First Pan American/Iberian Meeting on Acoustics

FIRST PAN-AMERICAN/IBERIAN MEETING ON ACOUSTICS

2--6 December 2002
Cancun, Mexico

The First Pan-American/Iberian Meeting on Acoustics will be held Monday through Friday, 2 6 December 2002, in Cancun, Mexico. All technical sessions and several other events will be held at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Hotel (headquarters hotel). Administrative committee meetings will be held at the Hyatt Regency Cancun which is located across the street from the Fiesta Americana.

SECTION HEADINGS

  1. HOTEL INFORMATION
  2. TRAVEL TIPS, TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL DIRECTIONS
  3. STUDENT TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES
  4. MESSAGES FOR ATTENDEES
  5. REGISTRATION
  6. ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES
  7. TECHNICAL SESSIONS
  8. TECHNICAL SESSION DESIGNATIONS
  9. SPECIAL HISTORY LECTURES
  10. TUTORIAL LECTURES
  11. SHORT COURSES
  12. TECHNICAL COMMITTEE OPEN MEETINGS
  13. OPENING CEREMONIES
  14. IBEROAMERICAN FEDERATION OF ACOUSTICS
  15. MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF ACOUSTICS
  16. PLENARY SESSION
  17. EXHIBIT
  18. ANSI STANDARDS COMMITTEES
  19. CD-ROM PAPER COLLECTION
  20. COFFEE BREAKS
  21. A/V PREVIEW ROOM
  22. E-MAIL ACCESS
  23. BUFFET SOCIALS
  24. ACCOMPANYING PERSONS' PROGRAM
  25. STUDENT RECEPTION
  26. COMMITTEE ON WOMEN IN ACOUSTICS LUNCHEON
  27. POST-MEETING TOUR TO CHICHEN ITZA
  28. WEATHER
  29. TECHNICAL PROGRAM ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
  30. MEETING COMMITTEE
  31. PHOTOGRAPHING AND RECORDING
  32. NOTE TO SMOKERS
  33. GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT MEETINGS OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
  34. SUGGESTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE POSTER PRESENTATIONS
  35. GUIDELINES FOR USE OF COMPUTER PROJECTION IN MEETING PRESENTATIONS


1. HOTEL INFORMATION

The Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Hotel is the headquarters hotel where all technical sessions and some other meeting events will be held (Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach, Blvd. Kukulkan Km. 9.5 Lote 6, Zona Hotelera, C.P. 77500, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico; Tel: +52-9988-81-32-00; Fax: +52-9988-81-32-63). A block of rooms has also been reserved at the Hyatt Regency Cancun which is located directly across the street from the Fiesta Americana (Hyatt Regency Cancun Mexico, Blvd Kukulcan Km 8.5, P.O. Box 1201, Hotel Zone, Cancun, Q Roo 77500 Mexico; Tel: +52-9988-83 1234 / 883 0966; Fax: +52 9988-83 1349 / 883 1438).

Guest rooms at discounted rates have been reserved for meeting participants at Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach and the Hyatt Regency Cancun. Early reservations are strongly recommended. You must reference the Acoustical Society of America when making your reservation to obtain special ASA meeting rates. The cut-off date for obtaining the special ASA rates at both hotels is 15 October 2002.

Reservations will only be accepted by fax or postal mail using the forms that can be downloaded here for the Fiesta Americana or the Hyatt Regency. Reservations cannot be made by phone. The special ASA discounted rate cannot be obtained by calling the 800 number for Hyatt hotels nor through online reservation services.

2. TRAVEL TIPS, TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL DIRECTIONS

TRAVEL TIPS

Entry Requirements: U.S. and Canadian citizens require valid U.S. or Canadian passports (preferred), or an original birth certificate with a raised seal and a state / federal issued photo id (driver's license). U.S. passports should be applied for well in advance of the meeting to avoid high processing fees. Children traveling alone, with one parent, or with someone other than their parents must have written and notarized consent to travel from both parents.

Citizens of countries other than the U.S. and Canada should contact their local Mexican Embassy or Consulate to determine entry requirements for Mexico.

You will receive two forms to fill out before you enter Mexico. These are normally distributed by the airlines either at the ticket counter or while in transit. The first form is your tourist card and you will need one per person. Be sure to fill out both the top and bottom parts of the form. Upon arrival at the airport you will first go through Immigration, which will inspect your proof of citizenship and validate your tourist card. Save the stamped (blue) copy which you will need to exit Mexico (make a note of the number in case you misplace this card). Your tourist card will be endorsed for a 30 day stay. The second form is for Hacienda (the Customs and Taxation arm of the government). You will need one of these forms per family.

After passing through Immigration, get your bags in the baggage claim area and then proceed to the exit. Hand your card to the Customs Agent and push the button on the 'traffic light' which is set up to randomly turn green for "Go" or red for "Stop and Inspect." If you get a red light, they will ask to see the contents of your bags.

During busy periods, particularly on weekends, there can be lengthy delays at Immigration upon arrival in Cancun.

