Nathan Wolek
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profwolek.bsky.social
Nathan Wolek
@profwolek.bsky.social
240 followers 190 following 120 posts
Sound Artist & Audio Researcher. #StetsonU Professor of Digital Arts. 2x Fulbright Scholar. Co-director of #YngSoundSeekers.
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profwolek.bsky.social
For those outside of Volusia, our county council recently pulled funding for arts organizations. These were local grants made to local organizations using local tax dollars. 1/6
Logo of Volusia County Florida. Above the text at the bottom, there is a 3-color graphic that depicts the sun on a horizon.
October 9, 2025 at 2:14 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Visited our local morning TV news program to talk about Young Sound Seekers and Stetson University. Glad I was joined by Marvel and Chaylee, who shared their perspective as students working on this experiential learning project.

Watch the video here: www.fox35orlando.com/video/1717599
Sitting on set in armchairs during our interview. The anchor and I are discussing something and gesturing with our hands. Anchor Stephanie Rivas sits on the left, while myself, Marvel Olson, and Chaylee Martin are lined up on the right. The anchors paused for a picture with us behind the news desk. The front of the desk has the "Good Day Orlando" logo and its surface if reflective. From left to right are anchor Stephanie Rivas, student Marvel Olson, anchor Danielle Knox, me, student Chaylee Martin, and anchor Amy Kaufeldt.
October 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
"Canaveral National Seashore is the best classroom I've ever worked in. Every time I lead a Young Sound Seekers excursion or take students from Stetson, I am filled with gratitude that we have a place like Canaveral nearby. 1/4
Dr. Nathan standing at a podium in the ACA Harris Theatre. Members of the audience in the first two rows can be seen in the foreground with their backs to the camera. On the screen behind me is the title card for our documentary, Postcards from Canaveral. The subtitle reads "an audio tour by Young Sound Seekers."
September 28, 2025 at 1:40 AM
profwolek.bsky.social
🌊🎥👂 TONIGHT! Join us for the premiere of Postcards from Canaveral at the Atlantic Center for the Arts main campus (New Smyrna Beach). Doors open 6:30, Event starts 7:00 P.M. Our planned program should last about an hour. 1/3

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IWn...
Stetson Students Featured in Local Documentary
YouTube video by Stetson University
www.youtube.com
September 26, 2025 at 12:18 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
🔊🐦🌊 Waves, wildlife, wind. Discover the soundscape of Canaveral in Postcards from Canaveral. Film premiere Sept. 26, 7 PM @ Atlantic Center for the Arts. Free event. Bring a friend!
September 24, 2025 at 2:08 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
✨👂 Experience Canaveral through the ears of Young Sound Seekers. Postcards from Canaveral premieres Sept. 26, 7 PM @ Atlantic Center for the Arts. Free & open to the public. Join us next Friday IN ONE WEEK!
September 19, 2025 at 12:28 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
🌊🎥 Don’t miss the premiere of Postcards from Canaveral! Sept. 26, 7 PM @ Atlantic Center for the Arts (NSB). A 26-min film celebrating the voices & soundscapes of Canaveral Nat’l Seashore. Free & open to all!
September 13, 2025 at 3:01 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Looking past the clickbait headline, this is really worrisome. Starship is orders of magnitude louder than the current rockets that liftoff from KSC. #canaveral #soundscape 1/2

www.space.com/space-explor...
'The turtles and the nudists will have to migrate': SpaceX plan for Starship launches from Florida sparks debate among Space Coast residents
Worries include broken windows and impacts to the local environment, tourism and fishing industries.
www.space.com
September 6, 2025 at 2:07 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
This tracks with my story. People outside academia are always confused why I moved from Florida to Hawaii, then back to Florida a year later. Short answer: tenure-track position near family.
jessicacalarco.com Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · Aug 28
When I got my first academic job, hundreds of miles from where I grew up, my family asked why I couldn't just teach at a college nearby. I explained: Those schools only need a few sociologists. Kind of like K-12 districts only need a few music teachers... 1/
August 28, 2025 at 10:52 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Pointless is streaming on Prime in USA! My favorite UK game show. If I told you about this show when I got back from Scotland, check it out!

www.amazon.com/gp/video/det...
Watch Pointless | Prime Video
A game show where contestants aim to score the fewest points possible by guessing the least popular answers given by people in polls on various subjects.
www.amazon.com
August 26, 2025 at 12:41 AM
profwolek.bsky.social
Thank you, Brian! Adding this to the resource links for my #SoundDesign students this semester.
gamesound.bsky.social Brian Schmidt @gamesound.bsky.social · Aug 23
If it feels like there is more outsourcing in #gameaudio, it looks like it's not just a feeling.. we have data to back it up.

