Page 48 - Spring 2007

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION IN ACOUSTICS:
SCIENCE EDUCATION AND THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA— ARE WE DOING ENOUGH?
Uwe J. Hansen
Department of Physics, Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana 47809
Acoustical Society of
America (ASA) educa-
tional concerns cover a
vast range of interests and dis-
ciplines. This includes such
diverse university programs as
the physical sciences and engi-
neering, life sciences, medi-
cine, and architecture. Some of
the concerns are very self-serv-
ing such as issues related to the
growth of the Society and the
vitality of individual technical
committees; others are very much oriented to serve society at large, such as the recently issued standard on Classroom Acoustics. The quality of science education in secondary schools is of vital interest, as is the introduction of science concepts at the elementary level. Two examples will serve to illustrate both the concern, and the need for ASA con- tributions.
In a recent conversation, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana State University mentioned to me that figures presented at a national conference of uni- versity administrators suggest that about 60% of all second- ary school physics teachers in the US are over 60 years old, and that there are very few, if any, replacements in the pipe line. Local high school principals comment that they have no problem filling vacancies in nearly all fields, including most sciences, however, not so in physics. This decline in qualified science teachers is of grave concern, especially to scientists. While ASA members are active in a vast range of disciplines, covering nearly all sciences and some of the arts, the physics of sound and vibrations is vital for all of them. Details of both current and proposed ASA activities to address this national need are discussed in the following paragraphs.
A second example suggests that many buildings such as schools and churches are constructed without input from competent acousticians. While on sabbatical at the Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig, Germany (their Bureau of Standards), I attended a religious conference in Hannover. This confer- ence was held in a recently constructed church building which included a sanctuary, and a facility of approximately the same size, which usually is used for sports and recre- ation. The spaces are separated by a set of two classrooms with relatively low ceilings which are closed off by means of folding-door walls. For large audiences the folding doors are opened and the recreation area serves as an overflow. No acoustic delay had been introduced into the electronic amplification system, and reverberation times were rather
large, making the spoken word nearly unintelligible in the overflow area, and music qual- ity totally unacceptable. I was asked to make some sugges- tions for improvement. I rec- ommended some sound absorbing wall panels and a delay for the speakers in the overflow area. Both sugges- tions were implemented with significant improvement; how- ever, significantly better results
would have been noticed with appropriate pre-construction consulting.
There clearly is a need for action in four areas:
1. Educating our own
2. Educating acousticians in all fields of acoustics
3. Generating enthusiasm for all sciences in the very young 4. Educating the general public
1. By “our own” I mean ASA members and all who work in some field of acoustics. In fact, as a Society we do a remarkable job of disseminating the results of our efforts in books, hard-copy or electronic journals, as well as in our semiannual meetings. That educational effort has gained us recognition as the world's premier acoustics organization. Such recognition carries with it an obligation for outreach. To some extent we are meeting that challenge by expanding a parochial outlook to foster international cooperation. This is evidenced by recent joint meetings with the European Acoustics Association, the Mexican Institute of Acoustics, and the Acoustical Society of Japan, and by an increased international ASA membership. Internally our program of tutorials has made us more aware of the efforts of our col- leagues in sub-disciplines removed from our own, and the “Hot Topics” sessions have given us the opportunity to view the fore-front of the many fields under the umbrella of acoustics. Workshops and short courses have been instru- mental in giving access to our expertise to some of our own people and to others in related disciplines.
2. University undergraduate and graduate acoustics programs, as well as any pre-professional acoustics program fall into the second category. The ASA is contributing to the effectiveness of these programs by providing information about details of acoustics programs in a listing on the ASA web site. ASA student chapters and the ASA Student Council help students to find a home in acoustics. Student receptions, best student paper awards, the Robert W. Young Award for Undergraduate Student Research in Acoustics, and the “Students Meet Members for Lunch” program, furthermore
46 Acoustics Today, April 2007