Underwater and Bio Acoustics

Paul Lepper is specialises in the general field of underwater acoustics, bioacoustics and underwater technologies, including acoustic and optical underwater systems, sound field measurement and modelling, marine species hearing and acoustic impact of noise on marine fauna.

His current research topics include measurement and characterization of underwater noise sources and the assessment of noise impact on marine fauna. These topics have included work to assess the construction noise from several offshore windfarm developments, various petroleum platforms, and projects looking at noise from small leisure craft. He is also involved in projects to assess hearing abilities of marine mammals and the use of acoustic deterrents. Dr Lepper is also involved in the development of various systems for long term noise field assessment and passive detection of marine species and the use of various propagation models for sound field assessment.

These videos can be used in many different ways to suit your students.

Below we have posed a number of questions that you could ask your students to consider. We have also suggested a whole classroom style activity. 

Activity:

Play this video for your students and then pose the question: Researching the ocean - how do we clean up?

Split students up into groups and get them to research different ways researchers and organisations are trying to clean up our oceans from items such as plastics.

This activity could be supplimented with additional research tasks.

Questions:

• What are the biggest causes of water polution? 
• What route could you take to get into this type of engineering? What kind of qualifications would you need to do a role like this?