Avoiding the wrong result to seven-digit precision

Professor Steven Garrett’s distinctive outlook on acoustics and undaunted pedagogic approach has left a long-lasting impression on students of the Graduate Program in Acoustics at The Pennsylvania State University. From the many adages that would echo throughout the classroom and laboratory such as “a computer could provide the wrong result with seven-digit precision,” it was evident that Steve’s intent was always on fundamental understanding. While we are fortunate to have this point of view captured and propagated via his recent text aptly titled “Understanding Acoustics,” many readers will have to settle for reimagining Steve’s dynamic character as he taught the material in person. The in-class “live performances” consisted of a mixture of perilous demonstrations, passionate lectures, illuminating homework problems, and of course, to end it all—an exam-burning party. In this talk, we reflect on the later years of Prof. Garrett’s career at Penn State and the contributions he has made to acoustics. Firstly, we will highlight the work of his final research project at Penn State on a thermoacoustic temperature sensor. Following this, we reminisce about his teaching and supervision from the student perspective, and the transformative impact it has had on a future generation of acousticians.