Mohsen Badiey, an expert in the science of underwater sound at the University of Delaware, has been elected a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America. He received the honor for his "contributions to the understanding of the effect of sediment properties on shallow-water sound propagation."
Badiey is an associate professor in the College of Marine Studies, where he teaches graduate courses in ocean acoustics in the Physical Ocean Science and Engineering Program. He also holds a joint appointment in the UD Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Badiey conducts research on topics ranging from the generation of seismic waves, to the development of new environmental monitoring technologies using underwater sound. Currently, in research supported by the UD Sea Grant College Program and the U.S. Office of Naval Research, Badiey is exploring the use of Fourteen Foot Light, a lighthouse in the Delaware Bay, as a platform for gathering "real time" environmental data.
This spring, acoustic sensors will be positioned underwater in the bay and attached by cable to computers stationed in the lighthouse. Once the system is up and running, data on acoustics, weather, tides, and currents will be transmitted continuously from sea to shore. Since Badiey and his research team will be able to control the sensors from their laboratory, they will be able to monitor the environment for long periods, even during major storms, an impossibility with traditional shipboard monitoring techniques.
Founded in 1929, the Acoustical Society of America is regarded as the premier international scientific society in acoustics, dedicated to increasing the knowledge of the science of sound and its practical applications. Its membership includes nearly 7,100 men and women from the United States and abroad in fields ranging from oceanography and physics, to speech and hearing.
There are 800 Fellows in the society. Badiey is one of 30 scientists who were awarded the honor during the past year.