Volume 3, Number 4, December, 1995 - Noise News International

President's ColumnCommunication Before ActionIn a recent issue of Physics Today,Daniel Kleppner, a professor ofphysics at MIT, recalls how Prince Williamof Orange, in 1574, took the courageousand well-received step tofound the University of Leiden at a timewhen his countrymen were reelingfrom the devastation of a long siege. AsKleppner quotes, Prince William statedit was necessary at this critical time toestablish the university: "...where theyoung people could be educated andtaught...in all proper, honest and freearts and sciences."In a recent column in the Los AngelesTimes, Michael Schrage, also atMIT, (rejoice you MIT grads!) writesabout the pitfalls in overzealous infatuationwith the idea that our nation'sschools "belong in cyberspace" andthat students must get connected to theInternet. He goes on to say that "Today'sInternet infatuation is emblematicof a society that would rather buytools than go through the painful processof figuring out how to use them."Over 40 years ago, during a sparemoment as a young electro-acousticalengineer at the University of Washington,I postulated a simple principle: "Noaction of any sort whatsoever takesplace without being preceded by someform of communication." While posingthis "principle" may simply be a case of"having a keen grasp of the obvious,"nevertheless, I have found it to be auseful guideline. Allow me to try toconnect these seemingly disconnectedwords with this parting challenge toINCE and its members as my year asPresident of INCE draws to a close.Equate (loosely), the traumatic periodof Leiden under siege to the currentsiege of industry by economicforces that dictate the need to cut costs- e.g., "Who needs noise control featureson this widget, anyway ?" asks thechief bean counter. Other competitiveand frequently difficultto-predicttechnological forcesare also acting to put many industriesunder "bottom-line"stress. Such times present a challengeto industry leadership toadopt long term action plans tobuild enduring technological and financialstrength. Education (and research)should be a vital part of suchplans. From our perspective in INCE,such education should include effectivecurricula to teach the "...youngpeople...(the) arts and sciences" ofnoise controL Surely, that is just whatuniversities and colleges with acousticsand vibration or noise control coursesare trying to do. Yet the young graduatemay seldom have an opportunity to effectivelyinfluence the noise controldesign of a product. This more oftenfalls on the shoulders of the more seniordesigner who may not have training innoise control technology.Thus, to get to my point - INCE cantake a leadership role in providing trainingon product noise control. We need tomake training more readily available tothe designers in industry who are callingthe shots on product design. The Internetand other similar new high tech means ofrapid communication such as video conferencing,that will surely improve andbecome more widely utilized, can helpprovide this communication to industryand help them develop the necessary actionto apply noise control technologymore aggressively and effectively.Such communication programs must,however, embrace the painful process ofteaching how to apply the technologyand not be infatuated with the communicationprocess itself. There's the challenge,INCE -let's go for it!- Louis C. Sutherland1995 [NeE President220 NoiseINews International 1995December