Page 10 - \Winter 2015

From the Executive Director | Susan E. Fox
As you may recall from my piece in the Spring 2014 issue of Acoustics Today, please visit http://goo.gl/Yqj4FS, ASA is undergoing a process of strate- gic planning in order to achieve four goals, namely to:
• be prepared to meet future challenges in publishing and beyond;
• expand our value to members and the field of acoustics;
• focus on the highest impact priorities for practical action;
and
• ensure that the organizational structures and processes
needed for a vital future are in place.
Our most recent set of activities involved consulting with a broad range of constituencies in order to gather infor- mation, perspectives, and opinions about where ASA is today and where we need to focus our attention in the fu- ture. To accomplish this, the President, Past President, and President-Elect identified ASA’s key constituencies includ- ing: Leader/Executive Council members; Leader/Techni- cal Council members; Leader/Other (Past Presidents; Past Chairs, Medal, and Awards Winners, etc.); Leaders from Publishing (Publisher, Editors); Donors/Sponsors; Staff, Related Organizations; Students/Early Career; and interna- tional members.
Marybeth Fidler and Cate Bower, founding partners of Cygnet Strategy, LLC, conducted hour-long one-on-one in- terviews with 29 people from the constituencies identified above. They explored perceptions about ASA’s external en- vironment and the challenges acousticians face in carrying out their work. What, they asked, are the expectations for ASA in helping to manage these challenges? Are there op- portunities to be seized or new roles the Society should play?
What competencies need to be in place in order for ASA to succeed in serving members and the profession well?
At the 2014 fall meeting in Indianapolis, Marybeth Fidler presented to the Executive and Technical Councils some headlines, as described below, from these conversations.
Perceptions
• Many members view ASA as the premier acoustical society in the world.
• The incredible diversity of fields in the acoustical science community is one of our greatest strengths and one of our greatest challenges.
• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America and the meeting proceedings are high quality and highly respected.
Challenges to the Field of Acoustics
• Diminished research funding.
• Rapidly changing interest areas in the field of acoustics.
• The threat of a scientific workforce that exceeds the num-
ber of available jobs in the field.
Challenges to ASA
• Managing the breadth of scientific diversity amongst ASA members.
• Keeping ASA relevant, with scientists interested and re- newing membership, especially young scientists.
• Improving and modernizing The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
Potential Roles ASA can assume
to Address Challenges
• Create a database of what members want and need from
ASA.
• Raise the profile of new and exciting things happening in
acoustics for ASA members and the general public. • Focus on young scholars and applied scientists.
ASA Governance Advantages
• Executive Council is small and pretty nimble.
• Not too many layers to negotiate before one’s voice is heard. • Grassroots approach makes governance accessible.
ASA Governance Disadvantages
• Rapid turnover of leadership makes it hard to have indi- vidual impact.
• Few non US members in leadership positions.
• Leadership service is exclusive because of the cost to travel
to two meetings a year.
8 | Acoustics Today | Winter 2015
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