Kick-off of the MOSAIC Research Training Group on Acoustic Well-Being

Sounds shape our everyday lives – but when do they become a burden? This question lies at the heart of the MOSAIC Research Training Group (Multi-dOmain and context-dependent Spatial approaches to AcoustIC well-being), initiated and funded by the HEAD-Genuit Foundation and led by RWTH Aachen University.

The kick-off meeting took place on October 15, bringing together RWTH Rector Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, foundation founder Dr. Klaus Genuit, the supervising professors, the doctoral researchers, and Professor Frank Lohrberg, speaker of the RWTH research profile area BLE (Built and Lived Environment).

In his address, Dr. Genuit reflected on his own studies and PhD at RWTH Aachen, his first student assistant position in the university’s press office, and his commitment to supporting young researchers at his alma mater through the foundation.

Coordinated by RWTH Aachen, the project also involves the University Hospital RWTH Aachen and TU Berlin. The scientific leadership is shared by Professor Marcel Schweiker (Healthy Living Spaces) and Professor Janina Fels (Institute of Hearing Technology and Acoustics). In total, eight research chairs contribute to the interdisciplinary work, addressing topics such as sound perception, spatial design, and physiological responses. The project builds on the DIN ISO 12913 standard, which outlines how people perceive and experience acoustic environments in different contexts.

The goal is to better understand when sound is perceived as pleasant or disturbing – in everyday life, at work, or during study. The researchers analyze both objective measures, such as heart rate and behavioral changes, and subjective evaluations of sound perception. In addition to laboratory experiments, field studies, surveys, and interviews are conducted. The team also considers environmental factors such as temperature, light, air quality, and room geometry to build a comprehensive understanding of acoustic experiences and overall well-being.

By combining research, practical applications, and the support of young academics, the MOSAIC Research Training Group aims to lay the foundation for new approaches to enhance acoustic well-being across diverse living and working environments.

Photo:
From left to right: Professor Dirk Müller, Institute for Building and Indoor Climate; Professor Janina Fels, Institute for Hearing Technology and Acoustics; RWTH Rector Professor Ulrich Rüdiger; Dr. Klaus Genuit, founder of the HEAD-Genuit Foundation; Dr. André Fiebig, TU Berlin; Professor Thomas Kraus, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine; Professor Marcel Schweiker, Chair of Healthy Living Spaces; Professor Frank Lohrberg, Built and Lived Environment (BLE) profile area; and Professor Christa Reicher, Institute of Urban Design.
Photographer: Andreas Schmitter