USM’s Annual Rayborn Lecture Features Expert in Ocean Sound

Wed, 03/13/2024 - 10:34am | By: Van Arnold

Dr. John Colosi, a leading expert in the use of sound to determine the ocean’s features, will be the guest speaker for the Sixth Annual Grayson H. and Jane Dishong Rayborn Lecture Series in Physics and Astronomy at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM).

The lecture, which is free and open to the general public, is set for 7 p.m. on April 16 at Bennett Auditorium on USM’s Hattiesburg campus.

Colosi, who holds professorships at both the Naval Postgraduate School and the University of California Santa Cruz, will deliver a lecture entitled, “The Sonic Sea: From Climate Change to National Security, Listening in on our Blue Planet.” The lecture will explore the captivating world beneath the waves inspired by Colosi’s book, "Sound Propagation through the Stochastic Ocean."

Dr. Michael Vera, Associate Professor of physics and astronomy at USM, serves as the event’s coordinator. He notes that having a researcher of Colosi’s renown heightens the prestige of the annual Rayborn Lecture.

“Dr. Rayborn and I both worked in this area as well, so it is particularly exciting for us to have Dr. Colosi as our featured speaker,” said Vera. “He has been involved in several large-scale acoustical oceanography projects and is well-known in the field for contributing substantially to aspects of modeling long-range sound propagation in the ocean.”

As part of his presentation, Colosi will unravel the mysteries of marine life's acoustic physiology and delve into methods used to study ocean sounds, from small to planetary scales. Focusing on the Arctic, where traditional methods face challenges, he will touch on the broader implications for national and global security.

“We are extremely grateful to the Rayborns for the opportunity to host a lecture series like this at USM,” said Vera. “We’ve had award-winning scientists and a Nobel laureate among others, explain aspects of their work in a way that’s accessible to the general public. It is a terrific way to reach out to the public and get them interested in our field.”

About the Series

In 2015, through a generous donation to The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation, Dr. and Mrs. Grayson H. Rayborn established the Grayson H. and Jane Dishong Rayborn Lecture Series in Physics and Astronomy. In 1970, Dr. Rayborn joined the USM faculty and served until his retirement in a distinguished career in teaching, research, service, and administration. During his career, Dr. Rayborn served as chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, associate dean of the College of Science and Technology, and director of the School of Mathematical Sciences, as well as professor of physics and astronomy. Upon retirement, in recognition of his distinguished service to the University, Dr. Rayborn was awarded the title of professor emeritus of physics and astronomy.