Language: English and Spanish are spoken at all hotels and restaurants on the Cancun peninsula.

Electricity: (Same as U.S.) 110 volts, 60 Hz

Telephone calls: International telephone calls from Mexico tend to be expensive. Prepaid phone cards generally offer the best option.

Water: The water standards on the Cancun peninsula, where the hotel is located are as high as those found in the United States. However for visitors who leave the Cancun peninsula, it is advisable to drink only distilled or bottled water.

Money, Exchange and Credit: While most businesses will accept foreign currency, especially US dollars, foreign currency can be exchanged at one of many casas de cambio (exchange houses) or at banks and hotels. Mexican banking hours are normally Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, for money exchange, the hours are normally from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Casas de cambio are open later than most banks and they generally offer quicker service. Credit cards are widely accepted, with Visa, MasterCard, and American Express being the most popular. Automatic Teller Machines (ATM's) are plentiful, including at hotels. Note that the dollar sign ($) is often used to denote pesos.

AIR TRANSPORTATION

The Cancun Airport is served by Aeromexico, Air France, American, British Airways, Continental, Delta, Iberia, KLM, Lacsa, Lufthansa, Mexicana and US Airways. The airport designation is CUN.

GROUND TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORT-HOTEL TRANSFER

A rental car is not necessary; there are plenty of restaurants and shops within easy walking distance of the hotels. Attendees who do wish to rent cars will find car rental counters at the airport and hotels.

Advance reservations for ground transportation between the airport and the hotel are highly recommended. It is about a 25 minute trip from the airport to the hotel.

Reservations for transportation may be made on-line at the Thomas More Travel web site. Shuttle service costs $17.00 USD round trip per person and is valid for flights arriving between 8:00 a,m. and 10:00 p.m. You will need to provide your arrival and departure flight information. Remember that the meeting hotels are the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach and the Hyatt Regency Cancun (there are two Fiesta Americana and two Hyatt hotels in Cancun!). Be sure to enter "ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY" in the comments section.

After clearing Customs at the Cancun airport and after exiting the International arrivals building look for Thomas More travel and a yellow banner that reads "Pan American/Iberian American Meeting on Acoustics"; you will be directed to a waiting vehicle.

If you have not made advance reservations you have two choices. After clearing Customs and before exiting the building look for the taxi shuttle called Chac-Mol for a shared ride from the airport to the hotel for approximately $10.00 USD per person. Alternatively, a taxi to the hotel will cost approximately $20 USD. Taxis are not metered so it is advisable to first negotiate the fare. Remember that the meeting hotels are the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach and the Hyatt Regency Cancun

3. STUDENT TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES

To encourage student participation, limited funds are available to defray partially the cost of travel expenses of students to attend Acoustical Society meetings. Instructions for applying for travel subsidies are given in the Call for Papers which are mailed to ASA members for each meeting. The deadline for the present meeting has passed but this information may be useful in the future.

4. MESSAGES FOR ATTENDEES

Messages for attendees may be left by calling the Fiesta Americana hotel at +52 9988-81-32-00 and asking for the ASA/FIA/IMA Registration Desk during the meeting, where a message center board will be located. This board may also be used by attendees who wish to contact one another.

5. REGISTRATION

Online registration is available on the ASA webpage at asa.aip.org.

A registration form that can be sent by fax or postal mail can be downloaded here.

Registration is required for all attendees and accompanying persons. Only persons with registration badges will be admitted to the meeting rooms, Buffet Socials on Tuesday and Thursday, and the Accompanying Persons Program.

Preregistration at discounted rates is available up to 4 November.

Registration at the meeting will begin Monday morning, 2 December, at 7:30 a.m. at the registration area on the fourth floor at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Hotel.

Checks or travelers checks in U.S. funds drawn on U.S. banks and Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards will be accepted for payment of registration. Meeting attendees who have preregistered may pick up their badges and registration materials at the Preregistration Desk.

6. ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES

The ASA has purchased assistive listening devices (ALDs) for the benefit of meeting attendees who need them at technical sessions. Attendees with hearing loss are encouraged to take advantage of ALDs. To do so, ask at the ASA registration desk. If you have problems with an ALD return to the desk for assistance. Any attendee who will require an assistive listening device should advise the Society in advance of the meeting by writing to: Acoustical Society of America, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502; Email: asa@aip.org

7. TECHNICAL SESSIONS

The technical program includes 112 sessions, with 1102 papers scheduled for presentation during the meeting. All Technical Sessions will be held a the Fiesta Americana. Session Chairs have been instructed to adhere strictly to the printed time schedule, both to be fair to all speakers and to permit attendees to schedule moving from one session to another to hear specific papers. If an author is not present to deliver a lecture-style paper, the Session Chairs have been instructed either to call for additional discussion of papers already given or to declare a short recess so that subsequent papers are not given ahead of the designated times.

Some papers will be presented in Spanish or Portuguese with visual aids in English.

8. TECHNICAL SESSION DESIGNATIONS

The first character is a number indicating the day the session will be held, as follows:

The second character is a lower case a'' for a.m., p'' for p.m. or e'' for evening corresponding to the time of day the session will take place. The third and fourth characters are capital letters indicating the primary Technical Committee that organized the session, using the following abbreviations or codes:

In sessions where the same Technical Committee is the primary organizer of more than one session scheduled in the same morning or afternoon, a fifth character, either lower-case a,'' or b'' is used to distinguish the sessions. Each paper within a session is identified by a paper number following the session-designating characters, in conventional manner. As hypothetical examples: paper 2pEA3 would be the third paper in a session on Tuesday afternoon organized by the Engineering Acoustics Technical Committee; 3pSAb5 would be the fifth paper in the second of two sessions on Wednesday afternoon sponsored by the Structural Acoustics and Vibration Technical Committee.

Note that technical sessions are listed both in the Calendar and the body of the Program in the numerical and alphabetical order of the session designations rather than the order of their starting times. For example, session 3aAA would be listed ahead of session 3aAO even if the latter session began earlier in the same morning.

9. SPECIAL HISTORY LECTURES

The Committee on Archives and History will jointly sponsor two special lectures on the history of acoustics with the Technical Committees on Biomedical Ultrasound/Bioresponse to Vibration and Animal Bioacoustics. "Origins and evolution of the developments which led to echo-Doppler duplex colorflow diagnostic methodology" will be presented by Donald W. Baker (Univ. of Washington, retired), on Tuesday, 3 December, at 10:30 a.m. in Coral Kingdom 1. "The History of Animal Bioacoustics" will be presented by Arthur N. Popper (Univ. of Maryland) on Thursday, 5 December, at 1:00 p.m. in Coral Kingdom 2 and 3.

In 1997, the ASA Committee on Archives and History conceived a plan for a series of invited lectures on each of the technical areas of the Society which would document the significant achievements and milestones of each of its thirteen technical committees during the Society's first 75 years. With the cooperation of the technical committees, distinguished individuals are selected to review the history of their particular technical specialty and present a lecture which shows how that activity has developed and has contributed to the Society at large and to the broad field of acoustics as well. To date a total of eleven history lectures have been presented.

The invited lecturers have been asked to prepare a written manuscript of their lectures which will be published in a commemorative book for the 75th Anniversary of the Society to be celebrated in 2004. The Archives and History Committee and the individual technical committees/group welcome comments and suggestions on both the History Lecture Series and on the proposed ASA Diamond Anniversary Book. Volunteers to assist the committees would be most welcome too. Contact Henry Bass, Chair, Committee on Archives and History, pabass@sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu

10. TUTORIAL LECTURES

Tutorial lectures will be presented on Monday and Friday evenings.

A tutorial lecture titled "Architectural Acoustics" will be presented on Monday, 2 December, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Coral Island 1 and 2 by Neil Shaw (Menlo Scientific Acoustics, Inc., Topanga, CA), Rick Talaske (The Talaske Group, Inc., Oak Park IL) and Sylvio Bistafa (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic School, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil). This tutorial is intended to provide an overview of current knowledge and practice in architectural acoustics. Topics covered will include basic concepts and history, acoustics of small rooms (small rooms for speech such as classrooms and meeting rooms, music studios, small critical listening spaces such as home theatres) and the acoustics of large rooms (larger assembly halls, auditoria, and performance halls).

A tutorial lecture titled "Industrial Noise Control" will be presented on Friday, 6 December, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Coral Island 1 and 2 by Samir Gerges (Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil) and Brandon Tinianov (Johns Manville, Littleton, CO). This tutorial is intended to provide a practical overview of applied acoustics and industrial noise control, including the fundamentals of applied acoustics, industrial noise control and case histories. The following topics will be covered: Sound radiation, sound transmission, outdoor sound propagation and indoor sound fields, sound absorption materials, machinery noise and its control (fans, motors, compressors, air jets, pneumatic tools) and the design of sound enclosures.

Notes will not be provided.

11. SHORT COURSES

On Sunday, 1 December, two short courses will be organized and presented by Brüel & Kjær USA and will be held at the Fiesta Americana. A separate registration fee of $10 is charged to attend each course. The number of registrants is limited. Lunch will be provided to course participants compliments of B&K. Register in advance by downloading the registration form or online. On site registration will also be possible subject to space availability.

The first short course,Sound Quality Fundamentals: Basic introduction to sound quality; recording and playback; introduction to sound quality parameters; overview of SQ metrics, will be held in Coral Sea 1 and 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The second short course, Noise Source Identification Techniques: Introduction to sound intensity; sound intensity metrics; sound intensity equipment; advanced noise source identification techniques, will be held in Coral Sea 1 and 2 of the Fiesta Americana Hotel from 2:00 to 5:45 p.m.

The lecturer for both courses will be Marc Marroquin, from Brüel and Kjær, U.S.A. Lecture notes will be provided to course participants.

