# Trevor Agus
**Source**: https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/
**Parent**: https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/audio-engineering-bsc-j930/
[View Scopus Profile](https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=26021688200)
# Trevor Agus
Dr
- Senior Lecturer, [School of Arts, English and Languages](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/organisations/school-of-arts-english-and-languages/)
[https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0966-3161](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0966-3161 "Orcid")
- Phone+44 (0)28 9097 4445
- Email[t.agus@qub.ac.uk](#)
- Room 02.024 - Sonic Arts Research Centre
United Kingdom
Accepting PhD Students
PhD projects
- Adapting soundtracks automatically for listeners with hearing loss\
- The psychoacoustics of singing in tune (or close enough)\
- Perceptually motivated dynamic-range compression for adverse listening conditions\
- Recognising sounds in noisy conditions
2009Research output 2009: 2Research output 2010: 2Research output 2011: 2Research output 2012: 2Research output 2013: 4Research output 2014: 3Research output 2015: 2Research output 2016: 4Research output 2017: 6Research output 2019: 3Research output 2020: 1Research output 2021: 1Research output 2022: 1Research output 2023: 1Research output 2024: 1Research output 2026: 12026
Research activity per year
## Personal profile
### Research Interests
I am interested in the perception of sound -- specifically, how we recognise what a sound is. Although this sounds like a trivial question, we don't yet have good answers for it, and this is a limiting factor for our ability to work with sound, whether we are making music, programming a computer to respond to specific sounds, or designing hearing aids and other audioprostheses.
So far, I have shown (using psychoacoustical methods) that our perception of sounds changes rapidly with learning (Agus et al., 2010; 2013) and that our ability to rapidly recognise vocal sounds does not stem from any of their basic acoustical properties independently (Agus et al. 2012).
I have also measured young and elderly listeners' abilities to understand one person when two people are talking, and separated out components related to their ears and their brains. Despite the difficulties reported in more cognitively complex situations (Agus et al., 2008a), elderly listeners seem to be missing out primarily due to their ageing ears -- their auditory neural pathways seemed to be working fine (Agus et al. 2008b).
In collaborations, I work with special populations (deaf participants, dyslexic participants, and native speakers of different languages) to answer related questions, using both psychoacoustical techniques and neural imaging techniques, such as fMRI.
### Teaching
I teach technical and scientific aspects of working with sound and enjoy teaching these challenging topics to students from a wide range of educational backgrounds.
My current portfolio of modules includes:
\* Fundamentals of Sound (level 1)
\* Psychology of Music (level 2)
\* Auditory Perception (level 3)
### Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global [Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)](https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
1. SDG 3
Good Health and Well-being
## Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics where Trevor Agus is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
- [2](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/similar/)
Similar Profiles
- Abilities
Psychology
- Masking
Medicine and Dentistry
- Sensation of Hearing
Psychology
- Hearing
Physics
- Acoustics
Physics
- Auditory Perception
Psychology
- Humans
Psychology
- Attention
Psychology
[View full fingerprint](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/fingerprints/)
## Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or Select a country/territory from the list\
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[Explore network further](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/network/)
## Research output
- [10](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontojournal%2Farticle&type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontoperiodical%2Farticle)
Article
- [3](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontoconference%2Fposter)
Poster
- [2](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontobookanthology%2Fconference)
Conference contribution
- [2](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontoconference%2Fpaper)
Paper
- 3
More
- [**2** Letter](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontojournal%2Fletter)
- [**1** Chapter](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontobookanthology%2Fchapter)
- [**1** Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontobookanthology%2Fentry)
- [**1** Chapter (peer-reviewed)](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Fresearchoutput%2Fresearchoutputtypes%2Fcontributiontobookanthology%2Fpeerreviewedchapter)
- ### [Rapid formation of robust auditory memories: Insights from noise](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/rapid-formation-of-robust-auditory-memories-insights-from-noise/)
[Agus, T. R.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/), Thorpe, S. J. & Pressnitzer, D., 01 May 2010, In: [Neuron.](#) 66, 4, p. 610-618 9 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Memory
