Page 62 - Spring 2018

Sound Perspectives
Andrew A. Piacsek
Postal:
Department of Physics Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington 98926 USA
Email:
andy.piacsek@cwu.edu
Public Relations Committee
The primary mission of the Public Relations Committee is to facilitate the purpose of the Acoustical Society of America with regard to disseminating and promoting acous- tics to the general public.
Introduction
The purpose of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), as stated in the 2015 ASA Strategic Plan,1 is “to generate, disseminate, and promote the knowledge and practical applications of acoustics.” This purpose is well served with regard to dis- semination among ASA members through the Society’s biannual meetings and its publications such as The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA) and Acoustics Today. The primary mission of the Public Relations Committee (PRC), however, is to facilitate the Society’s purpose with regard to disseminating and promoting acoustics to the general public. Specifically, the PRC is charged with (1) recommending to the Executive Council (EC) and implementing actions that are intended to increase awareness of and interest in acoustics among the general public and policy makers; (2) cooperating with other responsible committees in promoting membership growth and retention; (3) increasing the awareness of So- ciety activities among its members; and (4) selecting and recommending to the EC candidates for the Science Communication Awards (formerly Science Writing Awards).
These charges closely align with three of the four goals articulated in ASA’s new Strategic Plan: (1) awareness of acoustics, (2) member engagement and diversity, and (3) dissemination of information and knowledge.
The PRC meets twice per year and currently consists of 21 members representing a broad spectrum of technical areas who serve three-year terms. Some activities of the PRC, such as coordinating media coverage of ASA meetings, have a long histo- ry. The recent rapid evolution of the media landscape, however, has presented the committee with both challenges and opportunities in the fulfillment of its mission.
Media Coverage of Acoustical Society of America Meetings and Publications
The ASA contracts with the Media Services arm of the American Institute for Physics (AIP) to promote the work being presented at biannual meetings. This work includes drafting and disseminating press releases that highlight specific talks; working with authors of selected abstracts to prepare lay-language papers that are made available to journalists on acoustics.org; attending each meeting and organizing on-site virtual press rooms; and coordinating media interview requests with ASA members during meetings. The selection of abstracts for press releases, lay-language papers, and the virtual press room is done in consultation with the PRC chair and the ASA chief executive. AIP media professionals involved with ASA meetings receive a standing invitation to attend PRC meetings to provide a summary of their activities and to discuss strategies for upcoming meetings.
1Report of Strategic Leadership for the Future Initiative (2015) is available at acousticalsociety.org.
60 | Acoustics Today | Spring 2018 | volume 14, issue 1 ©2018 Acoustical Society of America. All rights reserved.