12. TECHNICAL COMMITTEE OPEN MEETINGS

Technical Committees of the Acoustical Society of America will hold open meetings on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. These are working, collegial meetings. Much of the work of the Society is accomplished by actions that originate and are taken in these meetings including proposals for special sessions and workshops. All meeting participants are cordially invited to attend these meetings and to participate actively in the discussions. Times and rooms for each Committee meeting are given in the schedule of meeting events.

13. OPENING CEREMONIES

Opening ceremonies will be held starting at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, 2 December, in Grand Coral 1 and 2 at the Fiesta Americana. The program will include cultural entertainment and presentations by the Presidents and meeting cochairs from the three sponsoring organizations, the Acoustical Society of America, the Iberoamerican Federation of Acoustics and the Mexican Institute of Acoustics.

A complimentary drink will be available in the Exhibit Area on the fourth floor between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

14. IBEROAMERICAN FEDERATION OF ACOUSTICS

The Iberoamerican Federation of Acoustics (Federacíon Iberoamericana de Acústica - FIA) was formed in October 1995, in Valdivia/Chile, as a non-profit scientific federation whose membership is open to acoustical societies of Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries. The acoustical societies in South America have been working together for many years. They have organized conferences, such as the first Brazil/Argentina congress in acoustics held in Florianąpolis in April, 1994 and various other congresses organized by the Institute de Acoustics of the Austral University of Chile in Valdivia in 1994 and 1995, with the participation of the Spanish, Peruvian and Argentinian acoustical societies.

FIA is composed of the following societies: Argentinian Association of the Acoustics (AdAA); Brazilian Acoustical Society (SOBRAC); Chilean Acoustical Society (SOCHA); Spanish Acoustical Society (SEA); Peruvian Acoustical Society (S. Pe. A.); Portuguese Acoustical Society (S. Port. A.); Mexican Institute of Acoustics (IMA).

The FIA by-laws were approved by the five societies listed above, in a historic meeting held in Buenos Aires in April, 1996. FIA accepts only member of acoustical societies that are non-profitable and legally established in a country of Spanish or Portuguese speaking countries. FIA Director council is composed of: President: Samir N.Y. Gerges (Brazil); Vice-President: Antonio P‚rez-Lopez (Spain); Treasurer: Eugenio Collados (Chile); Secretary: Antonio Calvo-Manzano (Spain). Council Members: Carlos Jimenez Dianderas (Peru), Antonio M. M‚ndez (Argentina), Jorge Patricio (Portugal), Sergio Beristain (Mexico).

Further information may be found on the FIA website.

The FIA General Assembly meeting will be held from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 3 December in Grand Coral 2 at the Fiesta Americana.

15. MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF ACOUSTICS

The Mexican Institute of Acoustics (IMA), was founded in November 1977 in Mexico City, in order to gather acousticians from all over Mexico, to keep them informed, updated, and allow their continuous development by means of conferences, magazines, and through technical and personal exchange with colleagues from Mexico and abroad, in topics such as Audio, Music, Architectural Acoustics, Vibrations, Infrasound, Ultrasound, Hearing and Speech, Transducers and Instrumentation, etc. Now, commemorating its 25th anniversary, the IMA extends a cordial invitation to specialists, technicians, students and others interested in supporting the Institute's growth to participate, and gain experience and information which will encourage his/her improvement. Among the main activities of the Institute are: Congress organization; publication of books and magazines; research and development in acoustics and related fields; promotion, review and updating of Acoustics Standards; aiding the personal and professional evolution of its members and colleagues, through shared experiences with national and international colleagues. Further information can be found on the IMA website.

The Mexican Institute of Acoustics will meet from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 4 December in the Villahermosa Room at the Hyatt Regency Cancun.

16. PLENARY SESSION

A plenary session will be held Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in Grand Coral 1. The ASA Pioneers of Underwater Acoustics Medal will be presented posthumously to Frederick D. Tappert, the ASA Wallace Clement Sabine Medal will be presented to Alfred C.C. Warnock, the ASA Silver Medal in Noise will be presented to Louis C. Sutherland and Honorary Fellowship in the ASA will be conferred upon Michael Longuet-Higgins.

Certificates will be presented to the ASA 2001 Science Writing Award recipients and the ASA Fellows elected at the Pittsburgh meeting of the Acoustical Society.

The Mexican Institute of Acoustics (IMA) will present the IMA John William Strutt Medal, 3rd Baron of Rayleigh, to Leo L. Beranek and Per V. Brel and the IMA Herman Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz Medal to Jos‚ Luis RodrĄguez.

The Iberoamerican Federation of Acoustics (FIA) will present certificates.

17. EXHIBIT

An equipment exhibit will open Monday afternoon, 2 December, at 5:00 p.m. in the Registration Area on the fourth floor of the Fiesta Americana Hotel. Exhibit hours are: Monday, 2 December: 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The exhibition will include computer-based instrumentation, sound level meters, sound intensity systems, signal processing systems, devices for noise and vibration control, and acoustical materials.

