Implementing multiple digital platforms to effectively communicate research on underwater acoustics

Abstract

The Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) project has produced a comprehensive set of resources on underwater sound. Over the last 14 years, the project has increased the diversity of digital platforms used to meet its objective of communicating accurate, peer-reviewed science to diverse audiences. Since the DOSITS website (www.dosits.org) was launched in 2002, there has been a great increase in Internet accessibility, both in terms of number of people connected and bandwidth available. At the same time, a sea of change has occurred in website technologies making it easier to provide an incredible range of media and interfaces. In the last six years, the platforms, or methods, by which people can access digital media, and devices used to access that media, has greatly proliferated. As researchers strive to effectively communicate scientific results to specific audiences, such as the international regulatory community, it is necessary to address the diverse digital platforms available. The DOSITS team now uses many digital platforms, including websites, electronic books, live webinars, and online videos. The evolution of the DOSITS project to leverage multiple digital platforms allows different audiences to access DOSITS content in forms that best meet their information needs at a preferred time.