Biography
Dr. Peter Xinya Zhang is a tenured Associate Professor at Audio Arts + Acoustics, teaching in the acoustics program and across the department. His research interests include psychoacoustics (binaural and spatial hearing, 3D sound simulation, and virtual reality), auditory physiology, singing voice, acoustics and its applications in media arts. He has published on top journals, such as Journal of Acoustical Society of Americaand Hearing Research, and has been the author of the psychoacoustics chapter since 2008 in “Handbook for Sound Engineers”, an industry-standard internationally. He is member of the Acoustical Society of America, and member of the Audio Engineering Society. He served as President of the Chicago Chapter, Acoustical Society of America (2010 to 2013).
Dr. Zhang served as Director of China Initiative for the college from 2012 to 2016. He established partnerships with top-tier institutions in China, which significantly increased the college’s international enrollments, and created international collaborative research opportunities for faculty and students. He serves on China’s national platforms and collaborates with internationally distinguished artists on acoustical improvements. He is President of the Society of Chinese American Professors and Scientists.
Dr. Zhang has appeared on stage and TV, as tenor on western opera and Peking opera, and as MC of performance galas. He gives lectures on Chinese traditional performing arts at Peking University to students across the world.
Dr. Zhang received Bachelor of Science in physics from Peking University, China, and received Ph.D. in physics, majoring in psychoacoustics, from Michigan State University, U.S.A.
Instructional Areas
Psychoacoustics, sound perception, cognition, auditory physiology, musical acoustics, vibration, acoustical testing, singing voice, vibration, architectural acoustics, acoustical modeling, Peking opera, Chinese traditional performing arts.
Creative Practice and Research Interests
Psychoacoustics, architectural acoustics, human binaural perception, sound localization, virtual sound reality, 3-D sound simulation, media arts, recording, singing voice, Peking opera
Degrees
B.S., Physics Peking University 1997
Ph.D., Physics Michigan State University 2006