Alan Coppens was born in 1936. He received the B.Eng. Phys. degree from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY in 1959, and the Sc.M. (1962) and Ph.D. (1965) degrees in physics from Brown University, Providence, RI.He joined the Department of Physics of the Naval Postgraduate School in 1964 and is currently Associate Professor. He teaches primarily in the areas of classical acoustics and underwater sound. His primary research areas include nonlinear acoustics in enclosures and sound propagation in shallow water. He performs architectural acoustical consulting (Monterey Bay Acoustical Consultants, Inc.) and is a member of ASA, Sigma XI (inactive), and AAUP.