Fall semester 2024, the BYU Physics & Astronomy department recently introduced a new official Applied Physics: Acoustics degree. This distinction allows students studying acoustics at BYU to receive a degree that formally recognizes the specific emphasis of their education. It can also be helpful as they apply for jobs in acoustics related fields.
Although not well known by many, BYU has a rich history in acoustics. Two prominent BYU scientists (and brothers in law), Harvey Fletcher and Carl F. Eyring, were heavily involved in acoustics. Harvey Fletcher was BYU’sfirst physics graduate and co-designer of the famous Millikan Oil Drop Experiment as a graduate student. After completing his doctorate, he returned to BYU to teach physics until he opted to move east and work under Alexander Graham Bell. Under Bell, Fletcher started groundbreaking work in acoustics, including the development of “stereophonic sound”, more commonly known as left/right stereo sound, and inventing an early version of the electronic hearing aid. He also was a founding member of the Acoustical Society of America and served as its first president.
Eyring, on the other hand, was the second physics graduate from BYU. His professional research was focused on the theory of sound in enclosures where he developed a more general equation for reverberation time known as the Eyring Equation. In the late 1940s Eyring personally supervised the planning and construction of the building known today as the Eyring Science Center (ESC). To support his acoustics research, a reverberation chamber was constructed as a separate building below the ESC. The Eyring Science Center was named after Eyring shortly after his death in 1951. Shortly thereafter, Fletcher returned to BYU as a researcher and administrator (he became the first dean of BYU’s College of Physical and Engineering Sciences). To further his research, he converted Eyring’s reverberation chamber into an anechoic chamber.
Today, BYU is home to 7 full-time faculty members, 13 graduate students, and approximately 25 undergraduate students actively engaged in the interdisciplinary field of acoustics. These faculty members, based in both the Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, conduct cutting edge research across a wide range of acoustic phenomena. Whether it is studying the acoustic environment of the deep ocean from passing ships, observing sound propagation high in the atmosphere as a rocket enters orbit, analyzing how a classroom’s acoustics impact the vocal health of a presenter, studying sound focusing techniques used to destroy kidney stones and locate earthquakes, or quantifying the fluid loading impacts on the vibration of structures, BYU acoustics researchers are continuing as leaders in the field of acoustics. Both undergraduate and graduate students directly contribute to these research efforts, gaining valuable experience and insights that often shape their future careers. Over the past 5 years, the group has published more than 179 papers with the majority of them involving students, often as first authors. This highlights the program’s strong emphasis on student participation in meaningful research.
Starting in the Fall of 2023, Brigham Young University officially introduced the Applied Physics: Acoustics major (not just an applied physics program emphasis), offering students a formal academic track in one of the university’s most historic and innovative research areas. This major allows undergraduates to deepen their expertise in both theoretical and experimental acoustics. In additional to core physics classes, students take core courses such as PHSCS 461: Introduction to Acoustics and PHSCS 561: Fundamentals of Acoustics, alongside nine additional credit hours of acoustics-related electives tailored to their interests with advisor approval. A hands-on capstone project or senior thesis under the guidance of a faculty mentor is also required, ensuring meaningful research experience. Official recognition of the major solidifies BYU's longstanding legacy in acoustics — tracing back to pioneers like Harvey Fletcher and Carl Eyring — and provides students with credentials that indicate specialized preparation for graduate study or careers in fields such as underwater acoustics, transducer design, noise control, or environmental acoustics.
Student Authors: Matthew Yancey, Mark Carlisle, and Jesse Blaine
Edited by Brian Anderson and Micah Shepherd
