Dr Neil Ferguson BSc PhD MIOA FHEA CEng
Senior Lecturer in Structural Dynamics
Dr Neil Ferguson is Senior Lecturer in Structural Dynamics within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton.
Neil considers the noise and vibration (vibroacoustics) of practical engineering structures in widely diverse areas such as transport (trains, cars, ships, satellite structures), buildings and even domestic appliances! The analysis and approaches tend to be analytical and mathematical, typically considering a wave propagation approach in order to gain insight and understanding of the underlying physics.
Previous studies
These have included work on railway noise and vibration, considering the wheel-rail interaction, which was followed by a period working on the dynamic response of satellites to the launch noise and vibration environment using a method for high frequencies (Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA)). Subsequently, as part of the early years as a sponsored BAe lecturer in ISVR, the research considered the topic of acoustic fatigue which is particularly relevant to aircraft structures close to high levels of acoustic excitation, numerical predictions for the behaviour of carbon fibre reinforced composites and nonlinear structural dynamics.
Current activities
Present research includes considering variability and uncertainty in structural dynamics, vibration control for shock, nonlinear dynamics and applications of wave motion for structural control and response predictions.
In the faculty Neil has responsibility for the taught programmes in Acoustical Engineering as well as being the Academic Integrity Coordinator. External to the university he is a member of the ESDU (Engineering Sciences Data Unit) committee for fatigue, has taught in universities in Egypt, Sweden and France as well as having been a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College and a Panel member.