I teach psychophysical methods and experimental audiology (the study of hearing difficulties and their rehabilitation using hearing aids and implants). I also teach and coordinate a more general course on sensory ecology, with a particular focus on human auditory ecology. At PhD level, I coordinate several courses on ethics and preparations for applications in the academic and public sectors.  

Human auditory ecology – the scientific study of the interactions between humans and the environment through the auditory modality – is not limited to the case of urban settings and communication, but extends to natural settings and perception of more “natural” (e.g., wild or rural) soundscapes and their components. Here we use massive acoustic databases of high quality and novel experimental paradigms to set up ecologically-valid investigations of human perception that challenge our current knowledge of basic auditory mechanisms and auditory scene analysis and unveil “monitoring capacities” distinct from those engaged in communication. Their universality, specificity and the possibility to enhance them through life-long exposure and training are open to question. Computational modelling guides this endeavour. The extension of this research program to audiology should also refine our understanding of the perceptual consequences of cochlear and central damage, and offer new perspectives to improve the quality of life and more broadly health of people living in rural settings and people visiting regularly green or blue spaces within cities or national parks. This research may also suggest ways to be better prepared to address shocks and transition to sustainable urban and rural environments.  

More info:

• Human auditory ecology wikipedia page
• De Paris aux Highlands écossais, voyage au pays du silence, The Conversation, 17 mars 2024
• Perte du contact auditif avec la nature
• "Comment écouter la nature quand le vivant nous parle", The Conversation, 21 septembre 2023.
• Programme de recherche en écologie auditive humaine de l'ENS-PSL (Paris, France)
• Une mosaïque sensorielle pour comprendre la crise environnementale

 

• Director of Scientific Studies at Ecole normale superieure, Paris (2014 - 2020)
• Head of the Departement d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Paris (2009-2013)
• Head of the ‘Institut d’Etude de la Cognition (LabEx IEC, ranked A+, 2011, Investissements d’avenir program)” of Ecole normale supérieure (2011-2013: Budget: € 8.5 M))
• Leader of the “Audition” team of the UMR 8158 (2004-2007; 3 PIs, 1 Technician,~ 10 PhD students/postdocs)
• Founder (2005) and director (2005-2009) of the national consortium for research in audiology, GDR-GRAEC (CNRS GDR 2967, ~27 partners)
• Member of Section 16 “Psychologie” of the Conseil National des Universités, CNU” (2007-2011)
• Member of the “Commission nationale d’attribution des Primes d’Encadrement Doctoral (PEDR) et des Primes d’Excellence Scientifique PES” (2008, 2009)
• Member of the “Comité Opérationnel d’Ethique (COPE ; CNRS Ethics committee) » du CNRS” (2006)