Newman Award Research Articles

Psi Chi/APA Edwin B. Newman Graduate Research Award.

The Edwin B. Newman Graduate Research Award is sponsored jointly by Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, and the APA. The award is presented annually to the psychology graduate student who submits the best research paper that was published or presented at a national, regional, or state psychological association conference during the past calendar year. The Edwin B. Newman Graduate Research Award is given jointly by Psi Chi and APA. Members of the 2016 Edwin B. Newman Award Committee were Shawn Carlton, PhD, Psi Chi representative; Christina Frederick-Recascino, PhD; John Norcross, PhD, APA representative; Karenna Malavanti, PhD, Psi Chi representative; Steven Kohn, PhD, Psi Chi representative; Warren Fass, PhD, Psi Chi representative; Chris Lovelace, PhD, Psi Chi representative; and Cathy Epkins, PhD, APA representative. (PsycINFO Database Record

Edwin B. Newman Award.

Edwin B. Newman Award.

From Portugal to Florida, and the Newman award.

I was 31 years-old when, in 1991, I left the University of Porto to study architectural acoustics at the University of Florida with Professor Gary W. Siebein. In 1994, I finished my Ph.D., I got the Robert Bradford Newman Award, and my career changed. In fact, that 1994 would be the “big bang” of my future life. Personally, academically, and scientifically, my Universe blew up and began expanding. What I learned and what I taught in the 17 years after that (and what the architectural acoustics changed in Portugal and Southern Europe) is the subject of this paper.

Influence of Robert B. Newman on education.

Professor R. B. Newman’s 4.43 course at MIT followed the scholarly legacy of W. C. Sabine, V. O. Knudsen, and C. P. Boner, but featured irreverent observations, succinct admonitions, case histories of BBN projects, and field trips (which stressed importance of sensory observations to understand principles of physics). In the late 1960s, the presenter, a former student of Newman, developed teaching aids at Tulane University which evolved into architectural acoustics, now in print for its 41st year. In the first 7 years of Newman Award Fund, the number of participating schools grew due to face-to-face communication with faculty and school administrators. The presenter and W. J. Cavanaugh facilitated the initial growth primarily at Clemson University (6 medalists), University of Florida (6), Rhode Island School of Design (5), and Oklahoma State University (4). Examples will be cited to show how Newman Award enhanced status of acoustics educators in designer-dominated academic cultures.

Beyond architectural schools.

The legacy of Bob Newman and Ted Schultz has benefitted architects, acousticians, and many others. This paper will summarize some of the author’s efforts to carry on their pedagogical spirit. The architectural acoustics class at Berklee College of Music began in 1987, with nearly 3500 total students over the years. A number of those students have been Newman Awardees, and some students have become teachers and even Newman Award mentors. The text “An Appreciation of Acoustics”, with funding support from the Schultz Grant, was written primarily for the Berklee class, and has been used elsewhere. The ASA College of Fellows recently began the Outreach to Undergraduate Students program, which has effectively introduced acoustics as a potential vocation to students in various schools and curricula.

A short history: The Newman student awards program.

This paper traces the Newman Award Fund programs from the first student medals awarded in 1986 to 13 recent awards in “for merit in the study of Architectural Acoustics” bringing the total to 225 medals awarded to students at over 55 schools of architecture, architectural engineering, and music to date. Any degree granting institution offering a basic course in architectural acoustics and opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in student theses, senior design projects, or research may nominate one graduating student for the Newman Medal from that school each year. In addition, every 2 or 3 years the Fund awards Theodore Schultz Grants to teachers and researchers in architectural acoustics for merit in the development of course materials, innovative course programs, or new texts. A third leg of the Fund program is the Wenger Prizes awarded to student teams for meritorious design in competitions sponsored each year by the ASA Technical Committee on Architectural Acoustics. This paper brings the perspectives and experiences of a charter member of the Newman Fund Advisory Committee as well as those of a more recent member of the Committee, who is a past Newman medalist in her own right. For Newman Fund updates visit www.newmanfund.org.

The Newman medal and architectural acoustics at the University of Florida.

The architectural acoustics program at the University of Florida was heavily influenced by the Newman medal program as well as the life and work of Robert B. Newman. Bertram Y. Kinzey, Jr., the founder of the program, had the pleasure of attending one of Bob Newman’s seminars and brought much of Bob’s enthusiasm for the subject to all of his students. Four principles that organize the program were influenced by the life and work of Bob Newman. The program is based in architecture as the fundamental discipline from which to approach architectural acoustics. The creative application of acoustical design principles in buildings is the focus of study. The exploration of acoustics in actual buildings becomes a thrust for research in the field. The program teaches future architects about acoustics in the built environment. A fifth principle that introduces a strong research component is necessary in a modern university. We are extremely grateful for the recognition for excellence in the study of architectural acoustics that we have been able to extend to our students as a result of the Newman Award program.

2010 award winners: Edwin B. Newman award.

2010 award winners: Edwin B. Newman award.

2009 award winners: Edwin B. Newman Award.

2009 award winners: Edwin B. Newman Award.

2008 award winners: Edwin B. Newman award.

2008 award winners: Edwin B. Newman award.

2007 Award Winners: Edwin B. Newman Award.

2007 Award Winners: Edwin B. Newman Award.

2003 award winners: Edwin B. Newman Award.

2003 award winners: Edwin B. Newman Award.

Edwin B. Newman Award.

Edwin B. Newman Award.