Matthew Irving ’21, an acoustical engineering and music graduate, is excited to continue his education in the field of acoustics. He is now pursuing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in Structural Dynamics and Acoustics in the Smart Structures & Dynamical Systems Laboratory at Georgia Tech.
There, Irving will be researching the use of devices called piezoelectric transducers for the purposes of power and data transfer. Simply stated, piezoelectric transducers vibrate when an alternating electric current is applied to them or, conversely, create an alternating electric current when vibrated. Using this property, piezoelectric transducers can be mounted on both sides of a metal barrier and by forcing one to vibrate, the other vibrates and creates an alternating electric current on the other side. This allows for power and data to be transferred through a metal barrier using vibrations. Applications of this research involve systems where wireless means of communication and power transfer are not possible, and where wires going through the barrier are not permitted. During his PhD program, Irving will be developing experimental prototypes and computer models for simultaneous data and power transfer in such systems.
Irving says he was inspired to pursue the University of Hartford's acoustical engineering and music program because he had interests in both music and engineering and sought a way to combine the two. The program was the perfect fit for his interests and career aspirations. During his time in the program, Irving says he gained a strong fundamental knowledge of the field of acoustics that allowed him to stand out for his doctoral candidacy.
Irving also notes how he appreciated the difficulty of the courses at the University of Hartford, for they prepared him well for the academic rigor of a graduate education. “The topics that I learned directly apply to what I will be studying and researching at Georgia Tech.”
During his undergraduate career, he completed two internships in the field of architectural acoustics. “I learned a lot during those internships, most importantly, I learned that I want to do research instead of the work that I was doing at the internships,” he says. Along with this valuable internship experience, Irving was grateful for the opportunity to conduct research on campus as well.
“At UHart, I completed a study on the acoustics of an instrument called a tongue drum,” he says. “I studied various aspects of the instrument, most keenly how it vibrated to produce sound. This research helped prepare me for my current research because I am now studying how sound and waves propagate through solids.”
The most important connections Irving made at UHart were with his faculty, including Dr. Bob Celmer, professor and program director of the acoustics program at UHart, as well as Applied Assistant Professor Philip Faraci who “always pushed me to reach my full potential.”
Along with these valuable connections, Irving’s favorite aspect about UHart was the student community. “I made some of my best friends at UHart and I was always able to surround myself with positive people.”
When asked what advice he would share with incoming students, Irving says to ask for help whenever you need it. “More often than not, if you are confused about something, you're not the only one,” he says. “A lot of times, all it takes is for that thing to be explained in a slightly different way for it to become clear.”
Matthew Irving '21, Acoustical Engineering and MusicThe knowledge that I gained at the University of Hartford made me stand out as a PhD candidate as the study of acoustics is generally only done at the graduate level. This ultimately helped me end up at one of the top engineering research institutes in the country.