Joana Rocha

Full Professor

M.A.Sc., Ph.D., University of Victoria
3084 Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
Email Joana Rocha
613-520-2600 ext 3199

Dr. Joana Rocha is Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Carleton University, in Ottawa. Before joining Carleton University, Dr. Rocha was a Visiting Researcher at NASA Langley Research Centre and National Institute of Aerospace, in Virginia, USA. She received her Ph.D. and M.A.Sc. cu_people_degree at University of Victoria, in Victoria, where her research focused on the development of models for prediction of flow-induced noise in aircraft.

At Carleton, Dr. Joana Rocha founded the Aero-Acoustics Research (A-AR)
Laboratory, which features unique experimental capabilities, including a
high-speed aeroacoustic wind tunnel. Her research program explores
cutting-edge topics in aircraft noise prediction and reduction, with particular
focus on the design and optimization of aircraft structures for noise
mitigation. Her expertise spans aeroacoustics, turbulence-induced noise,
structural acoustics, and turbulence modelling, all with practical
applications in aerospace engineering. Her overarching goal is to contribute
to the development of next-generation, environmentally sustainable and
quieter aircraft technologies.

Dr. Rocha has received several prestigious awards and distinctions,
including the Elsie MacGill Education Award, a Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant, the Early Career
Researcher (ECR) Award, and research grants from the Consortium for
Aerospace Research and Innovation in Canada (CARIC) and the
Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Québec (CRIAQ).
She serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Acoustical
Association and is an Associate Editor for both Canadian Acoustics and
Aerospace journals.

Selected Publications (students identified with underline):

