Acoustical Engineering Grads Win 'Best Student Paper' Award

Adam Wells (left) and Ari Lesser work on their undergraduate senior capstone research project on acoustic floor treatments for reducing classroom activity noise

Adam Wells and Ari Lesser, both 2011 graduates of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA), won a Best Student Paper Award at the recent 162nd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) in San Diego, Calif.
It was the third time in four years that University of Hartford students have won the award.

The presentation by Wells and Lesser was among a number of sessions on architectural acoustics held throughout the conference by both professional researchers and students. The winners were selected by a subcommittee of ASA judges, who anonymously attended each session and scored student participants based upon the content of their papers and the quality of their presentations.

Wells and Lesser presented the results of their undergraduate senior capstone research project on acoustic floor treatments for reducing classroom activity noise. The team designed testing apparatus in the Acoustical Engineering’s Reverberation room to evaluate and design optimal floor characteristics to minimize noise from chair scrapes and impacts, such as foot falls. The project was part of a research grant from the Paul S. Veneklasen Research Foundation obtained by Professor of Mechanical Engineering Bob Celmer '78 and Assistant Professor Michelle Vigeant.

Wells graduated summa cum laude in May 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, majoring in acoustical engineering and music. Originally from Wayne, PA, Wells is currently an acoustical engineer with Phoenix Noise & Vibration Consultants, Inc. in Frederick, Maryland.

Lesser graduated magna cum laude in May 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, majoring in acoustical engineering and music. A native of Baltimore, MD, Lesser is currently an acoustical engineer with Cerami & Associates Consultants in New York City.