The Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) website was developed by the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) in partnership with INSPIRE Environmental of Newport, RI. Dr. Kathleen Vigness-Raposa, INSPIRE Principal Scientist, co-created the award-winning educational website. Many independent scientific reviewers contribute regularly to the site, which is considered one of the most valuable educational resources for marine acoustics in the world. This site was developed and produced with funding from the U.S. Office of Naval Research, U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the E&P Sound & Marine Life Joint Industry Programme, and the International Association of Geophysical Contractors.
The DOSITS website has over 500 pages on the science and uses of Sound in the Sea. There are several major sections on the site such as the Science of Sound, People and Sound, and Animals and Sound. The site’s Audio Gallery hosts underwater sounds created by marine animals, human activities, and natural phenomena such as lightning, earthquakes, and rain. The Technology Gallery shares information about equipment that uses sound to investigate the ocean. Additional resources for many specialized audiences, including teachers, students, the media, and decision makers are also provided.
The DOSITS Team facilitates a free annual four-part webinar series on topics related to underwater sound for the international decision-making community and other communities interested in ocean acoustics. Each webinar focuses on a particular topic related to sound in the sea and is comprised of a live-streamed presentation by one or more experts followed by a facilitated discussion. The DOSITS webinar series began in 2015. Archives of all webinars are available on the DOSITS website. Webinars have covered underwater sound 101, underwater radiated noise from vessels, impulsive sound and offshore wind, natural underwater sounds, and the responses of marine animals to underwater sound, to name a few.