Jonathan Eiseman, who graduated from DePaul University in June with a Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental studies, is a self-proclaimed “sound buff.” His love for listening led Eiseman to immerse himself into the field of soundscape ecology, which he describes as “a different way of approaching science.”

Soundscape ecology is a new approach to studying ecosystems by recording the sounds in nature over time to determine if an ecosystem is healthy. The categories of sounds fall into three areas: biophony, the sounds of animals, birds and insects; geophony, the sounds of the earth, such as wind, rain or thunder; and anthrophony, man-made sounds, such as vehicles, construction and voices.

In one of Eiseman’s projects, microphones were deployed to record these sounds at three locations in Lincoln Park along the lakeshore. They record daily for 10 minutes at the top of each hour. Eiseman collects the recordings every 10 to 14 days. After the yearlong project is completed, the data will be compiled and analyzed by Eiseman; Liam Heneghan, a professor of environmental science at DePaul; and Bryan Pijanowski, a professor at Purdue University.

Eiseman’s passion for sound and nature has influenced his participation in other aspects of the DePaul community. He is a member of the African Drum Ensemble in the School of Music and contributes as a volunteer at the DePaul Urban Garden. He previously served as the “senator for sustainability” with the Student Government Association.

“It was kind of serendipitous for this (soundscape) project to come along,” said Eiseman. He is incorporating the sounds of nature obtained from his soundscape ecology studies into his own musical creations. Sometimes his songs are shaped around sounds he finds intriguing. Eiseman hopes to find even more ways to bring soundscapes to his arrangements in more complex and meaningful ways.

Although he is from the San Francisco Bay area, Eiseman is planning to stay in Chicago after graduation. He has an internship with Presence Health, the largest Catholic health care company in Illinois, where he will help their efforts to become a more sustainable organization.

Meanwhile, Eiseman will continue listening to the sounds of nature as a volunteer on the soundscape ecology project in Lincoln Park.

Written by Ann Sherwood