Gail Scowcroft

Discovery of Sound in the Sea: An Online Resource

The scientific community and the general public have become increasingly aware of and concerned about underwater sound. In addition, abstract physical science concepts can be challenging to understand. As the interest in underwater sound and its potential effects on the marine environment increases, there is a growing need for resources on the fundamental concepts of underwater sound. The Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) Web site (http://www.dosits.org) has been designed to provide comprehensive scientific information on underwater sound at a level appropriate for the general public and for educational and media professionals (Vigness-Raposa et al. 2008). The DOSITS Web site introduces the physical science of underwater sound and how people and animals use sound to accomplish various tasks in three science sections, three resources sections, and three galleries. DOSITS was recently redesigned to include an interactive front page, an interactive Audio Gallery, and a redesigned Scientist Gallery.

International harmonization of approaches to define underwater noise exposure criteria and needs of the international regulatory community

Outcomes from a 2013 international workshop focused on regulatory issues related to the effects of underwater sound on marine fauna are discussed herein, along with the results of a subsequent needs assessment of the regulatory community conducted by the Discovery of Sound in the Sea project team. Workshop topics included the regulation of anthropogenic underwater noise in individual countries and opportunities for harmonizing approaches on a regional and international scale. The workshop was intended to build momentum towards an international exchange of information and to initiate a network of marine scientists and regulators who are involved with aquatic noise issues. Central workshop goals were to assist the regulatory community by providing a forum for scientific input related to the effects of anthropogenic sound sources on marine life and to foster international understanding of current regulatory approaches. The workshop clearly indicated that regulators need reliable and understandable baseline i...

Discovery of Sound in the Sea website: An educational resource

The scientific community and the public have become increasingly aware of, and concerned about, underwater sound. There is increasing interest in learning about sources and uses of sound, and potential effects of sound on the marine environment. The Discovery of Sound in the Sea website (http://www.dosits.org) provides scientific information for the general public and K–16 educators and students. It also includes advanced level content appropriate for high school physics or undergraduate classes. The website has three major sections, (1) Science of Sound in the Sea, (2) People and Sound in the Sea, and (3) Animals and Sound in the Sea, introducing the physical science of underwater sound and how people and animals use sound to accomplish various tasks. The Animals and Sound section also summarizes the current state of knowledge of the effects of underwater sound on marine mammals and fishes. Three galleries contain a collection of underwater sounds (Audio Gallery), video interviews with researchers (Scien...

Discovery of sound in the sea: Webinars as a means of communicating current underwater acoustics research to decision makers

Underwater sound used for anthropogenic activities is reviewed and restricted under a variety of environmental regulations. Decision makers must often synthesize rapidly new scientific research results to inform their assessments of potential impacts of proposed projects. To assist this need, the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography has teamed with Marine Acoustics, Inc., in the Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) project to provide accurate scientific information on underwater sound through a diversity of resources and digital platforms, including webinars. Building on the foundation of the successful 2015-2016 DOSITS webinar series and informed by the results of three international regulatory community needs assessments, the DOSITS project is hosting throughout 2018 a four-part webinar series on the fundamentals of underwater hearing and potential impacts of underwater sound on marine animals, particularly marine mammals (April–May) and fishes (November). Evaluation results from the first two webinars on marine mammals showed that 90% of survey respondents were very satisfied or satisfied with the content coverage, and 97% were extremely or very likely to attend future DOSITS webinars. The webinar approach has provided much needed on-the-job training for decision makers to effectively incorporate new scientific research into their evaluation processes.Underwater sound used for anthropogenic activities is reviewed and restricted under a variety of environmental regulations. Decision makers must often synthesize rapidly new scientific research results to inform their assessments of potential impacts of proposed projects. To assist this need, the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography has teamed with Marine Acoustics, Inc., in the Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) project to provide accurate scientific information on underwater sound through a diversity of resources and digital platforms, including webinars. Building on the foundation of the successful 2015-2016 DOSITS webinar series and informed by the results of three international regulatory community needs assessments, the DOSITS project is hosting throughout 2018 a four-part webinar series on the fundamentals of underwater hearing and potential impacts of underwater sound on marine animals, particularly marine mammals (April–May) and fishes (November). Evaluation results from...

