From the Archives: Member Society Profile—The French Acoustical Society (SFA) in 1993

NNI enjoys a rich history and has existed, in some form, since the very beginnings of I-INCE. One predecessor to NNI was Noise/News, first issued in 1972, as a newsletter for the newly established INCE-USA. Later, in 1974, shortly after the founding of I-INCE, it was recognized that this organization also needed a means to communicate, and the I-INCE Newsletter was started. Some 20 years after that, in 1992, it was decided that it would be of benefit to both I-INCE and INCE-USA to combine Noise/News and the I-INCE Newsletter, and launch a new publication: Noise/News International was born!

Drawing on this rich history we have decided to feature, from time to time, an article that appeared in an earlier issue of NNI. You can read an update about the current activities of the SFA here, as a follow-up to this post.

E. A. King, PhD
NNI Editor

The French Acoustical Society (SFA)

Noise/News International 1993 March

Created in 1948 as the Group of French-speaking Acousticians (G.A.L.F.), the French Acoustical Society (S.F.A.) has as its objectives: to develop and circulate scientific and technical information, to foster the interdisciplinary character of acoustics, and to act as a focal point for all French-speaking acousticians. The S.F.A. has a membership of about 1400, drawn from varying backgrounds with varying interests (engineers, researchers, teachers, biologists, architects, lawyers, psychologists, physicians, etc.) and from all kinds of professional activity (administration, industry, academia, etc.). Its members, who come from many other countries as well as France, are organized in specialized groups according to their particular interests within the broad field of acoustics: musical acoustics, hearing, speech communication, ultrasonics, measurement and signal processing, architectural acoustics, electrodynamics, industrial and environmental acoustics, and aeroacoustics.

The means by which S.F.A. attempts to achieve its objectives are threefold:

• Acoustics is promoted by the dissemination of information, including the publication of papers, articles and books describing the research work of its members, and the encouragement of working relationships between acousticians and others interested in the field of acoustics, in France and abroad. For the past 5 years, the S.F.A. has published the Journal d’Acoustique, a publication in French and English which appears bimonthly.
• Training that enables students to benefit from the most recent advances in acoustics research. For this purpose, the S.F.A. fosters many kinds of teaching, including fundamental courses as well as continuing education. The educational programs of S.F.A. are published periodically in a special booklet.
• The dissemination of knowledge and research results are emphasized by sponsoring scientific meetings and conferences, carrying out investigations and supporting publications, as well as by taking part in standardization activities. International exchanges are encouraged, and foreign researchers are honored for their work.

The S.F.A. has established working relationships with national acoustical societies, including those of Belgium, Poland, Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, U.S.A., Latin America, Switzerland, China, etc. These relationships have facilitated many types of exchange: joint sponsorship of conferences, exchanges of articles in national publications, invitations to leading acousticians, etc. The S.F.A. took an active part in the creation of the European Federation of Acoustics (F.A.S.E.), which was established in 1972, and in 1975, the S.F.A. sponsored the first F.A.S.E. scientific congress. In 1983, the S.F.A. organized the 11th International Congress on Acoustics. The S.F.A. also took an active role in the creation of the New European Acoustics Association. It organized the 17th INTER-NOISE conference which was held in Avignon, France in 1988. In 1990, the new series of French Congresses on Acoustics was launched in Lyon. The second Congress was held in Archchon in 1992, and the next will be in Toulouse in 1994.