Page 66 - Summer 2018

Two-Body Problem
For 21⁄2 years, they met in the middle every other weekend until the birth of their first son, which “made things a whole lot more complicated.”
“We explored all the options. The whole situation was com- plicated because we both have PhDs in physics. There was a job in the Material Science and Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; my first reaction was, ‘But I’m not an engineer.’ I didn’t know what would be expected, but I looked at the course descriptions and thought, ‘I can teach a good fraction of those.’ I started over as an assistant professor, even though I was close to receiving tenure at UM. I thought it was a small price to pay to have our family together.”
Be Flexible
Andy Piacsek (ASA Strategic Task Force 1 Chair) met his wife, Lisa, while in graduate school. She accepted a tenure-track position at a Central Washington University (CWU), Ellens- burg, before they were married. Shortly after their wedding, they lived two states apart while Andy completed a postdoc- toral position at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
“Looking for employment at the university where Lisa was on a tenure track was the easiest path to follow. Although there were no tenure-track positions available in my field (physics) when I arrived, CWU did offer many other op- portunities for academic and scholarly engagement. I also explored opportunities elsewhere, but I eventually decided make the best of my situation at CWU.
“Because Lisa was very happy (and successful) with her posi- tion, and we both liked the academic community at CWU, I was willing to accept a non-tenure-track position. If I had accepted a job out of state, we would have had to make some difficult choices. But I quickly realized that teaching and mentoring undergraduates was a career path that I was well suited for, and I recognized that even without a tenure-track position, the grass was probably greener at CWU for both of us than anywhere else.”
After 11 years of adjunct status, Andy received a tenure- track position in the Physics Department. Today, he has ten- ure and is the department chair, and Lisa is a professor in the Department of Geological Sciences.
Summary
These experiences from ASA members illustrate how cou- ples can be flexible, patient, realistic, creative, and open- minded in finding ways for both partners to have meaning- ful careers. Although no couple’s journey will be the same, communication, compromise, and willing sacrifices tend to be at the heart of two-body solutions.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to those highlighted in the article for providing their stories. Thanks also to Jennifer Lentz and Josie Fabre for providing information about the Named Luncheon Hon- orees.
Become a Member of the Acoustical Society of America
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) invites individuals with a strong interest in any aspect of acoustics including (but not limited to) physical, engineering, oceanographic, biological, psychological, structural, and architectural, to apply for membership. This very broad diversity of inter- ests, along with the opportunities provided for the ex- change of knowledge and points of view, has become one
of the Society's unique and strongest assets. From its be- ginning in 1929, ASA has sought to serve the widespread interests of its members and the acoustics community in all branches of acoustics, both theoretical and applied. ASA publishes the premier journal in the field and annu- ally holds two exciting meetings that bring together col- leagues from around the world.
Visit the acousticalsociety.org to learn more about the Society and membership.
64 | Acoustics Today | Summer 2018