More super-sonic communication

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Over the past two years, my Senior Media Fellowship has allowed me to develop and present science and engineering, especially acoustics, to the general public. The most significant success have been on radio, for instance I will present seven radio documentaries on BBC Radio 4 and World Service in 2009.I want an extension to my fellowship to allow me to build further on the contacts and networks I have developed in radio and TV. But I also want to expand my public engagement skills to include writing. I am planning two placements, one at the Guardian and one at BBC on-line, to help me develop my written communication skills. I also propose to write a popular science book on the subject of noise entitled Sounds About Me, which explores how people respond to different sounds, and what this tells us about ourselves, mankind and society.I will continue to promote my own subject area, which is acoustics, but I have already shown an ability to communicate across a wide range of subjects in science and engineering, for instance my regular slot on BBC Radio Manchester covers all areas of science not just sound. Sound is a common theme within all forms of media, whether that be reviews of the latest IPod technology in newspapers, or discussions of how to deal with noisy anti-social behaviour on TV news. Sound also features on the school curriculum at all key stages, and hence this extension proposal includes ideas for further work with Teachers TV. It is also an ideal subject for inspiring the next generation of engineers, tapping into young people's interest in music technology.I also want to try to advance the EQUAL agenda in the media. EQUAL is concerned with extending the quality of life for older people and disabled people. Acoustics and EQUAL are connected because one of the key experiences of ageing is deafness. This is subtle (our loved ones notice before we do), important (speech communication) and almost universal, and so makes a great subject for engaging the public. Sound and EQUAL are ideal themes for this fellowship, because through them I can enrich the general public's understanding of the connections between their everyday experiences, and engineering and science.