Page 9 - January 2006

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MAKING ACOUSTICS ACCESSIBLE: 1929 UNTIL TODAY
Charles E. Schmid
Acoustical Society of America Melville, NY 11747
The purpose of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) as originally stated over 75 years ago, is “to increase and diffuse the knowl- edge of acoustics and promote its practical applications.” Perhaps a more modern interpre- tation of this goal is for the ASA to provide accessible information on acoustics. Here the word accessible is used in both its connotations, namely that information should be easily obtained, and be open and understandable. Regardless of how one defines its mission, ASA has reacted to the various challenges posed over the years by the increase in the amount of infor- mation being published, the changes in delivery methods, and the needs of its members.
How easily a reader obtains information on acoustics depends directly on how the ASA delivers it. The electronic pub- lishing revolution has made information much more accessible today than in the past. As an interesting aside, this revolution actually began in the early 1960s with the work of psychoa- coustician J.C.R. Licklider a few years after he served as ASA’s president (search the Web under “JCR Licklider” for his role in the development of the internet). As a result, the current issue of the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA) and issues back to 1929, are now available on-line for members and libraries. For those having the courage to discard their paper issues, electronic delivery and computer storage have freed up shelves in offices, homes, and libraries. On-line access means that members can now replace those thick JASA Cumulative Indices with one little “search” button on their computer screens. Online access has allowed members all over the world to com- municate quickly and reliably with each other. Moreover, researchers need not waste time wandering through library stacks tracking down a library call number, but now simply click on selected references at the end of each on-line article.
The world of acoustics, like other scientific and engineering fields, has become increasingly specialized with information buried within thick volumes of journals. (In 1930 the number of pages in JASA was 562; for 2005 it is over 8,000 pages!) Acousticians had little trouble reading the relatively few articles published in an early issue of JASA. This is not the case today; many members complain that articles in current issues of JASA are highly specialized and they are overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive—yet they want to know what is hap- pening in their field as well as in the other diverse fields of acoustics. Hence, even if the information is efficiently delivered to them, readers still want understandable information across a wide range of topics, which brings us to the second meaning of accessible. Like most challenges in acoustics—and for the Acoustical Society in general—this one has been addressed before. Over fifty years ago, January 1955 to be exact, the ASA published its first issue of the magazine NOISE Control. This magazine contained articles on applied topics in the technical
field of noise that were easily understood. As time went by, the Society decided that the mag- azine should reach a wider audience, and so in November of 1961 the name of the magazine was changed to SOUND, Its Uses and Control. Leo Beranek provided an editorial for that first issue, noting that the “Society is witnessing a growing need for information on the applica- tions of sound in industry, medicine and our daily lives.” Then in the November/December 1963 issue a curt note appeared announcing that this was to be its final edition. It appears the main reason for its demise was financial. These two magazines provide enjoyable and informa- tive reading—even the ads! ASA will soon make
both publications available on-line.
Fast-forward 27 years. Alice Suter and I began working to
create a newsletter for the ASA soon after I became Executive Director. The first issue of ECHOES was published 15 years ago in the Spring of 1991. After receiving his first issue, one retired member wrote in to say that he had long felt the need “for a pub- lication that succinctly summarizes new developments in acoustics and keeps me apprised of the activities of the Society and my former colleagues.” Alice served as its editor until retir- ing in 1997, and Tom Rossing was appointed as her replacement. As you know, ECHOES is now integrated into Acoustics Today and Tom remains as editor of that section.
The inaugural issue of Acoustics Today was published last October, bringing back the magazine format to deliver readable articles in acoustics to members. Well-deserved congratulations go to Dick Stern on the premier issue of Acoustics Today. The readers I have spoken with are impressed with the first issue. What they may not know is that its arrival in their mailboxes is due almost exclusively to Dick’s persistence in publishing this magazine. He actually presented a prototype to the Society’s Executive Council over 10 years ago. Now after serving as found- ing editor, he has been officially appointed as Editor. We look for- ward to his shepherding of the Society’s new publication.
Acoustics Today is published in color and printed on glossy paper that is attractive and convenient to read anywhere. However, there are plans for online publication for those who prefer that format. Delivery methods aside, the important goal is to provide understandable information on acoustics to members and to promote its practical applications. A secondary purpose is to reach out to others whose first love or interest may not be acoustics, but who are attracted to our interesting field.
Please feel free to send any comments that you may have regarding our new publication to <AcousticsToday@aip.org>. You are also encouraged to submit proposals to the Editor for readable articles that you wish to write. Finally, we hope that you have found Acoustics Today interesting and enjoyable, and that you will want to make it accessible to others by handing your copy to a colleague after you have finished reading it.
From the Executive Director 7