Hearing News Watch

NAERUM, DENMARK–Do you have an idea, a plan, or a concept that you think might inspire more people to address their hearing loss? If so, the Ida Institute wants to know about it.    The Danish-based, non-profit educational organization and the Oticon Foundation, which funds the institute, have issued a worldwide call for ideas that have the potential to generate

BOSTON–Tom Muller, PhD, a leading figure in audiology education in Arizona and a person who has actively reached out to the deaf and hard of hearing, is the 2012 recipient of the Larry Mauldin Award for Excellence in Education. Beltone presented the 14th annual Mauldin Award to Muller on March 30 during the annual convention of the American Academy of

By David H. Kirkwood  BOSTON—This weekend may be the last chance American Academy of Audiology (AAA) members ever get to visit Starkey Hearing Technology’s extravagant exhibits at AudiologyNOW! That’s because Starkey, America’s largest manufacturer of hearing aids and related products, has notified AAA that it will quit exhibiting at its annual convention after this year’s meeting in Boston. In an

ARLINGTON, VA–Three federal agencies have joined forces to turn down the noise generated by the nation’s dams and hydroelectric power plants. For this purpose, the Office of Naval Research, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced plans this week to use technology originally designed to protect U.S. Navy and Marine personnel from noise-induced hearing loss.

BOSTON—Seven illustrious audiologists will be feted this Thursday evening during the annual Honors Banquet at AudiologyNOW! There, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) will recognize a diverse group of high achievers, including two former presidents of the academy.   JERGER AWARD IN RESEARCH The Jerger Career Award for Research in Audiology will be presented to Brenda M. Ryals, PhD, whose

BOSTON—Five editors from Hearinghealthmatters.org will explore the role of blogging in audiology during a session next week at AudiologyNOW! 2012, the annual convention of the American Academy of Audiology. Entitled Best of the Blogs @ Hearing Heath and Technology Matters, the one-hour course will take place Friday, March 30, starting at 2 pm in Room 257B of the Boston Convention

When U.S. News & World Report publishes its rankings of university audiology programs on April 3, there will be little change from 2008, when its previous ratings came out. According to a preview on the publication’s web site, for the third time in a row, Vanderbilt University holds the top spot, followed by the University of Iowa. The number three

By David H. Kirkwood NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ–Songbird Hearing, Inc., called it quits—again. For at least the second time in the 12-year history of the original disposable hearing aid, the Songbird has apparently failed to build the market its manufacturer had hoped for. In a brief announcement posted on its web site, Songbird Hearing, Inc., said that it “has decided to

SACRAMENTO—California State Controller John Chiang has charged that the state’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is wasting millions of dollars in its reimbursements to California Medical Assistance (Medi-Cal) hearing aid providers. Medi-Cal, the California Medicaid program, serves about 9 million low-income families, seniors, persons with disabilities, children in foster care, pregnant women, and certain low-income adults. That represents nearly a

COPENHAGEN–Two researchers who have done groundbreaking work in discovering genetic factors in hearing and deafness will share the 2012 Brain Award, presented by the Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research Foundation. They are Christine Petit, chair of genetics and cellular physiology at College de France and head of the Genetics and Physiology of Hearing Laboratory at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, and Karen Steel,