We're finishing up the Game Audio Industry Survey results.
Report should be up next week

Check back at:
www.gamesoundcon.com/survey
August 23, 2025 at 3:14 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Listen up for the true call of a bald eagle. Not what you typically hear from movies & TV. #bioacoustics #SoundDesign 👂 🦅
animalsrus.bsky.social Animals R Us… 🐾 @animalsrus.bsky.social · Aug 23
Such a majestic bird… 🦅
August 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
These anti-AI tropes are far older than 1980s synths. Don’t forget this gem by Sousa in 1906 writing against “the multiplication
of the various music-reproducing machines.” 1/2

ocw.mit.edu/courses/21m-...
August 16, 2025 at 9:18 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
One of my big summer projects has been working on this documentary. I am excited to say that we are close to sharing the finished video with the public. Please make plans to join us for this premiere event in New Smyrna Beach. It's FREE and open to EVERYONE. 1/3
Title card from the documentary. The image shows a wooden ramp descending toward the beach with the Atlantic Ocean filling the horizon. Text reads, "Postcards from Canaveral. An audio tour by Young Sound Seekers."
August 14, 2025 at 1:40 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Layover in Atlanta airport, standing alone while others stopped at restrooms. I was clutching a small MIDI keyboard that didn’t fit in my bags. Suddenly a wheel chair approaches with Little Richard. He spots keyboard, smiles & points at me, then lets out a lengthy “heeeey!” as porter pushes past.
bsky.app Bluesky @bsky.app · Jul 17
what's the most random interaction you've ever had with a celebrity?
July 20, 2025 at 3:27 AM
profwolek.bsky.social
LOUDER! (so the people using leaf blowers can hear you)
randycoppinger.bsky.social Randy Coppinger 🎙🎛🎧 @randycoppinger.bsky.social · Jun 17
Brooms are superior to leaf blowers
June 20, 2025 at 3:28 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Interesting study about the potential motivations for #DawnChorus among birds.
June 20, 2025 at 3:25 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Super excited to see these hit the NPS website! Our collection of six Young Sound Seekers activities are now available for download!!! 1/2

