World-leading anechoic chamber planned in Southampton for esteemed inventor’s legacy

First-class acoustics teaching and research will be advanced at the University of Southampton through a late inventor’s £500,000 donation for state-of-the-art sound engineering facilities.

The generous gift from the estate of John Gozzard will upgrade one of the country’s largest anechoic chambers and revamp teaching laboratories for novel teaching and hands-on learning in acoustics.

British inventor and engineer John Gozzard had a passion for sound engineering. His most notable achievement was the creation of a zeppelin-shaped windshield for microphones to aid outside recording. This invention is widely used on television and film sets today.

His legacy will live on at Southampton’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR). The ISVR is renowned for its contributions to reducing noise and vibration in engineering applications – including rail and aircraft – as well as its fundamental work on how humans hear sounds and process audio information.

Dr Stefan Bleeck, Head of the ISVR, says: “We are delighted to receive this generous donation which will enable the next generation of audiologists and engineers to benefit from the highest quality facilities at Southampton. The impact on student education will be huge. I didn’t personally know Mr Gozzard, but the spirit and ethos that he displayed in his work will live on in his legacy at the ISVR.”

ISVR experimental facilities, including its large anechoic chamber, are based in the heart of Highfield Campus. Plans are in motion for the chamber to upgrade its specification as a sound-free environment, allowing world-leading experiments to be performed in one of the quietest places in the UK.

“Everyone will benefit from this; students who do research projects, researchers investigating how to make environmental noise quieter and industrial partners conducting projects from all over the country,” Stefan says. “We will also proudly share our facilities with the public, inviting school classes and everyone at open days to learn about sound.”

The legacy donation will also remodel the Institute’s teaching laboratories with state-of-the-art computer workstations, which students can access at all times. The ISVR will also explore creating a large auralisation facility - for the simulating of soundscapes - and a new social space.

Richard Bryant, one of the Executors of John Gozzard’s estate, says: “John was an interesting and intelligent man, who had a true passion for sound engineering and inventing new products. We are delighted to support the ISVR and its students from John’s legacy, which is a fitting tribute to John’s life and work.”

The timescale for the facilities’ arrival will largely depend on the duration of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.