New Across Acoustics Episode: Student Paper Competition – Sydney

This episode, we talk to a new round of POMA Student Paper Competition winners from the 185th ASA Meeting in Sydney about their exciting research endeavors:

  • An analysis of how drums convey emotion
  • A method to assess stress caused by vibration in acoustic black holes
  • An improved estimator for background noise in underwater signals
  • A model to help remove distortion from the sound fields of parametric array loudspeakers
  • A numerical study of a little-understood phenomenon in bowed-string instruments

Like the episode? Read the associated articles:

  • Zeyu Huang, Wenyi Song, Xiaojuan Ma, and Andrew Brian Horner. “The emotional characteristics of bass drums, snare drums, and disengaged snare drums with different strokes and dynamics.” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 035005 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001834
  • Archie Keys and Jordan Cheer. “Experimental measurements of stress in an Acoustic Black Hole using a laser doppler vibrometer.” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 065003 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001829
  • David Campos Anchieta and John R. Buck. “Robust power spectral density estimation via a performance-weighted blend of order statistics.” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 055006 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001849
  • Wenyao Ma, Jun Yang, and Yunxi Zhu. “Identification of the parametric array loudspeaker system using differential Volterra filter.” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 055005 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001850
  • Shodai Tanaka, Hiroshi Kori, and Ayumi Ozawa. “A mathematical study about the sustaining phenomenon of overtone in flageolet harmonics on bowed string instruments.” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 035006 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001835

Congrats to our student winners!

Announcing the Winners of the Acoustics 2023 Sydney POMA Student Paper Competition

Helen Wall Murray

POMA Manuscript Manager

helenwallmurray@acousticalsociety.org

The core purpose of the competition is to highlight the relevant and cutting-edge research happening across the many disciplines of the ASA, and to draw attention, specifically, to the achievements of young acousticians. Ultimately, the Society hopes this initiative will continue to increase involvement with POMA across the membership and provide an efficient, speedy and valuable path to publication for many first-time authors.

POMA Student Paper Competition

The Proceedings on Meeting of Acoustics (POMA) Editorial Board is pleased to announce the winners of the 4th consecutive POMA Student Paper Competition based on presentations given a the 185th Meeting of the ASA, Sydney, Australia, 4-8 December 2023.

Of the 13 student submissions entered, five papers were chosen from three different technical areas:  Musical Acoustics, Signal Processing and Structural Acoustics.  Five technical committees were represented in total, and, once again, the papers were all of high quality and are now published and available for viewing in POMA Volume 52.

On behalf of ASA and POMA, we congratulate the following students on their winning papers:

Signal Processing

Robust power spectral density estimation via a performance-weighted blend of order statistics
David Campos Anchieta; John R. Buck
Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 055006 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001849

Signal Processing

Identification of the parametric array loudspeaker system using differential Volterra filter
Wenyao Ma; Jun Yang; Yunxi Zhu
Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 055005 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001850

Musical Acoustics

The emotional characteristics of bass drums, snare drums, and disengaged snare drums with different strokes and dynamics
Zeyu Huang; Wenyi Song; Xiaojuan Ma; Andrew Brian Horner
Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 035005 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001834

Musical Acoustics

A mathematical study about the sustaining phenomenon of overtone in flageolet harmonics on bowed string instruments
Shodai Tanaka; Hiroshi Kori; Ayumi Ozawa
Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 035006 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001835

Structural Acoustics

Experimental measurements of stress in an Acoustic Black Hole using a laser doppler vibrometer
Archie Keys; Jordan Cheer
Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 52, 065003 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001829

Each winning student author receives an award of USD $300 and the opportunity to appear on Across Acoustics, the official Podcast of the ASA. Additionally, a special designation is added to the cover pages, articles are featured on ASA social media accounts, and each winner receives a formal certificate signed by the ASA President and the POMA Editor.

Calling all Ottawa Student Presenters!

The current student paper competition commenced after the close of the 186th Meeting of the Acoustical Society in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  Student presenters are invited to submit a corresponding paper by the competition deadline, which is approximately 30 days after the conclusion of the meeting (in this case, 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Time, 17 June 2024).  For more information about the POMA Student Paper Competition (PSPC), please contact the POMA Editorial Office – poma@acousticalsociety.org.

 Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the award, an author must:

  • be enrolled as a student at least half-time (graduates are eligible if the presented work was performed as a student within one year of the meeting). *Note that the student author does not need to be a member of the ASA to qualify.
  • be listed as the first author on the submitted abstract and POMA manuscript and present the paper at the meeting.
  • submit the POMA manuscript by the competition deadline, which is 30 days after the conclusion of the meeting.

Instructions for Consideration

  • Indicate your paper is part of the POMA Student Paper Competition by selecting this article type during the POMA submission process.
  • Ensure the article passes the initial quality check: Please use either the MS Word or LaTeX manuscript templates and follow all manuscript preparation and submission instructions. *Articles that do not pass the initial quality check are ineligible for the competition. See the submission checklist at the POMA Author Resources
  • The competition deadline is 11:59 pm 30 days post meeting. Any manuscripts received after this will be considered for publication in POMA but will be ineligible for the competition.

