Riccardo

What's a brief synopsis of your research project?

The research I've undertaken at the Institute of Sound Recording (IoSR), as a doctoral student part of the AURORA3 (Anechoic and Universal Research Observation Rooms for Audio Acoustics & AI) project, focuses on room acoustics, specifically trying to predict how sound fields behave in everyday enclosures from limited information using data-driven machine learning models. Currently, my studies are focused on designing a reliable automated robotics system, which will allow researchers to record datasets in AURORA3's Variable Acoustic Room (VAR) without the tedious and time-consuming manual labour that is currently required. 

Such recording campaigns will be tracked using an optical VICON system, making sure that these large-scale sets of acoustic measurements are much more precise than what would be feasible manually. With this research we aim to make cheaper and faster accurate descriptions of sound fields in rooms possible, as well as aid researchers' work through the use of AURORA3's facilities and the currently in-development robotic platform for dataset recording.

Why did you choose to study at Surrey for your PhD?

The chance of working with experts in the field while using the world-first state-of-the-art AURORA3 facility was too good to pass up. 

This past year I had the privilege to watch this infrastructure being built, participating in design meetings and dealing with unforeseen issues along the way as they inevitably came up. Having both an anechoic chamber, with a large fifth-order ambisonics loudspeaker sphere, as well as a VAR, which features adjustable acoustic panels and a moving wall system, allowing us to precisely control the reverberation time and size of the room, provides us with tools unique to the University of Surrey.

Why are you passionate about your area of research?

Sound is often overlooked, as our lives are often consumed by visual stimuli, but it influences every part of our lives. Properly treated rooms allow us to concentrate at work without getting a headache (right away), relax in silence while at home, and effortlessly understand conversations at a lively restaurant. Thus, I believe proper understanding of the way these phenomena behave is essential to better design these spaces. Additionally, anechoic chambers are pretty sick.

Have you had opportunities to collaborate with others during your PhD?

So far, at Surrey I was able to collaborate with multiple people in academia, especially thanks to my supervisor's network, allowing me to explore ideas and complete research projects with researchers outside of the UK. Furthermore, thanks to the paper we have published in this first year, I was able to attend an international conference in the field of acoustics, putting me in contact with industry and other researchers that share interests in the same topics that my studies are currently covering. 

These opportunities have opened multiple paths for my research, aiding me in pursuing new knowledge and sharing it with the community.

What support have you had?

The University of Surrey has, from the very beginning, supported me in adapting to this new environment, offering a welcome seminar to the doctorate and answering any initial questions I've had about the structure of the degree. Furthermore, my supervisors, Prof. Enzo De Sena and Prof. Philip Jackson, have aided me a great deal over the months, preventing me from wasting time by steering the research in the most promising directions and discussing any doubts I might have during our weekly meetings. While any PhD follows an uncertain path, almost by definition, during my time at Surrey I've been supported and guided through it to ensure I won't become lost in its numerous byways..

What do you plan to do once you've finished your PhD?

While it can be stressful at times, researching new ideas is extremely satisfying and rewarding. Thus, I would love to have the chance to apply what I am learning here at Surrey in a postdoctoral programme in academia. Moving on to industry would also be a perfectly reasonable option, especially if part of an R&D department of an audio-focused company. In any case, I believe that the skills and knowledge I'm gaining during this PhD will be invaluable for my career, regardless of the opportunities available to me and the choices I am going to make..