COVID Pandemic and Its Impact on ASA Members

COVID Pandemic and Its Impact on ASA Members

Over the past year, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has redefined daily work and life circumstances for Acoustical Society of America (ASA) members around the world. In February 2021, the ASA Women in Acoustics Committee and the ASA Student Council decided to survey ASA members about how they have been affected by the pandemic. Two independent surveys were generated and administered separately. While both surveys were sent out to members via the ASA email listserv, only students were invited to respond to the Student Council survey. A total of over 950 responses across the two surveys were received from ASA members at different career stages. While it is still uncertain what recovery will look like, this good, large response conveys that many ASA members would like to share about their unique experiences. The key findings from each survey are summarized in two separate essays – “How are ASA students being impacted by the pandemic” and “Impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ASA members.”

The essays will actually appear in the summer 2021 issue of Acoustics Today. However, they are so timely and interesting, that at the suggestion of the authors we are making them available on the web well before publication.  Please note that these essays have yet to be edited, and the final versions may be slightly different from those presented here. However, the general findings and ideas presented are not going to change.  I do want to thank all of the authors for suggesting and doing these essays, and for allowing us to put them online in this timely way.

Arthur N. Popper
Editor, Acoustics Today