Wayne Wright
Professor
of Physics Emeritus, Kalamazoo College
Research
Fellow, Applied Research Laboratories, the University of Texas at Austin
Email: wwright@kzoo.edu
B.A.
Summa Cum Laude, Physics, Bowdoin College, 1956
Ph.D.
Applied Physics, Harvard University, 1961
Research
My
personal research has generally been in the field of acoustics, with emphasis
on experimentation involving high-amplitude sounds. This often has made use of
locally constructed ultrasonic transducers that faithfully reproduce signals of
large amplitude at frequencies up to almost 1 MHz. Sparks have served as sound
sources for many of our experiments, which have been performed both at
Kalamazoo College and at the University of Texas in Austin. My current research
at the University of Texas focuses on the characteristics of sound in air from
a MEMS-based parametric source.
I've
also participated in research in the area of optoacoustics, with faculty at the
University of Michigan; in atmospheric acoustics, with NOAA researchers in
Boulder, Colorado; in underwater sound, at the Naval Postgraduate School in
Monterey, California; and in sound absorption in salt solutions such as the
ocean, at the University of California in San Diego.
My
professional activities have included the writing of community noise
ordinances, consulting on industrial noise control and architectural acoustics,
and the giving of talks on Sound.
Teaching
I
have taught all of the standard introductory physics classes, with special
concern for "Optics and Wave Motion", "Intermediate
Mechanics," and "Advanced Electricity and Magnetism." I served
as chair of the Physics Department for 20 years.
Prior
to my retirement in 1999, I devoted a considerable portion of my time over four
years to the supervision and coordination of building renovations on our
campus. I was the faculty representative for the renovation of Olds/Upton
Science Building, and have since served as one of three college representatives
for two other major projects, with particular responsibility for daily
oversight and student/faculty concerns.
Other Professional Activities
I
have been active as a Fellow in the Acoustical Society of America, a
professional association which is a member society of the American Institute of
Physics. I've served as chair of the Special Fellowships Committee, Education
Committee, and Technical Committee on Physical Acoustics, as well as a member
of several other regular and ad hoc committees. I serve as an elected member of the ASA Executive
Council for the period 2006-2009.
On
the local level I was coordinator of the Southwestern Michigan Science Olympics
for area high school students for fifteen years..