Page 57 - Fall 2006

Regional Chapters
A BOUNTY OF OPPORTUNITIES
Juan I. Arvelo, Jr.
Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory Laurel, Maryland 20723
and
Elizabeth A. McLaughlin
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Newport, Rhode Island 02841
Introduction
Regional Chapters can offer so much to so many! Do you want an oppor- tunity to sharpen your leadership skills? Do you want to be more involved in your professional society? You may want to consider forming or joining a Regional Chapter.
There are many reasons to establish,
support, and attend meetings of Regional
Chapters. The purpose of this article is to
provide guidance in the formation of new
Regional Chapters and to help understand
the many important aspects of the
Regional Chapters program. The benefits
of becoming active in Regional Chapters
include opportunities to grow profession-
ally by taking a leadership position as an
officer and finding excellent opportunities
to network with students and experts in
acoustics. Many senior professionals feel
grateful for all of the collaborations and opportunities for growth that the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) has facilitated and feel the need to give back to the Society by assuming leadership positions in their respective chapters. Others want to become mentors of future acousticians such as students and junior professionals. Many professionals want to spread the news of their research in acoustics at the regional, national, and international levels. Regional Chapter meetings are also well attended by retired acousticians who welcome those venues to socialize and maintain their profes- sional friendships as well as to provide insight and a sense of history to the field. In addition, many acousticians simply cannot afford to attend the ASA national meetings and they welcome Regional Chapter meetings as rich yet economical alternatives.
Local acoustics businesses benefit from the Regional Chapters because each meeting is an opportunity to market their services and products in the form of vendor displays, advertisements, and as invited speakers. A major benefit is exposure to potential customers and those at the regional level are the most likely to make use of their services and products.
Students can also take leadership positions to grow into their professional lives. They benefit by adding their profes- sional involvement to their job resumes and by establishing
“There are many benefits to forming and joining ASA
regional chapters including opportunities to grow professionally by taking a leadership position as an officer and finding excellent opportunities to network with students and experts in acoustics.”
relationships with professionals who can serve as references and direct them to acoustics positions in companies, govern- ment, and academia. Some Regional Chapters conduct student poster competi- tions for scholarship awards that greatly benefit them in completing their degrees. Chapters that promote student activities have the potential to grow the membership of the ASA. There is room for growth in the Regional Chapters Program.
The Regional Chapters program
The ASA established the Regional Chapters program to increase interest in and knowledge of acoustics and to pro- mote acoustics through outreach and involvement within their respective regional communities. It also formed the Committee on Regional Chapters (CRC) to promote the formation and growth of
those chapters. The CRC membership consists of a represen- tative (liaison) from each Regional Chapter, and the Society’s treasurer, the chair of the education committee, a student council liaison, and two committee co-chairs. The Regional Chapter liaisons are the communication vehicles between the CRC and their respective chapters while the committee’s co- chairs are the communication vehicles between the CRC and the Internal Affairs Council of the ASA.
The CRC meeting is usually conducted on Wednesday mornings of the week-long ASA national meetings. The CRC meetings may cover topics related to the formation of new Regional Chapters or to address challenges that existing chapters might be facing. These meetings are also excellent opportunities for Regional Chapter representatives to share their best practices and accomplishments.
Starting a Regional Chapter
The ASA does not assign national ASA members to Regional Chapters. Instead, an interested group forms a con- sensus and petitions the CRC to acknowledge the new organ- ization. The chapter Start-up Kit can be found on the ASA website and will guide the group toward their goal. Just click the “Chapters” button at the ASA web page followed by the chapter resources link. You will also find links to the web sites of most Regional Chapters at this site.
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