The BYU chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, along with the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, sponsors the “Sounds to Astound” show put on by the BYU Acoustic Research Group each semester.
The show is put on every semester by students in the BYU Acoustic Research Group, entertaining and educating students about the properties of sound and acoustics.
Jazmin Myers, a junior from Dallas, majoring in applied physics, has participated in the show for over a year and a half. Myers is a member of the BYU chapter of the Acoustical Society of America and serves as an outreach program officer for the Acoustic Research Group at BYU.
“You’ll learn fundamentals of acoustics and sound, and (you’ll) see some properties of sound presented in unique ways,” Myers said.
As an outreach program officer for the Acoustic Research Group, Myers and her team are always working on new demonstrations and finding new ways to improve the show. The group has meetings every Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in C-261 of the Eyring Science Center, and all are welcome to attend. Most people in the Acoustic Research Group are also members of the Acoustical Society of America, which provides funding for the Sounds to Astound shows.
The shows are forty minutes long and are filled with experiments of explosions and loud sounds. After the presentation, the performers give tours of the acoustic facility, showing the anechoic and reverberation chambers.
“It’s a riot; we like to make it fun,” Myers said. “There are (demonstrations) of sounds in flames, sounds in vacuums and blowing up balloons.”
Matea Trevino, a senior from Houston majoring in applied physics, is also an outreach program officer for the Acoustic Research Group. This will be the second year Trevino has participated in the “Sounds to Astound” show.
“It’s a lot of sound demos geared toward teaching students the basics about sound,” Trevino said. “We have fun with loud sounds; even with the doors shut you can hear it across the Pendulum Court.”
Ben Christensen, a BYU graduate student getting his master’s degree in acoustics, was one of the pioneers in the creation of the “Sound to Astound” show.
“They’ll see explosions, fire and cool (demonstrations),” Christensen said. “They won’t even realize they are learning something because they will be having so much fun.”
There will be two shows this semester at the Eyring Science Center in room C-215 on Nov. 26 at 6:00 p.m. and Nov. 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Those interested in attending “Sound to Astound” shows are encouraged to make reservations at acoustics.byu.edu/outreach. However, it is not required, and everyone is invited to attend.
