Ocean noise: a deep dive

The third and final science talk in conjunction with the Cycles of Nature exhibit will take place at Newport’s Pacific Maritime Heritage Center on Thursday, Sept. 12.

Dr. Bob Dziak will present “Echoes beneath the waves: Analysis of human-made and natural ocean sounds for insights into the state of marine ecosystems,”

Dziak will discuss the fundamentals of underwater sound and present several examples of natural and human-made ocean sound sources from locations ranging from the Mariana Trench and Challenger Deep, the deepest spot in the global ocean, to ice shelves along coastal Antarctica, to sound levels in the northeast Pacific Ocean during the "anthropause," the period of reduced maritime activity during the recent pandemic.

Dziak is a research oceanographer at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, managing a program focused on a wide variety of ocean science and engineering topics. His work includes evaluating marine seismic and volcanic hazards, developing deep-ocean sound sensing technologies, assessing Antarctic ice shelf stability and detecting baleen whale populations. Previously, he worked at Oregon State University for 26 years, during which time he earned a PhD in Marine Geophysics and was ultimately promoted to research professor. He has received several national honors, including the Presidential Early Career Award, the NOAA Administrator’s Award and was named a Fulbright Scholar. He lives in Seal Rock and enjoys beach walks and hikes with family and friends.

The Sept. 12 talk begins at 6 pm at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, located at 333 SE Bay Blvd. in Newport. For more information, go to oregoncoasthistory.org or call 541-265-7509.