Seminar: "The effect of room acoustics on speech communication" by Prof. Pasquale Bottalico - University of of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Abstract:
Structured into three interconnected modules, the session begins with a technical overview of speech acoustics, covering the physical modeling of vocal production, source-filter theory, and the spectral-temporal features of speech that interact with room acoustics. The second module focuses on vocology and adaptive speech behavior, including the Lombard effect and vocal effort variations in response to reverberation, background noise, and clarity—factors critically influenced by room design and material properties. The final module centers on speech intelligibility across different acoustic environments, including classrooms and public spaces, with attention to metrics such as Speech Transmission Index (STI), reverberation time (T30), clarity (C50), and their relevance for intelligibility in both normal and impaired speech. The seminar incorporates experimental data, predictive models, and perceptual evaluations to illustrate how acoustic design can enhance communicative efficiency while supporting sustainable, user-centered building environments.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Pasquale Bottalico is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science, with additional affiliations in the School of Music and the Department of Computer Science. His research bridges architectural acoustics, speech science, and auditory perception, focusing on speech intelligibility, vocal effort, and acoustic feedback in real and virtual environments. He has published extensively on the interaction among room acoustics, voice production and speech perception and is an active member of the Acoustical Society of America. Dr. Bottalico frequently collaborates with engineers, clinicians, and computer scientists on interdisciplinary projects that address the acoustic needs of educational and healthcare environments.