Research
Research projects and publications on sound, music, and sustainability
01
The role of sound and music in reimagining sustainable futures
Academic paper with three case studies on how sound and music can support/facilitate sustainability. Presented at the International Sustainability Transitions conference in Utrecht NL August 2023
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Authors: Williams, S., Chambers, J. & Vervoort, J.
02
Can you hear the Earth breathing? Translation and disclosure in sound art data sonification
Another academic paper, this one talking about how to share with audiences all the technical detail that goes into translating climate data into sound AND preserve and enhance the aesthetic experience. In other words, not take away the magic of live performance.
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Author: Williams, S.
03
Future Soundscapes - 2024
The idea is to use sound as a method for planning and visioning urban development. When residents are asked what kind of neighbourhood they want to live in they often say they want a quiet neighbourhood. But by quiet, they do not mean silent! Residents want to hear the sounds of children playing, birds in the trees, and glasses clinking at cafés but may not want to hear sounds of traffic, construction, or planes overhead (Groth & Mansell, 2021). This project will engage local residents in one pilot neighbourhood to record (on their phones or with field recorders) sounds they want to hear more of and sounds they want to hear less of. The sounds will be collected, categorized, and a soundscape of the future neighbourhood will be created based on the collaborative inputs of local residents.
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Research project in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology, Urban Futures, and Göteborgs Stad.
04
We are but dust and shadows - In progress
This artistic research exploresthe intersections of sustainability, health, data and sound in a new techno composition ‘We are but dust and shadows’. The composition investigates how sonification of air pollution data can be used for modulation of sound, mirroring the ways that unseen particles in the air affect humans and the environment – usually in ways we do not notice or understand.
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In collaboration with the Institut für Elektronische Musik und Akustik at Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz
