Vern Oliver Knudsen (December 27, 1893 – May 13, 1974) was an American acoustical

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...

Biography

Knudsen received his bachelor's degree from

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

(BYU) with an A.B. in 1915. Following his graduation from BYU Knudsen served a mission for

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

from 1915-1918 in the Northern States Mission, which was headquartered in Chicago. Knudsen then joined the staff of

Bell Laboratories Nokia Bell Labs, commonly referred to as ''Bell Labs'', is an American industrial research and development company owned by Finnish technology company Nokia. With headquarters located in Murray Hill, New Jersey, the company operates several lab ...

where he worked with

Harvey Fletcher Harvey Fletcher (September 11, 1884 – July 23, 1981) was an American physicist. Known as the "father of stereophonic sound", he is credited with the invention of the 2-A audiometer and an early electronic hearing aid. He was an investigator in ...

, who had been one of his professors at BYU. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

in 1922. Vern Knudsen's publications include two seminal books, ''Architectural Acoustics'', published in 1932, and ''Acoustical Designing in Architecture'', with Cyril M. Harris in 1950. He co-founded the

Acoustical Society of America The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is an international scientific society founded in 1929 dedicated to generating, disseminating and promoting the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications. The Society is primarily a voluntary org ...

(ASA), and served as its president, 1933–35, and the ASA awarded him the Wallace Clement Sabine Medal in 1958 and the

Gold Medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have b ...

in 1967. In 1954, he was made an Honorary Fellow of the ASA, an award given to those who have achieved eminence in acoustics. He was the recipient of the John H. Potts (Gold) Medal from the

Audio Engineering Society The Audio Engineering Society (AES) is a professional body for engineers, scientists, other individuals with an interest or involvement in the professional audio industry. The membership largely comprises engineers developing devices or product ...

(AES) in 1964. In 1934, Vern Knudsen was made Dean of the Graduate Division of the Southern Section of the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university, research university system in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Oakland, the system is co ...

, a post which he held for 24 years and during which time the UCLA Graduate Division increased from 287 to 5160. He served as

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...

from 1959 to 1960, where there is a building named in his honor. Knudsen was the director of the University of California Division of War Research during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he helped improve

sonar Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances ( ranging), communicate with or detect objects o ...

.Noise and Sound in the Sea
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References

External links

Archival materials relating to Vern Oliver Knudsen
in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library,

1893 births 1974 deaths 20th-century American physicists American acoustical engineers Engineers from California American Mormon missionaries in the United States Brigham Young University alumni University of Chicago alumni Leaders of the University of California, Los Angeles Fellows of the American Physical Society Acoustical Society of America 20th-century Mormon missionaries Latter Day Saints from Utah ASA Gold Medal recipients Latter Day Saints from New Jersey Latter Day Saints from Illinois Latter Day Saints from California {{US-academic-scientist-stub