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Short course offers latest research and developments in underwater acoustics
Dr. William Thompson Jr., professor of engineering science at Penn State, conducts a session on Basic Acoustic and Sonar Concepts during the Underwater Acoustics and Signal Processing short course held at Penn State. He directs the short course.	Twenty-three scientists and engineers interested in learning about the latest research in underwater acoustics and signal processing attended the Applied Research Laboratory’s (ARL) short course on this topic last fall. Participants came from the United States, Canada and Sweden. “The short course provided a broad, but comprehensive, introduction to many important topics in underwater acoustics and signal processing,” Dr. William Thompson Jr. said. “The major goal was to give participants a practical understanding of fundamental concepts, along with an appreciation of current research and development activities. The short course serves as a foundation for more advanced study of current literature or for other specialized courses.” Thompson, professor of engineering science in the College of Engineering and a researcher at the Applied Research Laboratory, directed the Underwater Acoustics and Signal Processing short course and served as an instructor. He has more than 40 years of experience at ARL and with other companies in the design and construction of underwater acoustic transducers and arrays and in related aspects of acoustic radiation analysis. He led sessions on Basic Acoustic and Sonar Concepts and Transducer and Array Concepts. Dr. L. Raymond Hettche, director of Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory, welcomes scientists and engineers to the 1999 Underwater Acoustics and Signal Processing short course, held at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. The Applied Research Laboratory has been offering the Underwater Acoustics and Signal Processing short course since at least 1965, Thompson said. Next year, the Graduate Program in Acoustics plans to conduct a special Summer Program in Acoustics, he added. This program will offer credit courses in general and applied acoustics, underwater acoustics and sonar, and noise and vibration control. The intensive two-week courses are designed for scientists and engineers who want to acquire basic knowledge in these areas or to enrich and update their technical skills. An outreach program of the Applied Research Laboratory