Parents & Teachers: International Competition Encourages Virtual Learning for K-12 Students Inspired by Sounds of the World

Parents & Teachers: International Competition Encourages Virtual Learning for K-12 Students Inspired by Sounds of the World

National competition submissions are accepted from individual students, organized groups and whole classes throughout 2020 due to coronavirus concerns

For More Information:
Keeta Jones
516-576-2364
kjones@acousticalsociety.org

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2020 – The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is calling on U.S. students to submit art and lyrics inspired by the motto, “Importance of Sound for Society and the World,” and song, “The Sound of the World,” as part of the International Year of Sound 2020 celebration.

K-12 students across the U.S. can participate in “The Sound of the World” – an international competition for primary, middle and secondary students from all over the world. It is also an opportunity to include an element of STEM education for so many students in need of enriching curriculum while being away from school due to coronavirus concerns.

ASA will be coordinating and judging entries from the United States. Those winners will go on to the international competition, which includes a singing program and Power Point presentation. To enter the U.S. competition and get more details about what you need, visit https://exploresound.org/international-year-of-sound-2020-with-asa/iys-student-competition/.

“As many search for online curriculum to keep students engaged and learning, collaborating on projects focused on the motto and song of the International Year of Sound is a great way to keep kids involved in art and science,” said Keeta Jones, education and outreach coordinator for ASA.

With many classrooms around the world closed due to the impact of the coronavirus, ASA is encouraging instructors and parents to use virtual learning to connect students for the competition.

Participants can be students: as individual or organized in groups and whole classes, considered as representatives of their school.

The competition has two categories:

  • Primary and middle school students are asked to produce drawings, pictures, patchworks, collages and other artwork inspired by the motto of the International Year of Sound, “Importance of Sound for Society and the World,” and the song “The Sound of the World.”
  • Secondary school students are asked to write a stanza of four verses in their native language that are inspired by the same motto and song.

The International Year of Sound committee is extending the sound celebration into 2021. Events that needed to be cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions can be rescheduled during 2021 and considered part of the event.

“We must guarantee to the world that the Year of Sound is not cancelled by the virus, and that right after this difficult period, the beautiful ‘Sound of the World’ will be heard again by everyone,” said Sergio Luzzi, a coordinating committee member for events and the student competition.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

“The Sound of the World” is available at https://exploresound.org/international-year-of-sound-2020-with-asa/iys-student-competition/ in mp3 form with the lyrics and music sheet available as a pdf. All entries must be received by each countries’ representative organization by Dec. 31, 2020.

For U.S. entries, the winners will be chosen by the Acoustical Society of America and receive cash prizes of $300, $200, and $100. Six national winners, three from each category will be selected and advance to the international competition. International competition details and forms can be found at https://exploresound.org/international-year-of-sound-2020-with-asa/iys-student-competition/.

The evaluation of the international entries will begin on Feb. 1, 2021 and conclude on March 15, 2021. The announcement of the winners will be in 2021 in association with a major international acoustics meeting.

Contacts for representatives from each country can be found at http://sound2020.org/about/orgcomm/#coordinating.

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ABOUT ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year.

 

Video: More than Babies, Ultrasound Used to Deliver Drugs, Treat Tremors

Video: More than Babies, Ultrasound Used to Deliver Drugs, Treat Tremors

First used to sniff out submarines, technology expands biomedical acoustic uses

For More Information:
Keeta Jones
516-576-2364
kjones@acousticalsociety.org

 

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2020 — Ultrasound is probably most associated with a parent’s first glimpse of a baby in the womb. However, a new video from the Acoustical Society of America showcases the technology’s abilities to do more than just show images of our insides.

 

This video is the second in a series celebrating the International Year of Sound.

Research into the medical uses of ultrasound uncovered its ability to be used as a precision scalpel, to destroy tumor and cancer cells, and to treat brain diseases and numerous other conditions. Biomedical acoustic scientists are using ultrasound to deliver medicine to specific areas in the body, increasing the effectiveness of the drugs and reducing the impact on healthy cells.

[https://youtu.be/7VEqpXg2t6w]

Because it is noninvasive in most cases, patients who undergo medical procedures that use ultrasound can recover more quickly from those procedures. Ultrasound is also used during surgical procedures to inform medical personnel about what is happening inside the body.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound therapies are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of uterine fibroids and essential tremors, to alleviate pain from bone metastases, and for the ablation of prostate tissue. Numerous clinical trials are underway with the goal expanding the number of approved treatments.

According to the National Institutes of Health, ultrasound is also being investigated to close wounds and stop bleeding, break up clots in blood vessels, and temporarily open the blood brain barrier so that medications can pass through.