 

Selection Process

  • The papers will be rated by the POMA Associate Editor corresponding to the technical area in which the paper was presented. The top related papers will be evaluated by the POMA Editor, POMA Assistant Editor, and POMA Manuscript Manager and up to five winning papers will be selected. *Note that the paper judging will take place concurrently with the ordinary editorial review of a POMA submission; each judged paper will be returned with comments and a publication decision.
  • Regardless of the competition outcome, the opportunity to publish an editor-reviewed proceedings paper will enhance your CV/resume and help you take an important intermediate step toward a peer-reviewed publication.

Congratulations again to our Sydney winners! Ottawa attendees, we look forward to receiving your submissions!

ASA Spring Award Recipients Publications

Let’s take a moment to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the recent ASA spring award recipients. These individuals have not only showcased unparalleled dedication to their respective fields but have also significantly propelled the boundaries of acoustics through their groundbreaking contributions. To further honor these awardees, let’s look at just a couple of their ASA publications:

ASA Gold Medal awardIngo R. Titze received the ASA Gold Medal for contributions to understanding human voice production and the development of clinical applications.

How can vocal folds oscillate with a limited mucosal wave?
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0014359

Regulation of laryngeal resistance and maximum power transfer with semi-occluded airway vocalization
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0005124

Silver medal awardStan Dosso received the ASA Silver Medal in Acoustical Oceanography for contributions to Bayesian inference methods in ocean acoustics and marine geophysics.

Trans-dimensional inversion for seafloor properties for three mud depocenters on the New England shelf under dynamical oceanographic conditions
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0025176

Joint trans-dimensional inversion for water-column sound speed and seabed geoacoustic models
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0019706

Keith Wilson received the Helmholtz-Rayleigh Interdisciplinary Silver Medal in Computational Acoustics, Physical Acoustics, and Engineering Acoustics for contributions to computational acoustics, atmospheric acoustics, and national defense and security.

Phase-preserving narrow- and wide-angle parabolic equations for sound propagation in moving media
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0024460

Influence of ground blocking on the acoustic phase variance in a turbulent atmosphere
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0020152

Wallace Clement Sabine Medal awardPeter D’Antonio received the Wallace Clement Sabine Medal for contributions to theory, design, and application of acoustic diffusers.

A cloud-based 3D BEM framework for predicting the diffusion coefficient
https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001645

Optimizing the signal to noise ratio in speech rooms using passive acoustics
https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4801407

Christopher M. Kube received the R. Bruce Lindsay Award for contributions to the understanding of ultrasonic propagation and nonlinearity in polycrystalline materials.

Interaction of elastic waves in solids with quadratic and cubic nonlinearity
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0022381

In-process volumetric sensing of defects in multiple parts during powder bed fusion using ultrasound
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0020739

Scott D. Sommerfeldt received the Rossing Prize in Acoustics Education

Solving one-dimensional acoustic systems using the impedance translation theorem and equivalent circuits: A graduate level homework assignment
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0008932

Selecting a new textbook for a graduate level course on vibration and fluid acoustics
https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0001425

Julien Bonnel received the Medwin Prize in Acoustical Oceanography

Broadband properties of potential and kinetic energies in an oceanic waveguide
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0019545

Machine-learning-based simultaneous detection and ranging of impulsive baleen whale vocalizations using a single hydrophone
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0017118

Christopher Shera received the Hartmann Prize in Auditory Neuroscience

Crucial 3-D viscous hydrodynamic contributions to the theoretical modeling of the cochlear response
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0016809

Overturning the mechanisms of cochlear amplification via area deformations of the organ of Corti
https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0014794

While we have highlighted a couple publications from each awardee, it’s important to note that their bodies of work extend far beyond these selections. We encourage everyone to explore the extensive contributions of these remarkable individuals, whose work continues to shape and advance the field of acoustics in profound ways.

Celebrating Women’s History Month with ASA Gold Medalists

ASA Gold Medal - women's history monthMarch is Women’s History Month, a time to highlight the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. In recognition of Women’s History Month, let’s turn our spotlight to the remarkable women who have been honored with the prestigious ASA Gold Medal, awarded by the Society for exceptional contributions to acoustics.

