Traditionally, speech researchers have asked participants to classify speakers on a binary scale for gender. However, as our understanding of gender changes, so must our research methods. In this episode, we talk to Brandon Merritt (University of Texas – El Paso) about their research into updating research protocols to better encompass a diversity of genders and gain a more nuanced understanding of listeners’ perception of speakers’ identity.
Acoustics is a field that thrives on diverse perspectives, and the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is steadfast in its commitment to fostering inclusivity. In alignment with this vision, the ASA asserts that everyone, regardless of their racial identity, ethnic background, gender, age, disability, religion, or national origin, deserves equal opportunities in the realm of acoustics, including access to published research. As a celebration of Black History Month, the ASA Publications Office is making select JASA articles authored by Minority/James West Fellows free to read throughout the month of February. ASA established a Minority Fellowship in 1992 with the goal of supporting minority students in their pursuit of graduate-level degrees in acoustics. The fellowship was renamed the James E. West Fellowship in 2018.
These articles not only contribute valuable insights to acoustical research, but also highlight the exceptional accomplishments of Minority/James West Fellows. The ASA looks forward to fostering continued inclusivity, collaboration, and dialogue within the acoustics community beyond Black History Month. Help us highlight the voices of black acousticians!
Metropolitan Acoustics, 1628 JFK Blvd., Suite 1902, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, United States
Popular version of 4pED4-Internships in the acoustical disciplines: How can we attract a more diverse student population?, presented at the 183rd ASA Meeting.
Metropolitan Acoustics has employed 26 interns over a 27-year period. Of those 26, there were 6 students who pursued careers in the acoustics fields; of those 6, there was only one who was both a woman and minority, and that person was a foreign born student who came to the United States for school. Not one woman or minority from the United States who interned with us starting from 1995 entered into the acoustics fields after graduation. This is a very telling microcosm into the Acoustical Society of America as a whole.
Within the acoustics fields, we need to ask ourselves how we are connecting to underrepresented student groups. The engineering disciplines are not very diverse and the few woman and minority groups that enter into the field often leave for a variety of reasons, which most often lead back to a lack of inclusion. It doesn’t have to be a mountain – it can simply be a molehill that sends someone off the track of having sustained and productive careers in the science and engineering fields.
At Metropolitan Acoustics, a large majority of our interns have been 6-month co-ops as compared to 3-month summer interns (23-3). For the most part, the students were fairly productive and we found that interest, enthusiasm, engagement, and work ethic are all factors to their success. Six of the 26 went into careers in acoustics, and one of them works for us currently. The gender and racial breakdown are as follows:
Gender diversity: 20 male, 6 female
Racial diversity: 20 Caucasian, 6 minority; of the 6 minorities, 4 male and 2 female
Out of the 6 interns that went into careers in acoustics, 5 are Caucasian males and 1 is a minority female who is not native to the US
As an organization, what are we doing to attract a more diverse pipeline of candidates to the acoustics fields? And perhaps a bigger question is how we plan to keep them in the field, which is all about inclusiveness. Dedicated student portals on organizational websites populated with videos, student awards, lists of schools with acoustic programs, and other items is a start. This information can be transmitted to underrepresented student organizations like National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of STEM Women of Color, American Indian Science and Engineering, among others with the hope that this information may light a spark in some to enter the field.
