This spring, two PhD students of the Building Acoustics team have successfully defended their PhD thesis!
Michail Terzakis graduated with the thesis Outdoor-to-Indoor Sound Propagation Models for Noise Exposure Studies
Michail’s research presents a comprehensive framework for predicting indoor environmental noise levels, with a strong focus on how noise transmits from outdoor to indoor spaces.
His thesis includes:
– A literature review on the effects of environmental noise on children and relevant noise indicators
– Regression models based on a rich dataset to predict indoor noise exposure from indoor and outdoor measurements
– A physical modeling approach for indoor noise prediction from environmental noise sources
– A detailed validation study using impulse response measurements
– A machine learning model trained on physical simulations to predict outdoor-to-indoor noise based on environmental and façade characteristics
More about his work can be read in this article.
Maud Hulsman-Dohmen defended her work Children’s Mental Health and the Environment: Examining the role of activity patterns and environmental noise exposure
Children’s mental health is shaped by both social and physical environments, yet these are often studied separately. This thesis bridges that gap by examining how children interact with their surroundings through activity patterns and environmental exposures. A key focus is environmental noise, which may affect mental health and cognitive functioning. The research also explores how children cope with environmental stressors, particularly the long-term effects of failed coping, known as learned helplessness. Findings highlight the importance of age-specific, supportive environments and suggest that perception, cognitive fatigue, and chronic noise exposure significantly influence mental health outcomes and stress resilience.
More about her work can be read in this Cursor article.
We are very proud of the achievements of these researchers!
Building Acoustics TU/e 