On 17 September 2019, H.E. Dr. Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, the Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University, received Dr. Peter Newman, Department Head for the Recreation, Park and Tourism Management and Co-director of the Social Science Acoustics Laboratory at the Pennsylvania State University, USA.

Dr. Newman specializes in protected areas management and works with the U.S. National Park Service to mitigate the impact of visitors in Denali, Yosemite, Rocky, and Grant Teton National Parks.  He has conducted numerous visitor use management studies in parks and protected areas within the United States, and internationally. His research interests include visitor management in and regarding protected areas, soundscape/acoustic management in parks, transportation management and planning, efficacy of Leave No Trace practices, and health/well-being.

The two sides discussed topics of mutual interest and possibilities of collaboration between the Department of Tourism at SQU and Pennsylvania State University. The meeting was attended by Dr. Mohamed Ali Al Belushi, Dean of the College of Arts & Social Sciences, and academics from the Tourism Department. Subsequent to the meeting with the Vice Chancellor of SQU, Dr. Newman visited the Tourism Department at the College of Arts & Social Sciences and gave a lecture on the teaching and research activities at his department and the Social Science Acoustics Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University. He also toured SQU Cultural Centre.