Dr Paul Kendrick
Lecturer in Audio and Acoustics, University of Salford
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hy do you think students should ‘Explore Acoustics’ as a career option?
There’s such a variety of different and surprising elements of acoustics from buildings to biology. It’s a wide-ranging subject that melds classical science with psychology – and that makes it unique.
Which STEM subjects are used in the profession?
The most useful tend to be physics, mathematics, statistics and even psychology.
Why is psychology used in acoustics?
Acoustics requires students to understand not only engineering but equally how to apply that science to how people perceive things.
Why would you recommend people to study acoustics?
I’d recommend it because the number of students that go straight into jobs is high compared with other subjects.
For me, it’s incredibly exciting to explore different fields and to understand physics and engineering, as well as learn about more surprising areas, such as ecology and bioacoustics.
Why is acoustics lesser-known than other subjects?
It’s often regarded as a sub-set of physics rather than a subject in itself. I’ve got a student doing a project at the moment on classroom acoustics – if you can’t hear you can’t learn. It’s so important but often overlooked, which is quite interesting.
Summary
I came in to the field because I’m a musician, but also interested in maths and science. This is a unique subject where all those interests came together. I can do research into music and into the science of creating that music as well.