British Acoustical Society

Final negotiations are now going on to consolidate the two professional groups devoted to acoustics in Great Britain into a new British Acoustical Society. For many years, the only formal organization of acousticians in Great Britain was the Acoustics Group of The Institute of Physics and The Physical Society. However, this group required its members to be physicists and was thus dominated by physical acousticians. A few years ago, the Society of Acoustic Technology was formed, composed of nonphysicists active in acoustics and interested in areas such as architectural and psychological acoustics and noise control. But it soon become apparent that Britain could not support two acoustical societies, especially since neither had an official publication of its own. The decision to merge was made about two years ago, and the new society has since received official approval of the Royal Society. Discussions about an official journal, membership fees, and grades are still continuing, and the organization is not expected to begin functioning until some time in 1966.