N. Cunnington-Bourbonniere, J. Rocha, and Peter Waudby-Smith, Investigation on Self-Noise of Porous Samples Through Acoustic Measurements in Wind Tunnel. Proceedings of the 7th Symposium on Fluid-Structure-Sound Interactions and Control (FSSIC), Oshawa/Toronto, ON, Canada, July 27-31, 2025.
J. Denne, and J. Rocha (2024), Aerodynamic Characterization of a Wind Tunnel Using Experimental and Computational Methods. Journal of Aircraft 61(6): 1837-1846. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037671
B. Amirsalari, and J. Rocha, Computational Optimization of Trailing-Edge Designs to Reduce Airfoil Self-Noise. Proceedings of the 186th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America joint with Acoustics Week in Canada 2024, Ottawa, ON, Canada, May 13-17, 2024 [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 155, A111 (2024)]. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0026986
N. Veenstra, and J. Rocha, The Reduction of Noise and Vibration of Composite Panels in Aircraft through Multi-Dimensional Particle Swarm Optimization. Proceedings of the 186th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America joint with Acoustics Week in Canada 2024, Ottawa, ON, Canada, May 13-17, 2024 [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 155, A112 (2024)]. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0026990
N. Cunnington-Bourbonniere, J. Rocha, and Peter Waudby-Smith, Acoustic Characterization and Optimization of a Subsonic Closed Loop Wind Tunnel. Proceedings of the 186th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America joint with Acoustics Week in Canada 2024, Ottawa, ON, Canada, May 13-17, 2024 [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 155, A112 (2024)]. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0026991
Z. Huffman, and J. Rocha (2024), The Derivation of an Empirical Model to Estimate the Power Spectral Density of Turbulent Boundary Layer Wall Pressure in Aircraft Using Machine Learning Regression Techniques. Aerospace 11(6): 446. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11060446
N. Cunnington-Bourbonniere, J. Rocha, and P. Waudby-Smith, Acoustic Characterization of a Low-Speed Closed Loop Wind Tunnel. Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2024 joint with 186th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Ottawa, ON, Canada, May 13-17, 2024. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/4187
B. Amirsalari, and J. Rocha, On the Effect of Trailing Edge Bluntness Size Over Airflow-Induced Noise for a NACA 0012 Airfoil. Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2024 joint with 186th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Ottawa, ON, Canada, May 13-17, 2024. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/4167
M. R. Pakatchian, J. Rocha, and L. Li (2023), Advances in Riblets Design. Applied Sciences 13(19): 10893 (Special Issue “Riblets for Green Aviation”). https://doi.org/10.3390/app131910893
Z. Huffman, and J. Rocha, Derivation of an Empirical Model for the Estimation of Power Spectral Density in the Turbulent Boundary Layer of Aircraft With Machine Learning Regression Techniques. Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2023 (AWC2023), Montreal, QC, Canada, Oct. 3-6, 2023. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/4061
B. Amirsalari, and J. Rocha (2023), Recent Advances in Airfoil Self-Noise Passive Reduction. Aerospace 10(9): 791. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10090791
Y. Salama, B. Al Tlua, and J. Rocha (2023), Tonal Noise Prediction of Serrated Trailing-Edge Airfoils. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 51(1): In-Press.
V. Asi, F. Afagh, R. Langlois, and J. Rocha, Wind tunnel testing to evaluate noise emissions from a small wind turbine, Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering and Computational Fluid Dynamics Canada International Congress 2023(CSME/CFD-SC 2023), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada, 28-31 May 2023.
J. Tamayo, and J. Rocha (2022),Sensitivity Study of Sonic Boom Ground Signature Using Different Axial Distance Step Sizes for Evaluating Near-Field Overpressure. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 50(2): 5-12. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/issue/view/296
N. Thomson, and J. Rocha (2022),Semi-Empirical Wall Pressure Spectral Modeling for Zero and Favorable Pressure Gradient Flows. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 152(1):80-98. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0012188
N. Cunnington-Bourbonniere, and J. Rocha, Acoustic Analysis of Electric Ducted Fans, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2022, St. John’s, NL, Canada, Sept. 28-30, 2022.
N. Veenstra, and J. Rocha, Vibration Analysis of an Electric UAV Wing Model, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2022, St. John’s, NL, Canada, Sept. 28-30, 2022.
B. Al Tlua, and J. Rocha (2022),On the Effect of Trailing-Edge Bluntness on Airfoil Noise. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 50(1): 5-10. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3476
Z. Huffman, and J. Rocha, Development of a Turbulent Boundary Layer Wall-pressure Fluctuations Power Spectrum Model Using a Stepwise Regression Algorithm, Proceedings of the International Conference on Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering (ICMAME 2022), Ottawa, ON, Canada, Jul. 12-13, 2022.
