PORTUGUESE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY -SPA-
1. SOCIETY LOGO
2. SOCIETY DATA
COUNTRY
1. Country: Portugal
SOCIETY DATA
2. Status: Full Member
3. Society name (in English): Portuguese Acoustical Society
4. Original Society name: Sociedade Portuguesa de Acústica
5. Society acronyms: SPA
6. Address: Av. do Brasil, 101
P-1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal
7. Phone: +351 21 8443273
8. Fax: +351 21 8443028
9. E-mail: jpatricio@lnec.pt
10. Web: www.spacustica.pt
11. Society Journal (name):
PRESIDENT DATA
12. Family name, first name: Patricio, Jorge
13. Institution/Company: Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil
14. Address: Av. do Brasil, 101
P-1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal
15. Phone: +351 21 8443273
16. Fax: +351 21 8443028
17. E-mail: jpatricio@lnec.pt
SECRETARY/SECRETARIAT
DATA
18. Family name, first name: Silva, Dulce
19. Institution/Company: Laboratòrio Nacional de Engenharia Civil
20. Address: Av. do Brasil, 101
P-1700-066 Lisboa, Portugal
21. Phone: +351 21 8443739
22. Fax: +351 21 8443028
23. E-mail: dsilva@lnec.pt
TREASURER
DATA
24. Family name, first name: Fradique, Jorge
25. Institution/Company: Direcção Regional do Ministério
da Economia de
Lisboa e Vale do Tejo
26. Address: Estrada da Portela, Zambujal
Apartado 7546, Alfragide, Amadora - Portugal
27. Phone: +351 21 472 9500
28. Fax: +351 21 471 4080
29. E-mail: jorge.fradique@DRE-LVT.min-economia.pt
3. SOCIETY PROFILE
The Portuguese Acoustical Society (SPA) is an independent, non-profit making and non-governmental organisation. This society was conceived to be a specialised association intended to congregate the Portuguese acousticians and to promote and develop acoustics within the country, being simultaneously a forum to exchange information amongst its members. Similarly, another purpose of the SPA is to serve as link between several areas of different scientific fields that have acoustics as a common subject. It also aims at promoting technical and scientific advances in acoustics throughout the country and to facilitate the recognition – both in Portugal and abroad – of activities developed by those basically working in acoustics and by those who are simply interested in it.
The SPA was established in the seventies. At the time, some important initiatives were taken by the former group of SPA members with the purpose of encouraging technicians working in acoustics, to join and work together with a view to promote acoustics in Portugal. Additionally, some relations at an international level were established in order to support the desired creation of SPA. Amongst all these contacts and supports, special reference must be made to SEA (Spanish Society of Acoustics) and to its President, Prof. Andrés Lara-Saenz, who, in collaboration with Prof. Pedro Martins da Silva - the first President of SPA - has suggested the creation of a strong link between these two societies in order to co-operate within the administrative space of the Iberian Peninsula. This link has been implemented in various events that have been prepared in conjunction by the two societies throughout the years. In this framework, mention must be made of the first international event promoted by SPA, which was held in Lisbon in 1978, under the theme environmental acoustics: “1º Congresso Luso-Espanhol”. That event launched a continuous series of co-operating activities between the two societies, of which the latest one was the “Congresso Acústica 2004”. Another event is scheduled to Évora in the year 2008.
The SPA has organised various workshops and lectures on acoustics in a wide range of subjects.
Initially, the environmental and building acoustics were the major fields dealt with by the society. Nevertheless, other areas of interest have emerged, as a result of the overall evolution. Nowadays, a wide variety of acoustic areas are covered, as well as the area of vibration.
The funding of SPA derives mainly from the membership fees. Nevertheless, the organisation of seminars and congresses is also another fund source for the society.
Actually, the SPA is an affiliated society of EAA, ICA and of I-INCE. It is also a member of FIA (Ibero-American Federation of Acoustics) and of International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration
SPA has presently 190 effective members, including individuals, students and associates. There are also other individuals who have strong liaisons with SPA without being real members. The total amount of these ones may be estimated nowadays in 300. The SPA members come from all types of professions related with all areas of acoustics. Associate members are organisations that include consultants, manufacturers, engineering contractors, suppliers, designers and other companies.
It has been observed that the people are becoming increasingly aware of their surrounding environment, which leads them to have a growing concern as regards their quality of life. In this framework, the industry has recognised an increasing demand on quiet environments and reliable products to achieve such aims. In view of these challenges, the acoustics will play an important part in the next future, and the SPA will certainly play an important role in Portugal for all those who have the acoustics as their main concern.