Friends Old and New: SAS at INTER-NOISE 2026, Adelaide, Australia

This week in Adelaide, the Society of Acoustics (Singapore) had the privilege of connecting with colleagues from across the region at INTER-NOISE 2026 — a reminder of just how much our field grows through the relationships we build outside our own borders. From a warm dinner with old and new friends to new discussions formed in conference rooms, it was a week filled with fruitful engagement.

Group photo with SAS members: (from left to right) Ms. Punyakorn Sourachai, Dr. Linus Ang, A/Prof. Alfred Tan.

An Evening with the Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics

One of the highlights of the trip was joining the Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics (HKIOA) for their networking dinner. It was a pleasure to reconnect with familiar faces and connect with new ones. This was the first step towards deepening a partnership that continues to grow year on year. As a gesture of the friendship between our two societies, SAS presented a Singapore-themed keepsake to HKIOA Chairperson, Mr. Chris Kwok, in appreciation of the warmth and hospitality shown to our members.

Dr. Linus Ang presenting a keepsake to HKIOA Chairperson, Mr. Chris Kwok.

Evenings like these are where the real work of a society happens — not in formal sessions, but over a meal, in the easy exchange of ideas between people who share the same passion for acoustics. We're already looking forward to meeting again in November at the Cross-Straits Conference in Bangkok.

Group photo taken after the networking dinner.

Co-Chairing a Session with Regional Colleagues

It was also a pleasure to co-chair a conference session alongside Andy Chung from the Macau Instituto de Acústica (MOIA) and Henry Chan from HKIOA, on Sound-as-a-Service in Sustainable Environments — a look at how acoustics is evolving from a static design output into an adaptive, AI-enabled, human-centred service woven into digital twins and smart cities. Sharing the chair with colleagues from Macau and Hong Kong was a fitting reflection of how closely our regional societies are working together, and it made for a well-rounded, collaborative session for everyone in the room.

Group photo of the session co-chairs and two of the speakers: (from left to right) Dr. Linus Ang, Prof. Koji Nagahata, Dr. Nurul Amira Adb Jalil, Mr. Henry Chan, Mr. Andy Chung.

Conversations with Public Agencies

Beyond the social side of the conference, INTER-NOISE 2026 also offered valuable opportunities to engage with Singapore's public agencies on how our society and the public sector can work more closely together. The conversations centred on two shared priorities: building a core team of acoustics professionals to support Singapore's future needs, and nurturing interest in acoustics among the younger generation. We look forward to following up on these conversations in the months ahead.

Looking Ahead

An event like this one is a reminder that our society's strength lies not just in the technical work we do, but in the relationships we build with our counterparts across the region. Thank you to everyone — old friends and new — who made this such a memorable trip. We look forward to building on these connections in the months to come.