B. Al Tlua, and J. Rocha (2022), Aeroacoustic Design Optimization and Experimental Investigation of Sawtooth Trailing-Edges for Maximized Noise Reduction. Journal of Vibration Engineering and Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42417-022-00594-w
Y. Salama, and J. Rocha (2022), Aeroacoustic Investigation of Trailing-Edge Finlets, Advances in Aerospace Science and Technology7(1): 1-24. https://doi.org/10.4236/aast.2022.71001
B. Al Tlua, and J. Rocha (2021),Experimental Investigation of NACA-0012 Airfoil Instability Noise with Sawtooth Trailing Edges. Wind Engineering 46(3): 972-982. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309524X211060548
Y. Salama, and J. Rocha, ELES and Tonal Noise Prediction of Slanted-Root Trailing-Edge Serrations, Proceedings of the50th International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (InterNoise 2021), Washington, DC, USA, Aug. 1-5, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3397/IN-2021-1890
N. Thomson, and J. Rocha (2021), Comparison of Semi-Empirical Single Point Wall Pressure Spectrum Models with Experimental Data.Fluids6(8):270. https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids6080270
B. Al Tlua, and J. Rocha, Numerical Optimization and Wind Tunnel Testing of Trailing Edge Serrations for Reducing Airfoil Self-Noise, Proceedings of the27th International Congress on Sound and Vibration (ICSV27), Prague, Czech Republic, Jul. 11-16, 2021. ISBN 9781713835165
B. Al Tlua, and J. Rocha (2020), Optimization and Testing of Flat-Plate Trailing Edge Serration Geometry for Reducing Broadband Airfoil Self-Noise. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 48(4):7-17. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3391
G. Desmarais, and J. Rocha (2020), An Experimental Investigation of the use of an Outlet Silencer to Quiet Ejectors. International Journal of Aeroacoustics 19(1-2):4-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475472X20905060
F. Giardino, and J. Rocha (2019), Design and Characterization of a High-Speed Subsonic Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel. Journal of Aircraft 56(1):108-120. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C035113
J. Halpenny, and J. Rocha, Minimizing Sonic Boom Noise to Meet Potential Regulatory Limits, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2019, Edmonton, AB, Canada, Oct. 8-11, 2019.
B. Al Tlua, and J. Rocha, Development and Testing of an Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel Test Section, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2019, Edmonton, AB, Canada, Oct. 8-11, 2019.
G. Desmarais, and J. Rocha (2018) Discrete Tones in Subsonic Jet Engine Test Cells. Progress in Aerospace Sciences 101: 49-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2018.07.003
F. Giardino, and J. Rocha, Design and Evaluation of a High-Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel, Proceedings of 176th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and Acoustics Week in Canada 2018, Victoria, BC, Canada, Nov. 5-9, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5067572
S. Sonnenberg, J. Rocha, M. Misol, and M. Rose (2018), Experimental Validation Of An Acceleration Power Spectral Density Aircraft Panel Model Given Different Excitation. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 46(2): 19-29. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3182
J. Van Blitterswyk, and J. Rocha (2017), An Experimental Study of the Wall Pressure Fluctuations Beneath Low Reynolds Number Turbulent Boundary Layers. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 141(2): 1257-1268. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4976341
S. Sonnenberg, and J. Rocha (2017), Extended Optimization Study and Panel Parameter Study for Noise Radiation Reduction of an Aircraft Panel Excited by Turbulent Flow. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 45(1): 7-13. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3019
J. Rocha (2016), Impact of the Chosen Turbulent Flow Empirical Model on the Prediction of Sound Radiation and Vibration by Aircraft Panels. Journal of Sound and Vibration373:285-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2016.03.026
S. Sonnenberg, and J. Rocha, Optimization Study and Panel Parameter Study for Noise Radiation Reduction of an Aircraft Panel Excited by Turbulent Flow, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2016, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Sep. 21-23, 2016.
J. Van Blitterswyk, and J. Rocha, Wall-Pressure Coherence Beneath a Low Reynolds Number Turbulent Boundary Layer, Proceedings of the24th International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Montreal, QC, Canada, Aug. 21-26, 2016.
M. Brezina, and J. Rocha, A Study of Minimizing the Noise from a Trailing Edge by the use of Optimized Serrations, Proceedings of the171st Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, May 23-27, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4950579
R. Greiss, J. Rocha, E. Matida, Modal analysis of a parameterized model of pathological vocal fold vibration, 2016 IEEE EMBS International Student Conference (ISC), Ottawa, ON, Canada, May29-31, 2016. https://doi.org./10.1109/EMBSISC.2016.7508609
R. Greiss, J. Rocha, E. Matida (2015),Validation of a Finite Element Code for a Continuum Model of Vocal Fold Vibration Under the Influence of a Sessile Polyp. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 43(1): 13-25.https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2654