Incorporating basic underwater sound principles into the decision making process

Research on underwater sound is continually advancing. New discoveries on sound in different environments and how sound exposure affects marine animals are just two examples of important ongoing research. To integrate underwater acoustics research into the regulatory process, a fundamental understanding of basic sound principles is required for both producers and regulators. The University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography teamed with Marine Acoustics, Inc., on the Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) project to provide scientifically accurate resources on the current knowledge about underwater sound. The project’s foundation is a comprehensive website (www.dosits.org). It synthesizes the latest peer-reviewed science on underwater sound in a form that is accessible to a variety of audiences. The site has over 400 pages and is updated semi-annually with newly published information after a thorough review by a panel of scientific experts. Based on the DOSITS website, this talk will provide b...

Implementing multiple digital platforms to effectively communicate research on underwater acoustics

The Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) project has produced a comprehensive set of resources on underwater sound. Over the last 14 years, the project has increased the diversity of digital platforms used to meet its objective of communicating accurate, peer-reviewed science to diverse audiences. Since the DOSITS website (www.dosits.org) was launched in 2002, there has been a great increase in Internet accessibility, both in terms of number of people connected and bandwidth available. At the same time, a sea of change has occurred in website technologies making it easier to provide an incredible range of media and interfaces. In the last six years, the platforms, or methods, by which people can access digital media, and devices used to access that media, has greatly proliferated. As researchers strive to effectively communicate scientific results to specific audiences, such as the international regulatory community, it is necessary to address the diverse digital platforms available. The DOSITS team now...

Discovery of sound in the sea: Resources for decision makers

Research on underwater sound is critical for understanding potential acoustic impacts to marine life. However, such research can be challenging, requiring complex, multidisciplinary approaches. Research results often reach the public through popular media, but these sources sometimes contain misinformation or oversimplify results. To provide a scientifically accurate resource on underwater sound but understandable for a variety of audiences, the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography has teamed with Marine Acoustic, Inc. on the Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) project. The project’s foundation is a website (www.dosits.org) that is a comprehensive, universally available resource that synthesizes the latest peer-reviewed science on underwater sound, updated semiannually with newly published scientific information after a thorough review by a panel of scientific experts. A current focus of the DOSITS project is resources for the international decision making community. Recently, two...

Discovery of Sound in the Sea: Resources for Educators, Students, the Public, and Policymakers.

There is increasing concern about the effects of underwater sound on marine life. However, the science of sound is challenging. The Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) Web site ( http://www.dosits.org ) was designed to provide comprehensive scientific information on underwater sound for the public and educational and media professionals. It covers the physical science of underwater sound and its use by people and marine animals for a range of tasks. Celebrating 10 years of online resources, DOSITS continues to develop new material and improvements, providing the best resource for the most up-to-date information on underwater sound and its potential effects.

Summary Report Panel 4: Communication and Interpretation: Presenting Information to the General Public

Complex scientific information is often difficult to communicate to nonscience audiences who may not have the foundational knowledge to understand the content. Scientists are called on with increasing frequency to share the results of their research for the purposes of education, outreach, and popular media stories. These three spheres of activity, represented in Fig. 1, are geared toward different but complementary goals.

Discovery of Sound in the Sea: Resources for regulators, policymakers, and other stakeholders

There is concern about the effects of underwater sound on marine life. These effects must be considered by users of underwater sound under several regulations. To fulfill regulatory requirements, up-to-date resources are needed on the potential effects of underwater sound, as well as fundamental science content. The Discovery of Sound in the Sea website (DOSITS; http://www.dosits.org) provides accurate scientific information on underwater sound at levels appropriate for all audiences, including the general public, K-12 teachers and students, college students, policy-makers, and professionals in industry, education, and the media. Content, such as the effects of sound on marine life, is based on peer-reviewed publications and has undergone rigorous review by the DOSITS scientific advisory panel. This talk highlights new resources for regulators, including structured tutorials and a “hot topics” feature. Structured tutorials provide a directed progression of sequential knowledge; the first one outlines the ...