Barnes of Acentech receives 2016 Laymon Miller award from INCE-USA

Cambridge, MA Acentech principal consultant James Barnes, PE, INCE-USA Fellow, has received the Laymon N. Miller Award for Excellence in Acoustical Consulting, provided jointly by the Institute of Noise Control Engineering of the USA (INCE-USA) and the National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC). Barnes was honored with this award at the INCE NoiseCon-16 Conference on June 15. INCE-USA is a professional organization that promotes engineering solutions to environmental, product, machinery, industrial, and other noise problems. The Laymon N. Miller Award for Excellence in Acoustical Consulting honors an individual who has practiced acoustical consulting in an exemplary manner over a sustained period of time to improve acoustical environments in and around buildings, transportation systems, work places, recreational and other occupied spaces, such that the quality of life for citizens and communities is significantly enhanced. Laymon Miller was a distinguished consultant and leading expert in noise control engineering at pioneering firm Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN). In reviewing Barnes’ nomination, the award committee bestowed Barnes with this honor based on his impressive professional accomplishments, education and mentorship of industry colleagues, technical knowledge and writing, and flattering endorsements from clients and colleagues. They write: “Like Laymon, Jim clearly exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding acoustical consultant and has during his entire 40+ year professional life. His unwavering commitment to both the quality of his work and service to his clients is clear to all who have worked with him. In addition, his professional ethics are second to none.” “Jim is a clear and effective communicator and writer of technical reports, explaining just what clients need to know, as Laymon recommended, in ordinary language, not scientific or technical jargon." And, “Jim has given much time and effort into mentoring the next generation of noise control engineers…much like Laymon Miller himself.” At Acentech, Barnes concentrates on noise and vibration control, with an emphasis on resolving community and workplace noise problems in the power industry. He has managed and technically supervised hundreds of projects covering the energy, transportation, manufacturing, and processing markets. His projects have encompassed interior and community noise and vibration control studies for existing sources, prediction of construction and operation noise levels, and ambient sound studies for proposed industrial sites and transportation corridors. To fulfill the requirements of these projects, Barnes has worked closely with design team engineers, architects and planners, attorneys, equipment suppliers, owners, community representatives, and state and local government personnel. Throughout his 40-year career in noise and vibration control, Barnes has authored dozens of technical reports and research papers and presented at the industry’s top conferences. In 2012, Barnes was designated an INCE-USA Fellow for “decades of outstanding professional service as an industrial and environmental noise control engineering consultant to clients throughout the United States, service to INCE-USA during NoiseCon conferences and InterNoise congresses, and teacher of classes for INCE-USA.” He received a Master of Engineering in mechanical engineering and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, both from Cornell University, and completed additional graduate study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). INCE-USA is the world’s foremost professional organization focusing exclusively on noise control engineering, and Acentech’s consultants have been involved with INCE-USA for many years and in many capacities. Acentech is proud and fortunate to have on its staff: ten members of INCE-USA, five INCE-USA Board Certified members, three INCE-USA Fellow members, a vice-president of INCE-USA, a past-president of INCE-USA, a recipient of the INCE Distinguished Noise Control Engineer Award, and now, a recipient of the Laymon N. Miller Award for Excellence in Acoustical Consulting. Achieving the Institute’s Board Certification requires a high level of technical competency, analogous to a professional engineering registration for acoustical engineering. INCE-USA Fellows are those members who have rendered service to the Institute and made distinguished contributions to the advancement of noise control engineering or who notably promoted knowledge of noise control engineering.