15 Oct 2019
IAS launches ‘Sound’ theme with first of three Summits
The Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) will be launching its Sound theme later this month with the first of three Summits centred around the topic.
The event will bring seven leading national and international researchers to Loughborough as IAS Visiting Fellows for the official launch of the theme – with a high-profile panel discussion around the question of ‘Why Sound Matters’ on 30 October, from 2pm-4pm in the West Park Teaching Hub.
Sound is a fundamental and rich source of information, yet often overlooked. Whether treated as a problem such as noise pollution or as a solution with sound healing, it is with us all the time, contributing to the transformation of our experiences, environments and cultures.
The theme will synergise Loughborough University’s expertise in sound research across various disciplines including engineering, science, art, design and social sciences.
It will be explored through an innovative programme of summits, workshops and seminars, investigating the physical, sensory, emotional, social, cultural, and environmental aspects of sound.
The theme is being led by Professor Hua Dong (School of Design and Creative Arts), Dr Johanna Hällsten (School of Design and Creative Arts), Dr Paul Lepper (School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering), Dr Valerie Pinfield (Department of Chemical Engineering), and Dr Robert Schmidt III (School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering), with support from a wider team across the University.
The programme is organised around three topical summits, each with a number of the invited Fellows, to inspire interdisciplinary conversations around the theme.
The three Summits are as follows:
- Sound - a science and engineering debate (October 2019)
- Sound - a design conversation (March 2020)
- Sound - art, space and ecology (June 2020)
In October the IAS is delighted to welcome the following Visiting Fellows:
• Timothy Leighton, FRS FREng, Professor of Ultrasonics and Underwater Acoustics, Southampton University
• Trevor Cox, Professor of Acoustic Engineering, Salford University
• Stephen Robinson, Principal Research Scientist at the National Physics Laboratory
• Enrique A. Lopez-Poveda, Professor of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Salamanca, Spain
• Julia Cassim, Project Professor, Kyoto Design Lab, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan
• Abdusselam Selami Cifter, Industrial Designer, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Architecture, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Turkey
• Pip Greasley, composer and sonic artist
Talking about the upcoming Summit, Professor Hua Dong said: “I am looking forward to this exciting opportunity to work with so many experts from different disciplines to explore the topic ‘sound’. Through the themed summits, workshops, seminars and coffee morning conversations, I hope many people will be engaged in the process and get inspired.”
Professor Marsha Meskimmon, Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies, added: “We are delighted to welcome such a stellar group of IAS Visiting Fellows to Loughborough for the first of three Sound Summits this academic year.
“We warmly invite colleagues from across the campus to participate in the Summit, and to explore the real-world implications of innovative, interdisciplinary sound and acoustic design research.”
To register for the launch event on Wednesday 30 October please book online here.