18. ANSI STANDARDS COMMITTEES

Meetings of ANSI Accredited Standards Committees and their advisory working groups will be held at the dates and times listed in the schedule for standards committee meetings on page A? Meetings of Accredited Standards Committees S1, Acoustics; S2, Mechanical Vibration and Shock; S3, Bioacoustics; and S12, Noise, as well as the Standards Plenary meeting, are open meetings and all attendees are invited to attend and participate in the acoustical standards development process. Meetings of selected advisory working groups are often held in conjunction with Society meetings and are listed in the calendar or on the standards bulletin board in the registration area, e.g., S12/WGI8-Room Criteria. People interested in attending and in becoming involved in working group activities must contact the ASA Standards Manager for further information about these groups, or about the ASA Standards Program in general, at the following address: Susan Blaeser, ASA Standards Manager, Standards Secretariat, Acoustical Society of America, Suite 114E, 35 Pinelawn Rd., Melville, NY 11747; Tel: 631-390-0215; Fax: 631-390-0217; Email: asastds@aip.org.

19. CD ROM PAPER COLLECTION

There will be no paper copying service at this meeting. A collection of papers presented at the meeting and voluntarily submitted by the authors will be included on a CD ROM, together with some useful information to commemorate this first Pan-American/Iberian Meeting on Acoustics, where acousticians from the Americas will meet for the first time with acousticians from all over the world. The CD-ROM will be available for purchase at the meeting in the registration area on the fourth floor at a cost of $10 USD. Papers will be organized by topics according to the meeting program. The CD-ROM will be assembled and published by the Mexican Institute of Acoustics.

20. COFFEE BREAKS

Coffee breaks will be held each day as follows: Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. in the Exhibit area on the fourth floor and in the Coral Gallery prefunction area on the lower level and 2:30 p.m. in the Exhibit area on the fourth floor; Wednesday-Friday: 10:00 a.m. in the Registration area on the fourth floor and in the Coral Gallery prefunction area on the lower level.

21. A/V PREVIEW ROOM

Authors who will use computers and computer projectors during their presentations must test their computers in advance of their session in the A/V preview room. Authors of papers using 35 mm slides MUST arrange their slides in carousels before their presentation since projectionists will not be able to arrange slides during a session. Room 436 on the fourth floor will be set up as an A/V preview room for authors' convenience, and will be available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

22. E-MAIL ACCESS

Computers providing e-mail access will be available in the Board of Directors Room on the ground floor of the Fiesta Americana from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

23. BUFFET SOCIALS

A complimentary buffet social with cash bar will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening on the Sunset Terrace near the pool at the Fiesta Americana.

The location of Thursday night's social will be announced later.

Meeting registration badges are required for admission.

24. ACCOMPANYING PERSONS' PROGRAM

A hospitality room for accompanying persons will be open each morning, Tuesday through Friday, 3 6 December, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the Le Basilic Restaurant located on the ground floor of the Fiesta Americana.

The Fiesta Americana Hotel provides a complimentary Kids' Club program where they take care of children during the day. Inquiries should be made directly to the hotel.

A program of events and tours has been organized for accompanying persons and is described below. Each tour has a minimum and maximum number of participants and so you are urged to register in advance of the meeting. On-site registration for the tours will be provided on a space-available basis. The tour registration desk will be located in the Coral Gallery prefunction area on the lower level.

Monday, 2 December
2:30 to 4:30 p.m. - Cultural and tour presentation by Maritur and a lecture on Mexican cooking in Le Basilic Restaurant

Tuesday, 3 December
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Guided visit to archaeological sites of Tulum and Coba. Tulum, to the south of Cancun, is the only major Mexican ruins to overlook the Caribbean Sea and is the only Mayan port city ever discovered. Tulum is a gleaming-white walled city that invites visitors to roam its small temples and buildings. Lunch included. Cost: $ 50.00. Register in advance by contacting: MARITUR, Attn: Vicente Posada, Phone: +52-998-883-4580, FAX: +52-998-883-4581, E-mail:
vposada@maritur.com. At meeting registration will be available until Monday at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, 4 December

11:00 a.m. to - 12:00 noon. Guided visit to the Cancun Archaeological Museum. This museum is a 10 minute walk from the Fiesta Americana. Meet outside the Le Basilic restaurant at the Fiesta Americana at 10:50 a.m. (Note. This museum can be visited without a guided tour from Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Arrangements have been made to waive the entrance fee for ASA meeting participants by showing your meeting badge).

1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Participation at technical session 3pMU "Hands on Explorations in Acoustics." Hands on activities open to all meeting attendants, but designated primary for accompanying persons, both adults and children.

Thursday, 5 December
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A trip to Isla Contoy (Contoy Island), a natural reserve with sea life and a large variety of birds. This tiny island was declared a National wildlife reserve in 1961 and is renowned for its flora and fauna, particularly for its birds. Bring your cameras. Breakfast and lunch included. Cost $ 85.00. Register in advance by contacting: MARITUR, Attn: Vicente Posada, Phone: +52-998-883-4580, FAX: +52-998-883-4581, E-mail:vposada@maritur.com. Registration at the meeting: subject to availability, up to Wednesday noon.