Fun Facts About Ultrasound

  • First technological use in 1917 as an attempt to locate submarines
  • Accidentally killed fish during World War II when high intensity waves were used as sonar systems
  • Used for medical purposes since the 1940s
  • Clinical use requires sound waves between 800 kHz and 10 MHz (800,000 Hz to 10,000,000 Hz)
  • Ultrasound imaging is amongst the cheapest and most portable approach to medical imaging
  • Gel applied to the skin prevents air pockets from forming between the transducer and the skin
  • Diagnostic ultrasound images can be 2D, 3D or 3D in motion
  • Therapeutic ultrasound is being developed not just for treating humans but also for treating animals

To learn more about ultrasound and the field of biomedical acoustics, visit https://exploresound.org/2020/04/biomedical-acoustics/.

About Acoustical Society of America

The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year.

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SOUND 2020 EXTENDS INTO 2021

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SOUND 2020 EXTENDS INTO 2021

With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic already leading to the postponement of several events being organized for the International Year of Sound, the IYS 2020 Steering Committee has issued the following statement:

It is very unfortunate that the spread of the coronavirus in the whole world coincided with the beginning of the International Year of Sound. We all understand that health is our highest priority and that it is very important to follow the orders and restrictions issued by the World Health Organization and the National Health Authorities. Among these restrictions is the reduction of the unnecessary trips and the cancellation of larger group gatherings. These measures are already in effect in many countries and we cannot predict how long they will continue.

In view of these, it is evident that many of the events scheduled for the IYS 2020 must be either cancelled or rescheduled. As these events all around the globe provide the main tools we have in our hands to inform the people on the importance of sound for our world, and in order that the objectives of the IYS 2020 are fulfilled without restrictions we propose the following :

Extend the celebration of the IYS 2020 into the year 2021. This means that events originally scheduled for the 2020 can be rescheduled for the 2021 and still be part of the IYS 2020 celebration. This will also give the flexibility for the organizers of events yet to schedule to plan the event for 2021.

Ask the organizers of the events proposed to celebrate the IYS 2020 to respect the measures and restrictions issued by the WHO and the Health Authorities in their own countries and where necessary reschedule the already planned events and gatherings.

Postpone the deadlines for the submission of the proposals for the students competition to the end of the year 2020. The evaluation of the proposals will be done in the beginning of the 2021 and the announcement of the winners will be in 2021 in association with a major international acoustics meeting in 2021. Sergio Luzzi has agreed with this proposal.

Cancel the plans for the ICA summary/overview event of the IYS 2020 which was to be scheduled during the 2020 ASA November meeting in Cancun and reschedule for a suitable international meeting in 2021.

In the mean-time, our IYS 2020 web-site will be fully functioning with information on the status of the planned events and their rescheduling.

Using the words of Sergio Luzzi regarding the extension of the schools competition:

“We must guarantee to the world that the Year of Sound is not cancelled by the virus and that right after this difficult period, the beautiful “sound of the world” will be heard again by everyone.”

Michael Taroudakis and Marion Burgess

Co-Organisers IYS 2020

 

IYS Opening Ceremony

IYS Opening Ceremony

Kick Off International Year of Sound with U.S. Opening Ceremony at American Center for Physics on Feb. 13

Media, scientists, audio enthusiasts, students and community members are invited to attend.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information:
Keeta Jones
516-576-2364
kjones@acousticalsociety.org

COLLEGE PARK, Md., February 7, 2020 — The International Year of Sound (IYS 2020) is a global initiative to highlight the importance of sound-related sciences and technologies. The U.S. opening ceremony will be held Thursday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. EST at the American Center for Physics, located in College Park, Maryland.

Sponsored by the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and its Washington, DC Regional Chapter, the ceremony will have presentations about sound-related issues as well as a public showing of a video highlighting how scientists are reducing the impact of noise pollution on the natural world.

Victor Sparrow, president of ASA, said the new video being viewed during the celebration showcases how we, as humans, have altered the world around us without even realizing it.

“Sound plays an important role in all human activities, and applications of acoustics are found in almost all aspects of modern society,” Sparrow said. “However, there is a concern about too much sound, which then becomes noise, and it needs to be controlled to ensure acceptable and safe living environments for people and nature.”

The animal sounds video is the first in a series being produced by ASA to celebrate the International Year of Sound and raise awareness into how acousticians work to improve the world through the science of sound.

The U.S. opening ceremony will also feature two presentations. Josef Rauschecker, a professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Georgetown University, give in a talk, “Auditory Perception and Action,” at the event.

“Whether we speak, sing, or play a musical instrument, sound production has to be linked to auditory perception,” Rauschecker said. “I will discuss how the brain controls these complex behaviors.”

In a separate talk, Gary Gottlieb, vice president of the Audio Engineering Society, will outline the evolution of audio — where it has been and what is on the acoustical horizon. A second video at the event, “What Makes Frozen Lakes Sing?” is a 2016 ASA Science Writing Award winner and explains the strange twang that frozen lakes create.

The evening will include refreshments and live music by String Poets. Please RSVP if attending on the ASA Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/events/1471661962993102/) or online at http://evite.me/GhGqB15TmD.

The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. For more information about ASA, click here.