PREPARED FOR NOISE/NEWS INTERNATIONAL, 2004 SEPTEMBER.
The Danish Acoustical Society (DAS) will celebrate a significant milestone in 2005 as it notes the 50th anniversary of its founding. DAS, one of four Scandinavian acoustical societies, was organized 13 January 1955, by a group of professionals that included Prof. Dr. Tech. Fritz Ingerslev and Dr. Tech. Per V. Brüel.
Several special events are planned to commemorate the anniversary. A formal celebration is set for 4 February 2005. This event will feature invited speakers and a reception. In addition, the group will publish a 200-page “anniversary book” that will contain 20 articles on acoustical topics that were—and still are—of interest to professionals in this discipline. Some articles date to 1935. The book, which will be published in Danish, will also include stories about the group.s founders. Dr. Brüel is preparing a smaller, more personal publication. It will be available in both Danish and English.
Since its beginnings in 1955, DAS. membership has grown to 240 professionals, including 11 sustaining members. Seventy percent of the membership is from industry, 20 percent from national and local institutions, and 10 percent from higher education. To encourage new members and to promote lifelong affiliation with the group, graduate students receive a complimentary one-year membership. The society remains dedicated to its original goals: to promote and propagate nationally the knowledge of acoustics and its practical application, and to establish national and international contact between people interested in acoustics, in particular cooperation with Scandinavian, European, and other foreign organizations. DAS has played a critical role in organizing several important acoustics meetings, including the joint Baltic-Nordic Acoustical Meeting in 2002.
DAS focuses its activities in five specialty areas: building and room acoustics, electroacoustics, environmental acoustics, machinery acoustics, and psychoacoustics. Members select one or more specialty areas; the managers of each area are responsible for the activities of the group, which may include industry and university visits. All five groups arrange for speakers for the annual DAS “Day of Acoustics.” DAS is especially interested in connecting scientists and practitioners within its specialty areas.
DAS has recently been chosen to assist in the review process of new acoustical standards from the Danish Standards Group and will also provide input to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency on its new acoustical guidelines.
Management of the society is in the hands of a sixmember board: Claus Møller Petersen, president, and board members Dr. Tech. Niels Olhoff, Torben, Douglas, Søren, and M.Sc. Henrik S. Olesen. Arne Th. Christensen is treasurer and secretary. The Society’s web address is www.d-a-s.dk. The site contains information on meetings, hearings of proposals for new standards, and links to courses in acoustics as well as links to sponsor.s websites (including job notices) and websites of other acoustical organizations. The e-mail address for DAS is d-a-s@oersted.dtu.dk.
DAS is affiliated with the European Acoustics Association (EAA) and the International Institute of Noise Control Engineering, which entitles DAS members to receive the publications of these two groups at no charge. Members of DAS are also admitted to the Nordic Acoustical Society (NAS) whose activities include organizing Nordic Acoustical Meetings held every other year in either Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, or Iceland.