Meet the Student Council

The ASA Student Council is composed of a chairperson and 14 representatives who each represent one Technical Committee (TC). Below, you can learn more about each member of the student council.
- Chair
- Architectural Acoustics
- Animal Bioacoustics
- Acoustical Oceanography
- Biomedical Acoustics
- Engineering Acoustics
- Musical Acoustics
- Noise
- Physical Acoustics
- Psychological and Physiological Acoustics
- Structural Acoustics and Vibration
- Speech Communication
- Signal Processing in Acoustics
- Underwater Acoustics
- Computational Acoustics
Student Council Chair: Brijonnay Madrigal
Term: Spring 2023 – Spring 2025
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
bcm2@hawaii.edu
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Brijonnay (Bri) Madrigal is a Ph.D. student in the Marine Mammal Research Program at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology. She received a M.Sc. in Marine Science from Moss Landing Marine
Laboratories and a B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Her research focuses on the occurrence of anthropogenic noise in the Main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and understanding the spatial and temporal variability of false killer whales and short-finned pilot whales using passive acoustic monitoring. As a NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster scholar, she is interested in assessing the soundscape and potential effects of noise on these species inside and outside marine protected areas including the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. She also serves as a SURIEA Co-coordinator and enjoys interacting with undergraduate students interested in acoustics.
- When Brijonnay is not eavesdropping on whales, she enjoys long runs, spending time at the beach, and being on a boat when she can!
Previous SC Chair:
- Spring 2020 – Spring 2023: Zane Rusk, Pennsylvania State University
Architectural Acoustics Representative: Olivia Heui Young Park
Term: Spring 2023-Spring 2025
The Pennsylvania State University, USA
hkp5188@psu.edu
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Olivia is a Ph.D. student in Acoustics at Penn State, and is a member of the Sound Perception and Room Acoustics Laboratory (SPRAL). Her Ph.D. research focuses on the effects of noise on cognition, perception, physiology, and listening effort. Olivia attended The Cooper Union and received her B.E. and M.E. in Mechanical Engineering in May 2020. Her master’s thesis was on improving active noise control using a microphone array.
Olivia is passionate about STEM outreach, and in her free time she likes to crochet, sing, and hang out with her cat Haru.
Previous TC Rep:
- Fall 2021-Spring 2023: E.K. Ellington Scott, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
Animal Bioacoustics Representative: Brijonnay Madrigal
Term: Spring 2022 – Spring 2024
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
bcm2@hawaii.edu
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Brijonnay (Bri) Madrigal is a Ph.D. student in the Marine Mammal Research Program at the Hawaiʻi
Institute of Marine Biology. She received a M.Sc. in Marine Science from Moss Landing Marine
Laboratories and a B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Her research focuses
on the occurrence of anthropogenic noise in the Main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and
understanding the spatial and temporal variability of false killer whales and short-finned pilot whales
using passive acoustic monitoring. As a NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster scholar, she is interested in assessing the
soundscape and potential effects of noise on these species inside and outside marine protected areas
including the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Papahānaumokuākea
Marine National Monument. She also serves as a SURIEA Co-coordinator and enjoys interacting with
undergraduate students interested in acoustics.
When Brijonnay is not eavesdropping on whales, she enjoys long runs, spending time at the beach, and
being on a boat when she can!
Acoustical Oceanography Representative: Miad Al Mursaline
Term: Spring 2022 – Spring 2024
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
mitul.name09@gmail.com
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Miad is a Ph.D. student in the joint program between Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). His home department at MIT and WHOI are Mechanical Engineering and Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering respectively. Prior to his Ph.D. work, he earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME) from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). He also worked as a course instructor in the department of NAME at BUET before beginning his Ph.D. at MIT/WHOI.
His current research involves developing physics-based acoustic scattering models and performing acoustic scattering experiments in the laboratory. He has been primarily investigating the effects of directional sonars on scattering from statistically smooth and rough cylindrical elastic targets.
In his spare time, Miad enjoys reading, swimming, and playing cricket.
Biomedical Acoustics Representative: Chirag Gokani
Term: Spring 2023 – Spring 2025
University of Texas at Austin, USA
chiragokani@utexas.edu
Website
Chirag Gokani is a PhD student in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin the Applied Research Laboratories. He is co-advised by Drs. Mark Hamilton and Michael Haberman and studies vortex beams, radiation force, and bianisotropy. While his work is theoretical, applications of his research lie in biomedical and engineering acoustics.
Chirag received a bachelor’s degree in physics and a minor in music at the University of Texas at Dallas, where his undergraduate research experiences in gravitational waves and milk rheometry prepared him for his graduate studies of waves in fluids, respectively. He was moreover drawn to acoustics for its ubiquity, and he loves the cross-disciplinary nature of the ASA.
In his free time, Chirag enjoys being in thunderstorms, playing in waves at the beach, and getting stuck in traffic jams!
Previous TC Rep:
- Fall 2021 – Spring 2023: Megan Anderson, George Washington University, USA
Engineering Acoustics Representative: Pratik Anirudha Ambekar
Term: Spring 2022 – Spring 2024
University of Washington
pambek@uw.edu
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Pratik is a Ph.D. student in the Mechanical Engineering department at the University of Washington, Seattle. His research focuses on using High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for treating abscesses. Pratik received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in September 2021, which included designing a microfluidic device for ultrasound-based cell sorting. Originally from India, Pratik completed his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University.
In his free time, Pratik enjoys playing the violin, composing music, playing cricket, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest.
