In March, the Royal Society ran an “edit-a-thon”, to create and improve Wikipedia entries for female scientists and engineers. It got me thinking about who the past heroines of acoustics might be. But as I went through a list of historical figures, Fourier, Helmholtz, Lord Rayleigh, I found it difficult to think of a female example. Do you have any suggestions?

Although there is still an imbalance between the number of male and female acousticians today, at least I can think of some examples of women at the top of their profession, including the current President of the Institute of Acoustics (Prof Bridget Shield) and the President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Prof Anne Dowling (who works in aeroacoustics).

Feeling embarrassed that I couldn’t think of one famous female acoustician from history, I thought I’d do some research, and found three examples.

Sophie Germain

Bowing Chladni Plate

Germain (1776-1831) was a French mathematician who studied plate vibrations. She…

Calling for submission of work from female Sonic Artists for a paper entitled ‘Ekho :: Toward a Repetitive Sounding of Difference’. The paper will be analysing Echo as an original sound, combining Sound Studies and Feminist theories. All works will be included in the archive alongside an artist profile.

We are particularly interested in hearing from artists working in areas of drone, minimalism, field recording, sound spatialisation and noise – but welcome any submissions. Supporting statements are encouraged discussing the ways in which your work, or your identity as a female Sonic Artist, responds to the themes of Echo / Subversive Difference / Difference and Repetition.

Please see below or email for further details.

DEADLINE :: 23rd Nov [/Submissions before this date are appreciated]

Submissions and questions to :: ekhofemalesound@hotmail.co.uk