What is acoustics?
What is acoustics – and why is it a great career?
If you’re looking for a fascinating career in which you can exploit your maths and science skills then you should definitely explore the diverse world of acoustics.
The “dry” definition of acoustics is the study of “the generation, transmission and reception of energy in the form of vibrational waves in matter”.
But this abstract definition tells only part of the acoustical story. The definition fails to acknowledge the human dimension and the everyday impact acoustics has on the lives, health and wellbeing of each one of us.
Acoustics is all around you. It’s everywhere. You’ll find it in the voices of your friends, in the music you hear, in the car you drive and in the shake, rattle and roll of a fairground ride.
Professional acousticians use their expertise to work in a huge variety of fields – from the design of a recording studio or smart phone audio apps to environmental and workplace noise measurement and control, and from the assessment of wind farm nuisance to car and jet engine design, to name just a few.
So if your idea of a great career is one that mixes people, science and engineering in various combinations then you can be confident that a rewarding job awaits you somewhere in the world of acoustics.
But that’s not all.
It’s multidisciplinary in nature. This means the education, training and experience you’ll gain in the course of your studies and work experience will put you in an excellent position to pursue careers in other areas of science, engineering, or construction in the unlikely event that you ever tire of being an acoustician.
What personal qualities do you need for a career in acoustics?
A career in acoustics would suit you if you:
• have an aptitude for maths and science
• are creative in your approach to solving problems
• are curious about music, speech and other sounds and how they work
• have good written and verbal skills.