Speaker
Description
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Sound Futures is delivering PhD training on an unprecedented scale for Acoustic Engineering. Over five cohorts, the CDT will support more than seventy interdisciplinary researchers addressing the societal, environmental and technological challenges of sound and noise. The programme is a collaboration between the Universities of Salford, Bristol, Sheffield and Southampton with over 50 partners from industry, third and public sector. The Centre integrates four research themes: new sound sources, perception of humans and other animals, machine learning for acoustics, and positive uses of sound. Alongside their research, students benefit from a cohort-based curriculum that develops broad, interdisciplinary working. By combining world class facilities with a bespoke taught module, residential workshops, masterclasses, journal clubs and summer schools across partner universities, the CDT develops students’ technical expertise and transferable skills.The CDT programme emphasises measurement, simulation, signal processing, statistics, psychophysics, data management and ethical practice, and is designed to foster entrepreneurship, policy engagement, public communication and inclusive research cultures. Placements and industry partnerships accelerate translation of research into standards, products, and policy across national, regional and international sectors. Governance, supervision and partner integration are structured to ensure PhD project relevance and impact, with substantial partner funded studentships. By aligning fundamental research with applied innovation and industry needs, the CDT aims to produce research leaders capable of advancing metrics, mitigation strategies and design principles that promote quieter, healthier and more sustainable soundscapes across energy, transport, built environment and health sectors.