- Echoic Memory
- Interference
- Brain
- Probe
[164](https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/77953246243#tab=citedBy)
Citations
(Scopus)
- ### [The threshold of perceptual significance for TV soundtracks](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/the-threshold-of-perceptual-significance-for-tv-soundtracks/)
[Acheson, R. J.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/robert-acheson/) & [Agus, T. R.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/), 01 Sept 2023, *Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx23).* p. 268-272 5 p. (Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Audio Effects, DAFx).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
Open Access
File
- Region
- Significance
- Soundtrack
- TV
- Hearing
37
Downloads
(Pure)
- ### [Timbre Recognition and Source Identification](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/timbre-recognition-and-source-identification/)
[Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/), Suied, C. & Pressnitzer, D., 15 May 2019, *Timbre: Acoustics, Perception, and Cognition.* Siedenburg, K., Saitis, C., McAdams, S., Popper, A. & Fay, R. (eds.). [Springer](#), Vol. 69. p. 59-85 27 p. (Springer Handbook of Auditory Research; vol. 69).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
- Abilities
- Recognition
- Methodology
- Auditory Perception
- ### [Memory for repeated auditory textures](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/memory-for-repeated-auditory-textures/)
Bastug, B., Rajendran, V. G., Bianco, R., [Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/), Chait, M. & Pressnitzer, D., Mar 2026, In: [Cognition.](#) 268, 11 p., 106350.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
File
- Implicit Memory
- Rapid Learning
- ### [Generalization of auditory expertise in audio engineers and instrumental musicians](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/generalization-of-auditory-expertise-in-audio-engineers-and-instr/)
Caprini, F., Zhao, S., Chait, M., [Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/), Pomper, U., Tierney, A. & Dick, F., 01 Mar 2024, In: [Cognition.](#) 244, p. 105696
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
File
- Groups
- Biases
- Attention
- Abilities
- Personality
[3](https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85181843431#tab=citedBy)
Citations
(Scopus)
125
Downloads
(Pure)
[View all 36 research outputs](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/publications/)
## Activities
- [6](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/activities/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Factivity%2Factivitytypes%2Ftalk%2Fpublic_lecture_debate_seminar)
Public lecture/debate/seminar
- [5](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/activities/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Factivity%2Factivitytypes%2Feditorialwork%2Fpublicationpeerreview)
Publication peer-review
- [1](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/activities/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Factivity%2Factivitytypes%2Fotheractivity%2Fpublicengagement_schoolsengagement)
Hosting a school group or open day
- [1](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/activities/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Factivity%2Factivitytypes%2Fattendance%2Fconferenceparticipation)
Participation in conference
- 1
More
- [**1** Participation in workshop, seminar, course](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/activities/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Factivity%2Factivitytypes%2Fattendance%2Fworkshopseminarcourseparticipation)
- [**1** Editorial activity](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/activities/?type=%2Fdk%2Fatira%2Fpure%2Factivity%2Factivitytypes%2Feditorialwork%2Feditorial)
- ### [Organised Sound (Journal)](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/organised-sound-journal-2/)
[Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/) (Peer reviewer)
01 May 2024 → 31 May 2024
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
- ### [Pitch for life](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/pitch-for-life/)
[Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/) (Presenter)
17 Apr 2024
Activity: Other activity types › Hosting a school group or open day
- ### [Proceedings of the Int. Conference on Digital Audio Effects (Journal)](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/proceedings-of-the-int-conference-on-digital-audio-effects-journa-2/)
[Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/) (Peer reviewer)
08 Apr 2024 → 31 May 2024
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
- ### [Jumbles of Sound](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/jumbles-of-sound/)
[Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/) (Lecturer)
24 Feb 2024
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Public lecture/debate/seminar
- ### [Aethereal Material](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/aethereal-material/)
[Agus, T.](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/) (Participant)
20 Feb 2024
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Public lecture/debate/seminar
[View all 25 activities](https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/trevor-agus/activities/)