ASA Gold Medalists

Dr. Katherine S. Harris

In 2007, Dr. Katherine Harris received the Gold Medal for pioneering research and leadership in speech production and dedicated service to the Society. Beyond her scientific achievements, Dr. Harris’ global leadership in speech science has served as an inspiration to the next generation of researchers. Dive deeper into Dr. Harris’ remarkable journey in this enlightening encomium, and explore a selection of her noteworthy ASA publications:

H. Betty Kollia, Vincent L. Gracco, Katherine S. Harris; Articulatory organization of mandibular, labial, and velar movements during speech. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 September 1995; 98 (3): 1313–1324. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.413468

 

Susan Nittrouer, Kevin Munhall, J. A. Scott Kelso, Betty Tuller, Katherine S. Harris; Patterns of interarticulator phasing and their relation to linguistic structure. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 November 1988; 84 (5): 1653–1661. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.397180

 

Fredericka Bell‐Berti, Katherine S. Harris; Anticipatory coarticulation: Some implications from a study of lip rounding. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 May 1979; 65 (5): 1268–1270. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.382794

Women's History Month - Katherine Harris

Past ASA President Anthony Atchley (R) presents the Gold Medal to Katherine Harris (L). Photo by Kenny Crookston. Image source: https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2776667

Dr. Patricia K. Kuhl

In 2008, Dr. Patricia K. Kuhl received the ASA Gold Medal for contributions to understanding how children acquire spoken language and for leadership in the Society. She made history as the first female ASA President in 1999. Through her commitment to science, she continues to inspire and shape the ASA landscape. Gain insights into Dr. Kuhl’s experiences in this interview and peruse some of her ASA publications:

Fernando Llanos, T. Christina Zhao, Patricia K. Kuhl, Bharath Chandrasekaran; The emergence of idiosyncratic patterns in the frequency-following response during the first year of life. JASA Express Lett. 1 May 2022; 2 (5): 054401. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0010493

 

Patricia K. Kuhl, Andrew N. Meltzoff; Infant vocalizations in response to speech: Vocal imitation and developmental change. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 October 1996; 100 (4): 2425–2438. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.417951

 

Paul Iverson, Patricia K. Kuhl; Mapping the perceptual magnet effect for speech using signal detection theory and multidimensional scaling. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 January 1995; 97 (1): 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.412280

Women's History Month - Patricia Kuhl

Past ASA President Gilles Daigle (R) presents the Gold Medal to Patricia K. Kuhl (L). Image source https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3005559

Dr. Judy R. Dubno

In 2020, Dr. Judy R. Dubno received the ASA Gold Medal for contributions to understanding age-related hearing loss and for leadership in the acoustics community. In her extensive involvement with the ASA, including serving as President and Treasurer, Dr. Dubno’s efficiency, knowledge, and dedication have been exemplary. Discover more about Dr. Dubno’s journey in this encomium and explore some of her ASA publications featured below:

Daniel Fogerty, Judy R. Dubno, Valeriy Shafiro; Perception of interrupted speech and text: Listener and modality factors. JASA Express Lett. 1 June 2022; 2 (6): 064402. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0011571

 

Ning-ji He, John H. Mills, Judy R. Dubno; Frequency modulation detection: Effects of age, psychophysical method, and modulation waveform. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 July 2007; 122 (1): 467–477. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2741208

 

Marjorie R. Leek, Judy R. Dubno, Ning-ji He, Jayne B. Ahlstrom; Experience with a yes–no single-interval maximum-likelihood procedure. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 May 2000; 107 (5): 2674–2684. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.428653

Women's History Month - Judy Dubno

Judy R. Dubno. Image source: https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5147426

In celebrating these remarkable women during Women’s History Month, we not only honor their individual achievements but also acknowledge the collective impact of women in shaping the field of acoustics. Their contributions serve as an inspiration for current and future generations, illustrating the vital role women play in advancing our understanding of acoustics.

Resonating Legacies: James E. West’s Impact on Acoustics

We recently posted about past recipients of the James E. West Fellowship which provides funding to minority students in their pursuit of graduate-level degrees in acoustics. Today, we’d like to highlight some of the publications of the man who the award is named in honor of: inventor and past ASA President, James E. West.

Besides being President of the ASA from 1998 to 1999, he’s also a recipient of the Silver Medal in Engineering Acoustics and the Gold Medal. After a retiring from a career at Bell Labs, he went on to start a second career as a research professor at Johns Hopkins University. Over the years, his research has helped not only the acoustics community, but the world at large.

Perhaps West’s most well-known work is his 1966 publication with G. M. Sessler about the development of foil-electret microphones. This Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA) article revolutionized the microphone industry; these types of microphones have been used in everything from hearing aids and phones to GPS devices and underwater instruments. This invention actually got him inducted into The National Inventors Hall of Fame (You can read more about the impact of the electret microphone in this Reflection!)

James E. West Tuning Fork

ASA President Lawrence Crum (R) presents President-Elect James E. West (L) with the ASA President’s Tuning Fork. (June 1998)

But, of course, West continued to research and impact the acoustics community after this seminal work. More recently, he coauthored this JASA paper about noise in hospital emergency rooms with Douglas Orellana and Ilene J. Busch-Vishniac. He and Busch-Vishniac also wrote an early Acoustics Today article about attracting more undergraduate students to studying acoustics.

Want to learn more about this pioneer of acoustics research and his contributions? Check out “A History of Consumer Microphones” and “Being a Black Scholar” in Acoustics Today!

James E. West Silver Medal

ASA President Robert Apfel (L) presents the Silver Medal in Engineering Acoustics to James E. West (R). (Nov 1995)

James E. West Gold Medal

ASA President William Yost (R) presents the Gold Medal to James E. West (L). (June 2006)