From Air Force to Acoustics

After serving in the Air Force, I settled in San Francisco to look for something entirely new. Charles Salter inspired me to forge my technical training and interdisciplinary skills into an acoustical engineering profession. Four decades later, I have consulted on hundreds of projects and prepared over thirty technical papers for various journals and proceedings. One of my most challenging projects was a complex acoustical investigation and retrofit scheme to reduce exhaust fan noise within a laboratory facility. Another was developing a practical floating floor to buffer the sound of basketball players jumping and running across the gym floor over a community center auditorium. Since 1978, I have been working with the American National Standards Institute and the American Society for Testing and Materials International on various acoustical standards.

The Wordsmith

No matter the project, I look for the right words to communicate highly technical information so it can be easily understood and applied. Finding ways to improve communication skills is just as important to me as the technical principles. My stimulation comes from being immersed in a collegial environment and pursuing intellectual challenges. One example was being asked to investigate a possible case of hearing damage caused by the explosion of a reheated boiled egg. I presented the results of my investigation to the Acoustical Society of America in 2017. The story was published in over 20 news outlets, including The New York Times.