Dr. James Abbott

Dr. Abbott's extensive capabilities in acoustic and vibration engineering, musical acoustics, sensors and actuators, architectural acoustics and audio engineering stem from over 25 years of work in these and related fields.  His professional career started with a two-year position as an Associate Scientist at Bolt Beranek and Newman, then later as a Senior Research Physicist at SRI (Stanford Research Institute) where he led numerous projects related to acoustic and vibration engineering. Subsequently, while a Principal at Charles Salter Associates, he co-invented one of the first broadband, compact, low-cost, multi-channel active noise control systems applied to the problem of environmental noise. Later he joined Exponent/Failure Analysis Associates as a Senior Scientist and Founding Director of the firm's Manhattan office, then as Founding Director of the Acoustics and Audio Engineering Laboratory at The Cooper Union in Manhattan.  More recently, he worked as a Senior Acoustic Validation and Test Engineer for Apple, where he developed several new technologies related to the large volume manufacture of personal audio devices.

He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1991, working under the advisement of Prof. K. U. Ingard on a thesis related to sound absorption and the origins of test-to-test variations in acoustics. He was awarded the Buechner Prize and the Goodwin Medal at graduation, the highest institute award for teaching by a graduate student. Also while at MIT, he served for two years as a Research Assistant in the MIT Media Laboratory where he conducted research and development projects involving active control of room acoustics, and design and tuning of large-format flown-array loudspeaker systems.

Presently, he serves as Principal Acoustic Engineer for PRM Technologies in Zhuhai, Guangdong, where his focus is on developing new technologies for acoustic and audio test supporting new product- and mass-production challenges. In his personal time, he is also an avid student of Chinese language, culture and traditional arts, and has lived and traveled widely in China for over eight years.