13
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
J.A. Sisneros (ed.), Fish Hearing and Bioacoustics, Advances in Experimental
Medicine and Biology 877, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-21059-9_2
A Most Interesting Man of Science: The Life
and Research of Richard Rozzell Fay
Joseph A. Sisneros
Abstract On May 25, 2013, a special symposium was held at the Mote Marine
Laboratory in Sarasota, FL to honor the outstanding careers of Drs. Richard R. Fay
and Arthur N. Popper, a “dynamic duo” of scientists who were pioneers in the fi eld
of contemporary fi sh hearing and bioacoustics. The present article details the
research, academic life, and “other side” of Richard Rozzell Fay, a most interesting
man of science who is known to all as a kind, gentle, wise, and introspective
scientist.
Keywords Goldfi sh hearing • Psychoacoustics • Physiology • Von Békésy
Richard “Dick” Fay (Figs. 1 and 2 ) born on May 5th, 1944 in Holden, Massachusetts
where he grew up and during his early years he attended Wachusett Regional High
School. As Dick tells the story, he was not a “joiner” in high school which is why
his English teacher advised him to participate in some extracurricular activities or he
would not get into college. His teacher managed to get him appointed Editor of the
High School Yearbook, an endeavor that Dick enjoyed very much despite the fact
that he had to ride the bus over-an-hour to and from school every day. In addition to
being an editor, Dick also began writing a column in the school newspaper on his
true love … “Jazz.” A bit sophisticated for the average senior high school student
but Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, and the “ultimate” Art Tatum came alive with
Dick and for those students interested in jazz in 1962. Dick’s early duties as a writer
and editor would serve him well later in academia and as a co-editor of the Springer
Handbook of Auditory Research series. Growing up in a rural isolated small town
with a population of less than a thousand people in the middle of Massachusetts, Dick
spent his free time pretty much as many others there did perfecting their shooting
skills at the Eight Point Sportsman’s Club. For the non-sportsman, “Eight points”
J. A. Sisneros (*)
Departments of Psychology and Biology , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98195 , USA
e-mail: sisneros@uw.edu
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
J.A. Sisneros (ed.), Fish Hearing and Bioacoustics, Advances in Experimental
Medicine and Biology 877, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-21059-9_2
A Most Interesting Man of Science: The Life
and Research of Richard Rozzell Fay
Joseph A. Sisneros
Abstract On May 25, 2013, a special symposium was held at the Mote Marine
Laboratory in Sarasota, FL to honor the outstanding careers of Drs. Richard R. Fay
and Arthur N. Popper, a “dynamic duo” of scientists who were pioneers in the fi eld
of contemporary fi sh hearing and bioacoustics. The present article details the
research, academic life, and “other side” of Richard Rozzell Fay, a most interesting
man of science who is known to all as a kind, gentle, wise, and introspective
scientist.
Keywords Goldfi sh hearing • Psychoacoustics • Physiology • Von Békésy
Richard “Dick” Fay (Figs. 1 and 2 ) born on May 5th, 1944 in Holden, Massachusetts
where he grew up and during his early years he attended Wachusett Regional High
School. As Dick tells the story, he was not a “joiner” in high school which is why
his English teacher advised him to participate in some extracurricular activities or he
would not get into college. His teacher managed to get him appointed Editor of the
High School Yearbook, an endeavor that Dick enjoyed very much despite the fact
that he had to ride the bus over-an-hour to and from school every day. In addition to
being an editor, Dick also began writing a column in the school newspaper on his
true love … “Jazz.” A bit sophisticated for the average senior high school student
but Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, and the “ultimate” Art Tatum came alive with
Dick and for those students interested in jazz in 1962. Dick’s early duties as a writer
and editor would serve him well later in academia and as a co-editor of the Springer
Handbook of Auditory Research series. Growing up in a rural isolated small town
with a population of less than a thousand people in the middle of Massachusetts, Dick
spent his free time pretty much as many others there did perfecting their shooting
skills at the Eight Point Sportsman’s Club. For the non-sportsman, “Eight points”
J. A. Sisneros (*)
Departments of Psychology and Biology , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98195 , USA
e-mail: sisneros@uw.edu