Musical Acoustics Representative: Colin Malloy
Term: Spring 2023 – Fall 2023
University of Victoria
malloyc@uvic.ca
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Colin is an interdisciplinary PhD student in Music and Computer Science at University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. His research focuses on the Caribbean steelpan and music technology. He uses computational methods to study the acoustics of the steelpan, designs digital audio effects, and composes electroacoustic music for the steelpan. He has a BA in Pure Mathematics, a BS in Music Education, an MM in Percussion Performance, and an M.Mus in Music Technology. He is very much looking forward to actually finishing school soon. Off campus, he works as a DSP engineer for an audio effects company and teaches music lessons. In his spare time, Colin likes to ride his bike and build Lego. |
Noise Representative: Logan Mathews
Term: Spring 2023 – Fall 2024
Brigham Young University
loganmathews@byu.net
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Logan is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Brigham Young University (BYU). His research focuses on source characterization and physics-based modeling of noise from supersonic jets, including high-performance tactical aircraft and rockets. He previously received a B.S. in Applied Physics from BYU, where he studied far-field noise characteristics of rocket launches.
Outside of the lab, Logan enjoys backpacking, rock climbing, trail running, and cooking.
Physical Acoustics Representative: Ferdousi Rawnaque
Term: Fall 2021 – Fall 2023
Penn State University
fmr5186@psu.edu
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Ferdousi Rawnaque is a PhD student in the Graduate Program in Acoustics at Penn State University. Her research focuses on bubble nucleation in biological tissues using focused ultrasound. Besides Biomedical Acoustics, she is interested in Physical Acoustics, Signal Processing, and Psychoacoustics. She earned her MS in Electrical Engineering from UMass Dartmouth, and Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. In her free time, Rawnaque likes to explore new places, enjoys playing chess and writing fiction and non-fiction.
Psychological and Physiological Acoustics Representative:
Ann Holmes
Term: Fall 2022 – Spring 2024
University of Louisville
ann.holmes@louisville.edu
Ann (she/her/hers) is a PhD student in Experimental Psychology at the University of Louisville. She works with Dr. Pavel Zahorik in his Auditory Perception Lab, focusing on projects related to multisensory perception and spatial listening in rooms. Prior to graduate school, Ann received her BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Case Western Reserve University and worked for two years as a full-time research assistant for auditory neuroscience studies at the Iowa Cochlear Implant Research Center. Ann is also a co-founder of the Louisville chapter of R-Ladies, a global organization whose mission is to promote gender diversity in the R programming community. When she’s not in the lab, Ann can be found strolling through local Louisville parks or tending to her houseplants.
Structural Acoustics and Vibration Representative: Ian Bacon
Term: Spring 2023 – Fall 2024
Brigham Young University
icbacon@byu.edu
Ian started college at the age of 14 and received two B.S. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin in Applied Mathematics and Physics. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Brigham Young University. His research is focused on developing a vibration-based standard to measure the sound power radiated from products that make noise. He also uses his applied math background to improve sound power computation through symmetry.
In his free time, Ian enjoys spending time with his wife, exploring the outdoors, and supporting youth in church and recreational activities. He also enjoys good food and can be found getting a full bowl of ice cream from the freezer or getting some Southern-style fried chicken.
Speech Communication Representative: Satwik Dutta
Term: Fall 2022 – Spring 2024
The University of Texas at Dallas
satwik.dutta@utdallas.edu
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Signal Processing in Acoustics Representative: Sam Bellows
Term: Spring 2021 – Fall 2023
Brigham Young University
sbellows@student.byu.edu
Sam is a PhD candidate at Brigham Young University in the department of Physics and Astronomy. His present research focuses on the directivity of musical instruments and speech, as well as spherical array signal processing techniques. He has also worked in areas such as microphone placement, virtual and room acoustics. He previously earned his BS in Applied Physics from BYU.
In his spare time, Sam enjoys playing and listening to music, being outdoors and traveling.
Underwater Acoustics Representative: William Jenkins
Term: Fall 2022 – Spring 2023
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
wjenkins@ucsd.edu
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William Jenkins is a Ph.D. candidate in oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, and is a 2018 recipient of the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. His research interests include ocean and polar acoustics and applied machine learning in signal processing. William previously served on active duty in the U.S. Navy as a submarine warfare officer and continues to serve in the Navy Reserve.
William earned his B.S. in oceanography with merit from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and his M.S. in engineering acoustics with distinction from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He is a recipient of the 2010 Chief of Naval Operations Undersea Warfare Award for research he conducted in underwater digital acoustic communications.
In his spare time, William enjoys playing his violin, sailing, traveling, scuba diving, and skiing.
Computational Acoustic Representative: Pravinkumar Ghodake
Term: Spring 2023 – Fall 2024
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
mech7pkumar@gmail.com
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Pravinkumar is a Ph.D. student at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), India. He received his master’s (M. Tech) from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), India, in Solid Mechanics and Design.
His research focuses on exploiting nonlinear waves to design nonlinear metamaterials by exploring exciting effects such as harmonic generation, wave mixing, and harmonic scattering through theoretical and computational perspectives. He is designing nonlinear metamaterials using an inverse design approach to control nonlinear elastic waves both in the time and frequency domains. His inversely designed metamaterials have various characteristics like multi-material, periodic, quasi-periodic, non-periodic, direction-dependent, direction-independent, mode-independent, invisible nonlinear inclusions, stretching pulses in the time domain, mode conversion, and so on. He is exploring the design of the spatial (functionally graded) and temporal (time-dependent, 4D Metamaterials) linear and nonlinear metamaterials and their novel responses toward controlling elastic waves.
He enjoys reading books, watching football, and listening to music.