Page 47 - Summer2019

Sound Ask an Acoustlclan:
Perspectives Sam H_ RI dgway
Sam I-I. Ridgway Meet Sam H. Ridgway
Address: , 7. In this issue, “Ask an Acoustician" features Sam
Nm0na1Mujne I ’ H. Ridgway. Sam is president of the National
Mammal Fmmdamm V Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA,
2240 Shaker Island Drive and is known as the father of ma.ri.ne mammal
sum 200 i -_ . medicine. He is a Fellow of the Acoustical
Sm Diegn, California 92106 [ ‘ ‘ _ _ I Society of America (ASA) for his pioneering
USA 1 , ‘ i ' _ , work on marine mammal hearing. Sam is also
‘‘ . ' the recipient of numerous prestigious awards,
D‘P"‘“‘=“‘ °“’‘‘‘’‘°1°8Y ‘ p :1; including the Lifetime and Clinical Medicine
School °fMEdjdne "‘ '\ Award from the International Association for
U““""“V °‘C“”°'“‘“* 5“ W5“ _ - i Aquatic Animal Medicine and the Kenneth s.
9500 Gflman Drive V: vi Norris Lifetime Achievement Award from the
La loua’ Cahfnmia 92093 " "'»'fl l * ‘'5 Society for Marine Mammalogy.
USA
Email: A conversation with Sam Ridgway. in His Words
san-l.ridgway@nmmpfoundation.org Tell us ubuut your work.
I currently provide corporate memory, mentor professionals, and serve as a
knowledge resource for the Navy Marine Mammal Program. My current work
Micheal L. Dent can be described in three words: dolphin, brain, and ear. We have just started a
Mdms: project, "Sounds as Indicators of Health and Welfare,” where we will surrepti-
Depanmmt “Psychology tiously record dolphin sounds to identify their call repertoire. The dolphins will
Universny at Bufialo go about their regular tasks and behaviors without interference. We think that
sum University “NEW York (SUNY) dolphin sound production may give us an early warning of their illnesses and
376 Park Ha“ injuries. To see ifthis is true, we must identify their individual sounds and the
Butfalm New York 14260 context and frequency of their use. Over the three years of the project, these
USA data will be correlated with veterinary observations in our current care program.
_ At the end of the project, we hope to be able to use sound to appreciate dolphin
Emml: welfare, detect illness early, and keep them healthy,
mdent@buffalo.edu
I also look at brain structure to compare different cetacean species. I want to
know how the auditory system scales in different-size brains (Ridgway et al.,
2018). I also want to know how sound production is implemented by the two
hemispheres of the brain. Dolphins pulse on the right side and “whistle” on the
left side ofthe nasal system, and so it is possible that both sides of the brain are
involved in interesting ways (Ridgway et al,, 2015; Wright et al,, 2017).
Describe your careerputh.
Growing up on a Texas farm, surrounded by livestock, I admired the work of
veterinarians and chose that field at the age of 12. 1 did not deviate from my goal,
and Texas A&M University, College Station, awarded me a Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine 11 years later, in May 1960. Commissioned as a military veterinarian,
Iwas ordered to a base in Ventura County, CA. Some of my responsibilities were
©20l9Acl7us!1'ml Society a/Anmim. All rights reserved valume 15, usuzz 1 Summer 2lu9 | AA:nuIflI:l1'b:lIy [ 45
lttlps://rlul org/10.112!/AT2(Yl9.lS.Z.~1$