J. Rocha (2014), Sound Radiation and Vibration of Composite Panels Excited by Turbulent Flow: Analytical Prediction and Analysis. Shock and Vibration 2014, Article No.316481. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/316481
J. Van Blitterswyk, and J. Rocha (2014), Prediction and Measurement of Flow-Induced Wall-Pressure Fluctuations at Low Mach Numbers. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 42(4): 3-14. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2650
R. Williams, J. Rocha, E. Matida, and F. Nitzsche, Assessment of Surface-Based Aeroacoustic Noise From Blades of a Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine, Proceedings of the ASME 2014 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE2014), Montreal, QC, Canada, Nov. 14-20, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2014-38199
J. Van Blitterswyk, and J. Rocha, Prediction and Measurement of Turbulent Boundary Layer Wall-Pressure Fluctuations on the Surface of a Single Panel at Low Mach Numbers, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2014, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, Oct. 7-10, 2014.
R. Greiss, J. Rocha, E. Matida, Validation of a Finite Element Continuum Model of Vocal Fold Vibration, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2014, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, Oct. 7-10, 2014.
J. Rocha, Noise Radiation of Aluminum and Composite Aircraft Panels Excited by Flow and by Random Noise, Proceedings of the IV ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Mechanical Response of Composites, S. Miguel, Azores, Sep. 25-27, 2013.
J. Rocha and D. Palumbo (2012), On the sensitivity of Sound Power Radiated by Aircraft Panels to Turbulent Boundary Layer Parameters. Journal of Sound and Vibration 331(21):4785-4806. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2012.05.030
D. Palumbo and J. Rocha, The Influence of Boundary Layer Parameters on Interior Noise, Proceedings of the 18th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference (33rd AIAA Aeroacoustics Conference), Colorado Springs, CO, USA, Jun. 4-6, 2012. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2012-2203
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau (2012), Prediction of Turbulent Boundary Layer Induced Noise in the Cabin of a BWB Aircraft. Shock and Vibration 19(4):693-705. https://dx.doi.org/10.3233/SAV-2011-0660
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau (2011), Flow-Induced Noise and Vibration in Aircraft Cylindrical Cabins: Closed-Form Analytical Model Validation. Journal of Vibration and Acoustics 133(5), Article No.051013. https://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.4003935
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau (2010), Turbulent Boundary Layer Induced Noise and Vibration of a Multi-Panel Walled Acoustic Enclosure. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 38(4): 9-22. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2318
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau, Prediction of Turbulent Flow-Induced Noise in Aircraft Cabins, Proceedings of the ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE 2010), Vancouver, BC, Canada, Nov. 12-18, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2010-39231
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau, Prediction of Flow-Induced Noise in Aircraft Cylindrical Cabins, Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada 2010, Victoria, BC, Canada, Oct. 13-15, 2010.
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau, Flow-induced noise in aircraft cylindrical cabins: Analytical Model validation, Proceedings of the 39th International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (Inter-Noise 2010), Lisbon, Portugal, Jun. 13-16, 2010.
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau, Turbulent flow-induced noise in the cabin of a BWB aircraft, 2010Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering Forum, Victoria, BC, Canada, June 2010.
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau (2009), Prediction of Flow-induced Noise in Transport Vehicles: Development and Validation of a Coupled Structural-Acoustic Analytical Framework. Canadian Acoustics Journal – Journal Acoustique Canadienne 37(4):13-29. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2209
J. Rocha, A. Suleman and F. Lau, An Accurate Coupled Structural-Acoustic Analytical Framework for the Prediction of Random and Flow-Induced Noise in Transport Vehicles: Its Validation, Acoustics Week in Canada 2008, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada, Oct. 14-16, 2009.
J. Rocha, P. Moniz and A. Suleman (2007), Aeroelastic Control of a Wing with Active Skins Using Piezoelectric Patches. Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures 14(1):23-32.https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15376490600864505
J. Rocha, P. Moniz, A. Costa and A. Suleman (2005), On Active Aeroelastic Control of an Adaptive Wing using Piezoelectric Actuators. Journal of Aircraft 42(1):278-282. https://dx.doi.org/10.2514/1.308
J. Rocha, A. Costa, P. Moniz and A. Suleman, Aeroelastic Performance of an Adaptive Wing using Active Spars and Skins Concepts, Proceedings of the Congress in Computational Methods in Engineering, Lisbon, Portugal, May 31 – Jun. 2, 2004.
J. Rocha, A. Suleman, A. Costa, P. Moniz and D. Santos, Research and Development of an Active Aeroelastic Adaptive Flight Demonstrator, Proceedings of the CEAS/AIAA/ NVvL International Forum on Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics 2003 (IFASD 2003), Amsterdam, Netherlands, Jun. 4-6, 2003.