New IOA award named after the late Dr Bob Peters

The Institute of Acoustics have recently approved a new award named after the late Dr Bob Peters in recognition to his outstanding service to acoustics education and and his long standing commitment to teaching and student success. For 20 years Dr Bob Peters was part of the LSBU Acoustics Group teaching staff and contributed greatly to the good education standing that the group holds. The award was conceived and proposed by Dr Luis Gomez-Agustina, a former student of Dr Bob Peters. The first nominations will be considered this autumn 2021 for 2022. The award will be biannual and for a single outstanding or significant contribution to acoustics education and training or a sustained long-term activity in this respect.

Best 2019-20 IOA Diploma Final project at LSBU announced

At the IOA London Branch meeting held online on 20th January, the three best IOA Diploma final student projects undertaken at LSBU were presented as part of the annual NTI-Audio sponsored best LSBU Diploma final project award competition. Rory Hendrick presented on Vibration in Fibre Reinforced Concrete Composite, Courtney Hawkins on Weather conditions in building acoustics design and James Allen presented his work on Aircrew helmets hearing protection. NTI-Audio Managing director Charles Greene and Diploma course director Dr Luis Gomez-Agustina presented the award to the winner: Rory Hendrick.  Many congratulations to Rory and to the other two finalists. We wish you all the best for the future

 

The Quiet Project starts monitoring Lockdown 3

 
Lockdown 3 has started, and as such the Quiet Project is monitoring the change in environmental noise. From 11th January 2021 monitoring stations have been erected around the country. Again I have to thank Campbell Associates for their kind assistance with the instrumentation. Let's see the effect of the slight difference in policy between Lockdowns. 

IOA Diploma Student Projects & NTI-Audio best project award

 
Three IOA Diploma students will present their own research at the London Branch meeting to be held on 20 January 2021 over Zoom. John Allen will present on, "The Effectiveness of Military Air Crew Helmet Protection"; Courtney Hawkins on, "The Effect of Weather on Building Acoustic Design"; and finally Rory Hendrick on, "Vibration in Fiber-Reinforced Concrete". At the end of the evening Charles Green will present the NTi-Audio award to the best student. Good luck everyone!  

Scotland: Welcomed the reintroduction of music in hospitality venues

 

On the 12^th December 2020 background music was reintroduced to the hospitality sector in Scotland thanks to some fleet footed acoustics research. The Scottish Parliament having banned music in August 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID. In October 2020 Prof Stephen Dance and UKAN supported KSG Acoustics to quickly design and develop a new subjective methodology statement to establish safe amplified indoor audio levels. In November 2020, this methodology was objectively assessed as effective based on multiple field studies. The research was put in-front of ministers in December 2020 where it was agreed to be suitable for implementation by both License Standards Officers and Environment Health Officers. Let's hope the pubs and restaurants open again soon!

Greenwich Foot Tunnel Acoustically Surveyed

 

The Greenwich foot tunnel in London (UK) connects the south and north banks of the river Thames. It runs 15m beneath the river bank and is 370m long. It was inaugurated in 1902, it is a listed building used by a 1.2 million people a year. It has become an interesting London acoustic landmark due to its unusual and interesting acoustic characteristics. In December 2020 for the first time ever, a comprehensive survey was undertaken to characterize the acoustics of this London landmark. It was conducted by Dr Luis Gomez-Agustina and former LSBU MSc Acoustics student Pedro Vazquez-Barrera with the assistance of PhD candidate Doug Shearer. Watch this space for further information on results.

Summary of Acoustics Group Activity: 2020

We thank you all for your support over what can only be described as a difficult year. To summarise links with IOA were further strengthened with branch meetings and virtual seminars given by both staff and students. Presentations were given at various virtual conferences including IOA annual conference, European INCE on Quiet Drones, Reproduced Sound, and of course Inter-Noise 2020.  Six journal papers were published on metadiffusers, lung sounds, recycled glass beads, the UK noise environment under COVID- theQuietProject.co.uk, inflatables as an acoustic treatment and the noise from the operation of London Heliport. Dr Bob Peter’s final book was published on uncertainty. Prizes were awarded to IOA Students: Jakub Hajku (NTi award) and Paul Roberts (ANC Diploma project) and of course Doug Shearer was awarded his doctorate! Sponsorship and support was extended by both the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Opera House. New equipment was purchased to deliver “Lab in a Box”, Dirac 6 for measurements, and CADNA-A for environmental noise modelling. Research funding was secured to extend the UK Acoustics Network and a new EPSRC UKAN+ grant awarded for 2021-25. Next year will see normality resume and the introduction of the long awaited Apprenticeship in Acoustics! Happy New Year to you all.