Friday, 6 December
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Guided visit to the archaeological sites of El Meco Ruins and El Rey (The King Ruins). Cost. There is no fee charged to participate in this tour. Register in advance by contacting: MARITUR, Attn: Vicente Posada, Phone: +52-998-883-4580, FAX: +52-998-883-4581, E-mail: vposada@maritur.com. Registration at the meeting: subject to availability, up to Thursday at 5:00 p.m.

25. RECEPTION FOR STUDENTS

A reception for students in all technical disciplines is scheduled for Wednesday, 4 December, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Caribe Room at the Hyatt Hotel Cancun (across the street from the Fiesta Americana). All students are invited to attend to meet your fellow students and senior researchers in various fields of acoustics.

26. COMMITTEE ON WOMEN IN ACOUSTICS LUNCHEON

The Women in Acoustics luncheon will be held at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, 4 December in the La Joya Restaurant located in the lobby of the Fiesta Americana next to the front entrance . Meeting participants who wish to attend this luncheon must register in advance of the luncheon. The fee is $15 for non-students and $5 for students. Tickets must be purchased in advance of the luncheon by downloading and submitting the meeting registration form or by using the online registration form at which is available on the ASA Home Page. You can also purchase a ticket at the meeting registration desk on the fourth floor by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, 4 December.

27. POST-MEETING TOUR TO CHICHEN ITZA

There will be a post meeting tour to Chichen Itza on Saturday and Sunday, 7 and 8 December. This huge complex of magnificent Mayan ruins is one of the biggest in Mexico. This site dates back to 600 AD and the Mayan civilization. It features the majestic pyramid of Kukulkan.

Special acoustical effects will be presented at the pyramid of Kukulkan during the tour by ASA members. A visit to Valladolid and Balancanche Caves is also planned as part of the tour. The tour will leave the Fiesta Americana at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, 7 December and return to the Fiesta on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

The fees are $180.00 double occupancy (per person) and $235.00 single occupancy plus tax and includes round trip in air conditioned bus, entrance fee to Cenote Dzinup, Balancanche Grotos and Chichen-Itza, lunch at El Meson in Valladolid, one night at Hotel Mayaland, dinner at the hotel, breakfast at the hotel, box lunch for return trip, soft drinks on the bus.

Full details can be found on the ASA Home Page.

28. WEATHER

Temperatures in Cancun in December average a high of 82 degrees F and a low of 69 degrees F.

29. TECHNICAL PROGRAM ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Kevin P. Shepherd, Technical Program Chair; Timothy F. Duda and Matthew A. Dzieciuch, Acoustical Oceanography; David A. Mann, Animal Bioacoustics; Angelo J. Campanella and David E. Marsh, Architectural Acoustics; Jeffrey A. Ketterling, Biomedical Ultrasound/Bioresponse to Vibration; James P. Cottingham and Judy Cottingham, Education in Acoustics; Elizabeth A. McLaughlin, Engineering Acoustics; James P. Cottingham and Judy Cottingham, Musical Acoustics; Brandon D. Tinianov, Noise; James M. Chambers and Jeffrey A. Ketterling, Physical Acoustics; Diane Kewley-Port, Psychological and Physiological Acoustics; Sean K. Lehman and Charles F. Gaumond, Signal Processing in Acoustics; Diane Kewley-Port and Robert F. Port, Speech Communication; Sean F. Wu, Structural Acoustics and Vibration; Michael D. Collins, Underwater Acoustics; Sergio Beristain, Rolando Menchaca, and Fernando J. Elizondo, representing the Mexican Institute of Acoustics; Samir N.Y. Gerges, representing the Iberoamerican Federation of Acoustics.

30. MEETING COMMITTEE

James E. West, Samir N.Y. Gerges and Sergio Beristain, meeting Cochairs; Charles E. Schmid, Vice Chair; Kevin P. Shepherd, Technical Program Chair; Rebeca de la Fuente, Cultural Program.

31. PHOTOGRAPHING AND RECORDING

Photographing and recording during regular sessions are not permitted without prior permission from the Acoustical Society.

32. NOTE TO SMOKERS

Smoking is prohibited in all session rooms. Smoke only where ashtrays are provided.

33. GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT MEETINGS OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

A. Preparation of Visual Aids

1. Allow at least one minute of your talk for each slide or other visual aid, e.g., no more than 12 slides for a 15-minute talk.
2. Minimize the number of lines of text and the number of curves shown on one visual aid. More than 12 lines of text or 5 curves are too many to be comprehended within one minute. Too little is better than too much.
3. On a transparency for overhead projection, all material should be within an 8x9-inch (20x23 cm) frame. Characters should be at least 0.2 inches (5 mm) high to be legible when projected; conventional 10- or 12-font characters are too small.
4. Text for 35-mm slides may be prepared using 10- or 12-pitch font, but the overall frame size of the typed material before reproduction should be no larger than 4x6 inches (10x15 cm). In general, characters in any visual aid should have a height at least 1/40 of the total frame height. In order that a 35-mm slide be legible when projected in an average size room, the slide itself should be legible when held 10 inches (25 cm) in front of the eye.
5. Make symbols no less than 1/3 the height of a capital letter. Break away any line that would otherwise pass through a character or symbol.
6. Black lines on clear background or white lines on black background are more legible than colored lines. Use color only if required to distinguish different curves or elements.
7. On each slide put a thumb mark'' on the corner that is the upper right-hand corner when the slide is viewed inverted, so that on later projection the image is upright. Number the slides in order of presentation, on or beside the thumb mark.''
8. Video tapes must be in the standard VHS format. Videotapes not in the standard VHS format must be converted to this format by the individual presenter prior to the meeting.

B. Presentation

1. Organize your talk with introduction, body, and summary or conclusion. Include only facts or concepts that can be explained adequately in the allotted time. Rehearse talk so you can confidently deliver it in that time.
2. Session Chairs have been instructed to adhere to the time schedule and to stop your presentation if you run over.
3. An A/V preview room will be available for viewing slides, transparencies or videotapes before your session starts.
4. Arrive early enough so that you can meet the session chair and projectionist, check your slides in the projector, and familiarize yourself with the microphone, slide controls, laser pointer, and other equipment.
5. Every time you display a slide the audience needs time to interpret it. Although you are familiar with the data, the audience may not be. Describe the abscissa, ordinate, units, and the legend for each curve. If the shape of a curve or some other feature is important, tell the audience what they should observe in order to grasp the point. They won't have time to figure it out for themselves.

C. References
1. Hubbard, H.H. Guidelines for the planning and preparation of illustrated technical talks,'' J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 60, 995 998 (1976).
2. Young, R.W. On presenting a technical paper,'' J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 61, 1086 1087 (1977).

34. SUGGESTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE POSTER PRESENTATIONS

A board approximately 6 ft. wide x 3 ft. high will be provided for the display of each poster paper. Supplies will be available for attaching the poster material to the display boards. Each board will be marked with the board location number. Note that the board location number may not correspond with the abstract number. Authors should furnish, as part of their poster presentation, a sign giving the abstract number, paper title and author(s) name, in lettering approximately 1-1/2 inch high. Free-hand lettering with a felt pen is entirely adequate.

A poster paper should be able to stand alone,'' that is, be understandable even if the author is not present to explain, discuss, and answer questions. This is highly desirable because the author may not be present for the entire time the poster papers are on display, and when the author is engaged in discussion with one person, others may want to study the display without interrupting an ongoing dialogue. To meet the stand alone'' criteria, it is suggested that authors consider the following elements for a poster. Each element can be arranged on one or more standard letter-size sheets. Where typing is needed, large font type is very effective. Careful hand lettering, at least 1/4 in. high, is also acceptable. Obviously, it may not be appropriate for any given paper to include all of the elements'' listed below. These are merely suggestions:

1. Objective, purpose, goal, etc.
2. Background information. Prior work.
3. Assumptions, etc.
4. Experimental arrangements, block diagram, sketch, photos, parameters.
5. Outline of the theoretical development.
6. Data, graphs, tables, etc.

Graphs and photographs should be a minimum of 8x10 inches. Figure captions are essential. Avoid glossy paper.

Display objects, such as transducer elements or materials, demonstration tapes, etc., are excellent supplements to a poster.

Since the poster paper is not archival, feel free to bring incompletely reduced data for discussion.

35. GUIDELINES FOR USE OF COMPUTER PROJECTION IN MEETING PRESENTATIONS

The following guidelines should be observed by all speakers presenting Power Point or equivalent presentations at meetings of the Acoustical Society of America.

Introduction
It is essential that each speaker connect his/her own laptop to the computer projection system in the A/V preview room prior to session start time to verify that the presentation will work properly. Technical assistance is available in the A/V preview room at the meeting, but not in session rooms. Presenters whose computers fail to project for any reason will not be granted extra time.

Computer projector resolution (e.g., 600 by 800 pixels) is typically lower than screen resolution, and, when viewed from the rear of a meeting room, the image will appear smaller than that of a computer screen viewed normally. The information provided below will enable you to create materials that will be suitable for meeting presentations.

It is strongly recommended that overhead transparencies be brought to the session by the speaker as backup.

Guidelines
1. Set your computer's screen resolution to 600 by 800 pixels or to the resolution indicated by the AV technical support. If it looks OK, it will probably look OK to your audience during your presentation.

2. Use all of the available screen area. If a page in portrait orientation is displayed in landscape orientation computer projection, the two sides of the projected image will be blank, effectively shrinking the text size. All documents/figures should be created in landscape orientation with very thin margins, thereby making maximum use of the (limited) resolution of the computer projector.

3. No more than 2 graphs/plots/figures should be included on a single slide. Use large lettering for axis labels and bold fonts for the numbers. Remember that graphics can be animated or quickly toggled among several options: comparisons between figures may be made temporally rather than spatially.

