We are pleased to report that Anna Mattson's application to the UNL Undergraduate Creative Activities & Research Experience (UCARE) program for her project, "Perception of airborne and impact sound isolation in multifamily residences," was selected for funding in the 2026-27 award cycle! This grant will provide a $6,200 stipend to support her time spent working on this project. The faculty advisor for the project is Dr. Samuel Underwood.
Anna's work poses the following research questions:
- How closely do in-field measurements of sound transmission (e.g., NIC, ISR) align with building code requirements?
- How well do subjective user perceptions of sound isolation assessed through online review correlate with objective acoustical metrics (e.g., IIC, STC, ISR, NIC)
- Is the relationship between perceived sound quality and measured sound transmission performance moderated by rental price?
Ultimately, this study aims to provide a better understanding of the correlation between current building practices and human perception, thereby prioritizing the creation of more comfortable residential environments for all.
Anna most recently presented her work in this area at the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) conference in Honolulu.
Congratulations, Anna!
