Professor Tim Leighton from the University has been awarded the 2014 Rayleigh Medal, the highest award of the Institute of Acoustics (IOA).
Tim is Professor of Ultrasonics聽and Underwater Acoustics at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) and Associate Dean (Research) in Engineering and the Environment. He is known for initiating fundamental research and then taking it through to real-life applications, which include providing insights and data for climate change monitoring, inventing devices currently used in hospitals and industry, inventing new radar and sonar systems for the detection of explosives or catastrophe victims, and co-authoring the guidelines under which foetal ultrasonic scans are done (currently around two billion children since the guidelines were published). Further details on these impacts can be found .
Professor Leighton said: 鈥淚 am honoured by this award and delighted that the presentation will occur at the 40th anniversary celebrations of the foundation of the IOA. There is a great history of acoustics in the UK, in which both the IOA聽and the University of Southampton have played a major part. ISVR, like the rest of the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment to which it belongs, is carrying out the University鈥檚 mission, of 鈥榗hanging the world for the better鈥�.
鈥淟ast year, ISVR聽celebrated its 50th anniversary, supported by the IOA. It recognised past members and alumini, the achievements in enterprise and patient care, and the impact ISVR聽has had on large-scale challenges, such as noise and vibration in aero聽engines and railways, audiology, the human effects of sound and vibration, reproduced sound, bioengineering and many other areas (not to forget the ultrasonic microfluidics elsewhere in the faculty).鈥�
Professor Leighton adds: 鈥淎s we head towards the IOA鈥檚 own anniversary, we are looking to the future in ISVR as we move forward from our own anniversary under our new Director, , who collaborated with me in so much of the research honoured by this award.
鈥淚 have been fortunate to have enjoyed many excellent interdisciplinary collaborations throughout my career, but Paul White and Dr Peter Birkin (Chemistry) stand out as people who have been steadfast collaborators and friends for over two decades.鈥