Under a POWRE award support is provided as a career-enhancement in a project to improve the acoustics program at Tennessee Technological University. Several aspects will be considered to reach this goal: 1) facilities and equipment - the anechoic chamber and one reverberation room will be finished and qualified and equipment will be up-dated; 2) student involvement and recruitment - course contents will be revised to make the acoustics curriculum more attractive to a broader variety of students; 3) research funding - industrial projects will provide practical experiences for the students and funding will be needed to keep improving the facility; and 4) advertising - potential students and funding sources will need to be made aware of the acoustics facilities and program at the university. The project will provide the author with an opportunity to enhance and demonstrate her leadership, research, and teaching skills. This will be beneficial to her career potential. Over the long term, improving the acoustics program will allow the author to use her expertise in acoustics and noise control more fully which will translate into a more fulfilling career.
