Page 77 - Winter2021

Concurrently, a member and civil engineering professor from Uruguay sees an immense potential for growth but is concerned that meeting the basic needs in develop- ing countries hinders advancement in specialized areas such as acoustics. Jaramillo recalls when, after obtaining her doctoral degree in the United States, she returned to Colombia and found a significant development in the field of architectural acoustics as demonstrated by well-estab- lished consulting firms and a better exchange of knowledge between universities and professionals in cities across the country. This building of professional and academic connections and sharing knowledge could begin to inter- connect countries in the Americas to combine knowledge and experience, especially now that the world is better pre- pared to communicate through virtual platforms.
There have also been efforts to implement courses in undergraduate and graduate programs in acoustics in Latin American universities. Programs in acoustics are offered most notably by universities in Argentina and Chile, as several respondents note, but in a more recently established curriculum such as a master’s degree program at San Buenaventura University in Bogotá, Colombia. Several other Latin American countries offer courses in acoustics as part of a different degree program but not necessarily with acoustics being the primary focus. None- theless, compelling coursework has a great potential to foster interest in the field of acoustics. For example, at the Buenos Aires Institute of Technology (ITBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina, Fernando del Solar Dorrego takes his students to conduct critical listening at the Teatro Colón where they have the intriguing opportunity to correlate theory with experience.
We recognize, despite recent growth, that there are still shortcomings, challenges, and potential for improvement, as discussed in this essay. We foresee continued growth in the field of acoustics in Latin America and see our chapter as a large step in making the ASA more acces- sible to Hispanic acousticians. We are confident that the potential returns from increased contributions of His- panic acousticians will be substantial and will result in a further enriched Society and field of acoustics, yielding greater opportunities for our colleagues in Latin America and the greater acoustics community.
The SSA Committee is thrilled with the amount of sup- port and enthusiasm we have received from the ASA community, and we are working hard to continue to host presentations, broaden our membership, collaborate with other groups, and benefit the Hispanic community. The SSA Committee works diligently to bring more Hispanic voices to the ASA by hosting sponsored events (in both English and Spanish) from renowned acousticians across the globe. Moving forward as a chapter and part of the ASA, we intend to expand our activities and make our chap- ter an increasingly useful resource, encouraging greater access and opportunity for Latin American acousticians to participate in the ASA at national meetings, publications, and committees and continued regional development. The SSA Committee looks forward to the future of acoustics in Latin America and in the future of the ASA!
In conclusion, we would like to invite all Hispanic mem- bers of the ASA, regardless of geographic location, to join our group. We very much want to engage with as many colleagues as we can from all technical areas of the ASA. To join the SSA Chapter, please visit our website at ssaasa.org/unete.
Contact Information
Zachery O. L’Italien zlitalien@mchinc.com
McKay Conant Hoover, Inc.
5655 Lindero Canyon Road, Suite 325 Westlake Village, California 91362, USA
Fernando del Solar Dorrego
fernando@patagonacoustics.com
Patagon Acoustics
Juan Francisco Segui 3511 4th 1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ana M. Jaramillo ana@olsonsound.com
Olson Sound Design, LLC
8717 Humboldt Avenue North Brooklyn Park, Minnesota 55444, USA
Mariana Botero acustica@abotero.com.co
A Botero y CIA SCA
Calle 19 #9-50 Edificio Diario del Otún, Oficina 2105A Pereira, Colombia 66000
Winter 2021 • Acoustics Today 77