Funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is available for two PhD Studentships to run concurrently from April 2006. One postgraduate will work in the Acoustics Research Unit at the University of Liverpool and the other in the Dynamics Group of the Institute of Sound and Vibration at the University of Southampton. The successful applicants will work with a third postgraduate already in place within the Acoustics Research Centre at the University of Salford.

This is a collaborative project and the three postgraduates will meet regularly and will receive specialised research training at all three institutions.

The project concerns the estimation of the acoustic power input by vibrating sources (pumps, motors, etc) to structures (e.g. buildings, cars, etc). The estimated power will provide input data to Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) models of structures in order to predict the resulting noise and vibration levels.

The ISVR group, under Professor Brian Mace, will work on the interaction of the source with the receiver, and the consequent estimates of input power variability due to this interaction. There will be a substantial analytical/theoretical component, but also numerical studies and experimental work.

The Liverpool group, under Professor Barry Gibbs, will work on structure-borne sound sources, particularly for applications in buildings. This will involve experimental work on real sources such as fans, pumps, motors etc. as well as computer modelling and theoretical work.

The Salford group, under Dr. Andy Moorhouse, will work on ways to simplify the data needed to characterise the sources and receiver structures. Analytical/ theoretical work will be required, plus measurements and computer simulation. This studentship is now filled.

PhD Studentship and postgraduate tuition fees at the UK/EU rate.

For more information please contact Professor Brian Mace (tel: +44 (0)23 8059 2344).Email: brm@isvr.soton.ac.uk

Please send application forms to: Professor Brian Mace, Professor of Structural Dynamics, ISVR, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ or email: brm@isvr.soton.ac.uk

Closing date for applications: 25 November 2005.