www.nps.gov/teachers/cla...
Screenshot from the web page linked in this post. The title reads, "Young Sound Seekers Listening Activities, Complete Collection." There is a link at the top to Download Lesson Plan. The bottom of the page contains our introductory statement.
May 23, 2025 at 6:05 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Getting ready to leave for New Orleans & the Acoustical Society of America meeting. I'm excited to present in the education block about a speed of sound demo developed for Young Sound Seekers. My lesson design uses common field recording gear to make the speed of sound audible in real-time. 1/2
Title slide from my presentation. Two young men from Young Sound Seekers outside wearing headphones. Kyle stands next to a microphone about to clap his hands together. Francesco's hands are folded together resting along with his chin on top of his mobility cane. The text reads: "An audible speed of sound in air demonstration for outdoor settings. Dr. Nathan Wolek, Professor of Digital Arts. Lydia Pfund Endowed Professor. Stetson University." A diagram of the equipment setup using emojis. Curved lines between the graphics represent cable connections. The first mic is closest to the field recorder on the left & connected by a curved line to channel one. Next to the first mic is a set of hands clapping. The second mic on the right is connected by a curved line that stretches across the slide & meets channel two of the field recorder. A double headed arrow sits between the two mics to convey distance with text that reads "greater than 100 feet, greater than 30 meters." A pair of headphones is also connected to the field recorder by a curved line. The text at the top reads: "Wolek - Speed of Sound Demo."
May 20, 2025 at 12:01 AM
profwolek.bsky.social
@davidhendy.bsky.social Spotted your book in the Chicago Public Library today! #noise #listening
Close up of books on metal library shelves. The bindings face out so that people can read the titles printed on them. Among other titles about listening sit 2 copies of “Noise” by David Hendy.
May 15, 2025 at 4:44 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Wednesday - Today was filled with culture. Spent the day at the Art Institute…
🎨🧑‍🎨 1/2
Exterior of the Art Institute of Chicago. The 3 story, grey stone building looks wide and flat with grey skies behind it. The central entrance sits at the top of stairs that are about half the length of building, and is framed by a triangular roof peak. The three windows above each door are tall rectangles with a semi-circle on top. This shape is mimicked by the stone work on either side of the entrance. Bethany shows her Grandpa details on Seurat painting. The 7 feet by 10 feet painting title is “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”. It depicts Parisians enjoying leisure time on the banks of the Seine River. The painting uses tiny dots, a technique known as pointillism. Bethany is just a few feet away from the surface on the right, showing her Grandpa the brushstroke details. Bethany imitates pose in Andy Warhol self portrait. The painting is square, only about 20 inches tall & wide. The color palette is limited, with only three shades of green & a pink. His chin is resting on left hand, with the fingers loosely arranged. He stares softly at the viewer. Bethany stands to the right of the painting doing her best imitation of his pose.
May 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Tuesday, part 2 - Took the L to Wrigley Field. Many updates to the ballpark since the last time we were here, but the atmosphere remains unmatched in baseball. This is the greatest place to watch a game, especially when the Cubs score 3 in the 9th to walk off with a win! ⚾️ 🧢
Our family poses for a photo under the iconic red billboard at the corner of Clark & Addison in daylight. It reads “Wrigley Field, home of Chicago Cubs. Marlins vs Cubs, 6:40 PM.” From left to right is Amy, my dad, Bethany, me, & Penny. Dad’s selfie from our seats in row 13 behind home plate. On the field, the visiting team is taking batting practice. The historic manual score board looms over the outfield bleachers. Beyond left & right field, there are giant video boards. Both have messages welcoming fans to Wrigley Field. The final score on the left field video board. The graphic has a green background and mostly white lettering. It reads “Final, Marlins 4, Cubs 5.” The box score below it shows the runs inning by inning, including the 3 scored by the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth. Harry Carry statue after dark. This large bronze statue features the famous broadcaster from about the thigh up. He wears a light jacket and oversized eyeglasses. He seems to reach out towards the crowd with his microphone, a gesture he used often during the 7th inning stretch. Behind him, there are neon signs for “Chicago Cubs” & “Budweiser Bleachers”.
May 15, 2025 at 5:37 AM
profwolek.bsky.social
Tuesday, part 1 - Spent the morning & early afternoon exploring the Loop & River on foot. 🏙️🚶🏻‍♂️
Looking North across the Chicago River at DuSable Bridge. On the water, a tour boat heads east toward Lake Michigan. Across the river are the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower, skyscrapers from the 1920s. The Wrigley Building has an almost white stone facade, an unusual triangular footprint, and a clock tower. The Tribune Tower has a darker stone facade and neo-gothic details, like the flying buttresses at the top of its tower. Cloud Gate sculpture by Anish Kapoor, also known as “the bean” because of its distinctive shape. Its surface is a polished silver mirror that reflects the sky & buildings. People in Millennium Park dot the plaza that surrounds this sculpture, with many taking selfies of their own reflections. Behind it lies the edge of Chicago’s skyline where it ends before the lakefront parks. Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. The circular base is approximately 100 feet across. Multiple jets and sculptures jet water up toward a central peak about 20 feet high. Behind it lies the edge of Chicago’s skyline where it ends before the lakefront parks.
May 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Monday - Rented a car & went searching for places we used to live. 🏡🚙

For Amy & I, our first apartment in Rogers Park & second apartment in Evanston. 1/2
A courtyard apartment building. A metal gate closes off the entrance to the central courtyard that sits in the middle of the U shaped building. It is 3 stories tall with a light red brick facade & sandstone accents. Amy and I pose outside for a photo in front of the door that leads to our first apartment. The door is painted wood with 3 large glass panels. A mixture of brick & sandstone accents frame the doorway. Above the door, you can see the numbers 1445. A walk up apartment building. The dark red brick facade is 3 stories tall with two entrances facing the street. The doorways are raised several steps above street level. The photo looks through a tree taller than the building but without leaves in the center, and two cars parallel parked on the street. On the left and right are shorter trees blooming with dark pink flowers. Amy and I pose outside for a photo in front of the door that leads to our second apartment. The door is on a landing 3 steps above street level, where we stand. The doorway is painted wood with a grid of small glass panels. The sandstone accents frame the doorway completely. On the door glass, you can see the numbers 904 & 906.
May 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
profwolek.bsky.social
Hello Chicago! 👋

Spending a few days in the Windy City with dad & my family. Less than 24 hours & we’ve already checked 2 things off our must-do list:
✅ ride the L 🚃
✅ eat deep dish pizza 🍕
Downtown Chicago, looking across Ida B Wells Drive. Cars pass in the foreground. A mural is on the side of a building across the street. In the distance is Willis Tower (aka Sears Tower), the city’s tallest skyscraper. Bethany & Amy seated inside the L train. Only Bethany’s eyes are seen through an opening in a partition, while Amy smiles behind her. Dad seated inside an L train. He has one hand on his large suitcase & the other elbow propped against the seat beside him. The family gathered around a table about to eat pizza. All five people a looking at the camera & smiling. Our plates each hold a slice waiting for us to begin eating.
May 12, 2025 at 1:48 PM