EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Sound Futures
From megacities to oceans, most places on Earth are polluted with noise and tranquility is disappearing. Noise is a health problem for one in five European citizens. At high levels it causes hearing loss. At moderate levels it creates chronic stress, annoyance, sleep disturbance and heart disease. Noise makes it harder to communicate, harms learning in schools and causes older people to withdraw from social situations. The 2023, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report called noise a “neglected pollutant” and recommended more research was needed. Noise also harms animals and decreases biodiversity.
A sustainable aural future is more than just reducing noise; it includes the engineering of positive sounds. From using sound to improve the accessibility of products, through to enhancing cultural events that boost well-being, there are many ways of creating a better sounding future.
The Sustainable Sounds Futures CDT is a leading doctoral training centre, funded by EPSRC in collaboration with the universities of Salford, Sheffield, Bristol, and Southampton. Working with over fifty project partners from industry and government, this initiative delivers an unmatched level of expertise and cutting-edge facilities for Acoustics PhD training.
Research Themes
Across our extensive network of universities and project partners, the Sustainable Sounds Futures CDT explores four key research themes—driving innovation in acoustics and investigating the latest advancements in sound science.
New sound sources
The shift from fossil fuels to renewables, electricity and hydrogen will profoundly change how the world sounds. The new energy sources create challenges for industry and regulators, but also opportunities for us to innovate and improve the aural environment.
Perception of sound by human and other animals
If we are to create a better sounding future, how humans and other animals respond to sound must be at the heart of our engineering. We need to understand the interdependencies between physics and perception, exploiting new physiological measurement methods and virtual reality.
Machine Learning for sound
This is the dominant approach in signal processing and is now emerging as the next disruptive technology across computer simulation, measurement, design optimisation and modelling of listener response.
Positive uses of sound
As well as quietening noise, we need to think how to improve the quality of sound from products and within places. There are also other positive uses of sound we might investigate, e.g. the rapid growth of acoustic sensors (e.g., IoT, underground telecommunications) unlocks potential for sound sensing to monitor buildings.
Why join a Centre for Doctoral Training?
Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) are dynamic hubs of innovation, uniting diverse fields of expertise to equip engineers with the skills, knowledge, and confidence necessary to address both contemporary challenges and those of the future.
Through our four-year programme, students receive specialized training and masterclasses led by renowned academic and industry experts, gaining advanced research skills to drive innovation in acoustics. With hands-on experience and interdisciplinary learning, our PhD candidates develop the insight needed to shape the future of sustainable soundscapes.
Our research delves into emerging external drivers shaping sound, including the transformative impact of net-zero initiatives, while harnessing the complementary expertise within each university and our network of research supervisors.