4. Avoid thin fonts, including fonts with thin elements (e.g., the horizontal bar of the "e" may be lost because it is less than one pixel wide at the low resolution of the computer projector, thereby registering as a "c"). If using a thin font, make it bold to widen the minimum line width. Avoid thin lines which may look fine when viewed on the high screen resolution setting but will fade or disappear when a low screen resolution is set.

5. Contrasts must be enhanced in computer-projected documents for good visibility. Use dark backgrounds with lighter (contrasting) lettering, rather than white backgrounds with dark lettering. Avoid "busy" backgrounds, and keep text and figures simple and large.

6. Avoid the use of red, especially on purple or green backgrounds. People with common color blindness will not see figures in red if they are backed by similar colors.

7. Avoid large borders and logos of institutions as these leave a reduced area for actual data and graphs. If such borders or logos are necessary, place them at the bottom of the slide so that your technical data appears at the top of the projected image.

8. Animations often run more slowly on laptops connected to computer video projectors than when not so connected. Test the effectiveness of your animations before your assigned presentation time on a similar projection system (e.g., in the A/V preview room). Avoid real-time calculations in favor of pre-calculation and saving of images.

9. A switch box will be provided at the session. Before the start of your paper, during the question and answer period of the previous speaker, connect your laptop to the video switcher. It is good protocol to initiate your slide show (e.g., run PowerPoint) immediately once connected, so the audience doesn't have to wait. When it is your turn to present, the session chair will press the button on the switcher corresponding to the appropriate number of the input to which you connected (indicated on the cord you plugged into your computer). If there are any problems, the session chair or a designated helper will endeavor to assist you, but it is your responsibility to ensure that the technical details have been worked out ahead of time.

10. Make sure you have a backup of your presentation on floppy, ZIP disk, PCMCIA memory card, or equivalent, in case your hard disk crashes or its files become corrupted. It is strongly recommended that overhead transparencies be brought to the session by the speaker as backup.

11. During the presentation have your laptop running with main power instead of using battery power to insure that the laptop is running at full CPU speed. This will also guarantee that your laptop does not run out of power during your presentation.

Suggestions Regarding Specific Hardware Configurations

Macintosh

Older Macs require a special adapter to connect the video output port to the standard 15-pin male DIN connector. Make sure you have one with you.

1. Hook everything up before powering on.
2. Turn the projector on.
3. Boot up the Macintosh.

If this doesn't work immediately, you should make sure that your monitor resolution is set to 1024x768 for an XGA projector or at least 640x480 for an older VGA projector (800x600 will almost always work). You should also make sure that your monitor controls are set to mirroring. If it's an older powerbook, it may not have video mirroring, but something called "simulscan," which is essentially the same.

Depending upon the vintage of your Mac, you may have to reboot once it is connected to the computer projector or switcher. Hint: you can reboot while connected to the computer projector in the A/V preview room in advance of your presentation, then put your computer to sleep. Macs thus booted will retain the memory of this connection when awakened from sleep. Alternatively, you can reboot while connected to the video switcher during the previous speaker's presentation, but it is safer to queue this up in advance of the session.

Depending upon the vintage of your system software, you may find that the default video mode is a side-by-side configuration of monitor windows (the test for this will be that you see no menus or cursor on your desktop; the cursor will slide from the projected image onto your laptop's screen as it is moved). Go to Control Panels, Monitors, configuration, and drag the larger window onto the smaller one. This produces a mirror-image of the projected image on your laptop's screen.

Also depending upon your system software, either the Control Panels will automatically detect the video projector's resolution and frame rate, or you will have to set it manually. If it is not set at a commensurable resolution, the projector may not show an image. Experiment ahead of time with resolution and color depth settings in the A/V preview room (please don't waste valuable time fiddling with your Control Panel settings during your allotted session time).

PC

Make sure your computer has the standard female 15-pin DIN video output connector. Some computers require an adaptor.

Once your computer is physically connected, you will need to toggle the video display on. Most PCS use either ALT-F5 or F6, as indicated by a little video monitor icon on the appropriate key. Some systems require more elaborate keystroke combinations to activate this feature. Verify your laptop's compatibility with the projector in the computer/video prep room. Likewise, you may have to set your laptop's resolution and color depth via the monitor's Control Panel to match that of the projector, which settings you should verify prior to your session (please don't waste valuable time adjusting your Control Panel settings during your allotted session time).

Linux

Most Linux laptops have a function key marked CRT/LCD or two symbols representing computer versus projector. Often that key toggles on and off the VGA output of the computer, but in some cases, doing so will cause the computer to crash. One fix for this is to boot up the BIOS and look for a field marked CRT/LCD (or similar). This field can be set to "Both," in which case the signal to the laptop is always presented to the VGA output jack on the back of the computer. Once connected to a computer projector, the signal will appear automatically, without toggling the function key. Once you get it working, don't touch it and it should continue to work, even after reboot.


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