Expertise Across Our Universities
The Sustainable Sound Futures CDT brings together the strengths of four leading universities—Salford, Bristol, Sheffield, and Southampton—each offering distinctive expertise in acoustics research.
- University of Salford – Specializes in perception and architectural acoustics, exploring how sound interacts with the built environment and human experience.
- University of Southampton – Conducts cutting-edge research in underwater acoustics and audiology/health, shaping advancements in medical and marine sound applications.
- University of Bristol – Provides a unique perspective on aeroacoustics, complementing Southampton’s expertise in sound and vibration research.
- University of Sheffield – Leads in machine learning applications for speech and hearing, and nonlinear structural dynamics and acoustics.
Through our collaborative network, students benefit from cross-disciplinary learning, harnessing expertise from multiple fields to tackle the challenges of sustainable acoustics.
Our Cutting-Edge Facilities
From our collaborative network, we provide all our CDT students with unprecedented access to world-class laboratories, measurement rigs, simulation tools, and extensive data sets; students benefit from state-of-the-art research facilities designed to drive innovation in acoustics.
For over 60 years, the University of Salford has been at the forefront of acoustics research, operating in world-class laboratories equipped with listening rooms, reverberation rooms, anechoic chambers, and an accredited calibration laboratory. These state-of-the-art facilities support groundbreaking advancements in sound science and acoustics engineering.
The Acoustics Research Centre at Salford is recognized as the Designated Institute for Airborne Acoustics Metrology in the UK, leading national efforts in measurement standards and acoustic research.
In 2027, Salford will open a new £18M facility, designed to further enhance research and teaching in acoustics.
The Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) at the University of Southampton is a world renowned research centre with close to 40 staff dedicated to research, consultancy and education in all aspects of sound and vibration.
ISVR offers researchers and students access to world class facilities, including wind tunnels, large anechoic and reverberation chambers to investigate the science and real-world applications of acoustics across specialized areas of research including underwater acoustics, complex signal processing, virtual acoustics and structural vibrations.
The ISVR is also the editorial office for the Journal of Sound and Vibration; an independent journal for the publication of original papers relating to sound and vibration.
The world-leading Aeroacoustics research team at the University of Bristol provides the state-of-the-art theoretical, numerical, and experimental methods to investigate the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of different aerodynamic components. The aeroacoustics team is involved in several large UK, EU and industrial research activities, with the aim to better understand the aerodynamic noise generation mechanisms and to develop robust noise mitigation methods
Bristol offers some of the best and most unique wind tunnel facilities in the country, including an Aeroacoustic wind tunnel, a low-turbulence wind tunnel, a pressure-neutral acoustic wind tunnel for propeller research, a high-speed subsonic and supersonic jet facility, and a large 7’x5’ close-circuit wind tunnel.
The University of Sheffield is home to the £12m EPSRC Lab for Verification and Validation (LVV), a world leading facility in dynamic testing of full-scale structures in ambient laboratory conditions. The LVV offers the opportunity to test substantial structures, sub-structures and components in realistic environmental conditions.
The LVV comprises of three environmental chambers enabling the development of new validation methods and test protocols into vibrations and dynamics of structures with a wide range of engineering applications.
In addition, the Centre for Machine Intelligence and Human-centric AI applies its unique expertise in machine learning to speech and hearing.
Industry Collaboration
Beyond university facilities, our CDT benefits from strong industry collaboration, with project partners offering access to state-of-the-art laboratories, measurement equipment, and simulation tools, including:
- Laboratories – Arup, Sorama, Holoplot
- Measurement Equipment – Microflown, Matelys, HEAD acoustics
- Simulation Tools – Siemens Industry Software, Treble
This unique academic-industry partnership ensures our CDT students gain hands-on experience using the latest technologies and equipment.