Ocean acoustics education—A perspective from 1970 to the present

Abstract

A very senior ocean acoustician is attributed with the quote to the effect “one does not start in ocean acoustics, but rather ends up in it.” This may well summarize the issues confronting education in ocean acoustics. Acoustics were part of the curriculum in physics departments, whereas now it is spread across many departments. Acoustics and perhaps ocean acoustics are most often found in mechanical or ocean engineering departments, but seldom in physics. Almost all our pioneers from the WWII era were educated in physics and some more recently in engineering departments. Yet, only a few places maintained in depth curricula in ocean acoustics. Most education was done by one on one mentoring. Now the number of students is diminishing, whether because of perception of employment opportunities or the number of available assistantships is uncertain. ONR is the major driver in ocean acoustics for supporting graduate students. The concern about this is hardly new. Twenty plus years ago this was codified as part of the so called “Lackie Report” establishing ocean acoustics as “Navy unique” giving it a priority as a “Navy National Need” (NNR). With fewer students enrolled in ocean acoustics administrators at universities are really balking at sponsoring faculty slots, so there are very significant issues arising for an education in ocean acoustics. Perhaps, reverting to the original model of fundamental training in a related discipline followed by on the job training may be the only option for the future.