The American Academy of Audiology is proud to announce the recipients of the 2006 Academy Honors. Each of this year's honorees have made significant contributions in our field. They inspire us to greater heights and remind us of the contributions made on behalf of the hearing impaired persons we serve. Join us as we honor these individuals at the Academy Honors Reception (Thursday, April 6, 6:00-7:30pm) during AudiologyNOW! in Minneapolis, MN!
2006 Distinguished Achievement Award
The Academy is pleased to present the debut of the Distinguished Achievement Award to four very deserving individuals. This award is given to individuals who have had an impact on the profession through their teaching, clinical service, research contribution and/or innovative program development. 
Recipient: Barry Freeman, Ph.D.
Dr. Freeman's leadership, innovation and pioneering efforts have made significant impacts on the profession of audiology, particularly in the areas of governmental and legislative initiatives and the Au.D. degree. His dedication to professional service began early in his career and continues today. He has been instrumental in changing licensure laws - changes that set licensure standards for other states and continues to resonate. In 1993, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Audiology. In 1996, he was elected President of the Academy. His contributions to the Academy included work on numerous task forces and committees. One of the most notable among his accomplishments is his work for the passage and implementation of the Federal Employee Benefit Health Plan initiative providing direct access for audiology care to over eight million Americans. Dr. Freeman has clearly established himself as an advocate for the student and the Au.D. degree. He began the first distance-learning Au.D. program which has now become international as a result of his efforts. He truly has had an impact on our profession as seen in many political, educational, and service delivery advances. 
Recipient: Joseph W. Hall, Ph.D.
Dr. Hall is one of the nation's preeminent hearing scientists. His over 100 peer-reviewed articles over the past 30 years, with three-quarters of them published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society or Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, have provided significant contribution to the profession of audiology. He is perhaps best known for his discovery and investigation of the co-modulation masking release (CMR) paradigm. The CMR paradigm led hearing scientists to view the auditory periphery as a multi-channel signal processing system ultimately impacting on the development of processing strategies for hearing aids and cochlear implants. His other areas of investigation have been the effects of mild hearing loss on child development and the effects of glycerol in the diagnosis of Meniere's disease. The impact of his research on the clinical practice of audiology has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In 1988, he was awarded the Claude Pepper Award of Excellence by NIH that provided funding for 7 years. In fact, Dr. Hall has been funded by the NIH continuously for the last two decades. His prolific body of scientific work has had a significant impact not only on the advancement of our scholarly knowledge but our clinical work as well. 
Recipient: H. Gustav Mueller, Ph.D.
One of the most recognizable faces among audiologists is that of Dr. Mueller. Perhaps it is due to his over 300 presentations at the state, national and international level. Perhaps it is because he is the creator and designer of the Trivia Bowl. Perhaps it is because he created and developed Page Ten, a monthly feature in The Hearing Journal. Or perhaps it is because he is who he is! In the area of scholarly works, he has over 100 publications primarily in the areas of probe-microphone measurements, hearing aids, directional microphones, and central auditory processing. His Probe Microphone Measurements (co-authored with David Hawkins and Jerry Northern) is one of the authoritative text on real ear measures. His two-volume set: The Audiologist's Desk Reference Vol I and II (co-authored with Jay Hall) is considered one of the "go-to" books in Audiology. He was one of the original founding members of the American Academy of Audiology, as well as the founder and first President of the Colorado Academy of Audiology. He has been honored as an ASHA Fellow, with the DiCarlo Clinical Achievement Award, and received the Legion of Merit Award from the U.S. Army. Dr. Mueller is revered for his innovative thinking and his art of presentations. 
Recipient: Martin Robinette, Ph.D.
Dr. Robinette has been a role model, a mentor, and an international leader in the field of Audiology. Throughout his career he has been actively involved in research and professional service whether he was in the role of an educator, administrator, or clinical service provider. He has authored over 60 scholarly publications. His early work in amplification led to the development of advanced technology for digital hearing aids. As a matter of fact, he and his colleagues hold a patent on this work. He is known worldwide for his work with otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). His early rigorous work with OAEs did much to advance our understanding and use of OAEs. His book Otoacoustic Emissions: Clinical Applications, co-authored with Ted Glattke, is considered one of the authoritative texts on OAEs. His professional service is also quite impressive. He has held approximately 50 appointed or invited positions involving professional service at the local, state, national and international level. In fact, he has been a member of a professional committee, task force, panel, board, or working group every year since 1978. Dr. Robinette has enriched the lives of every student he has taught, every colleague he has worked with, and every patient he has provided care to, through his knowledge and personal character.
2006 James Jerger Career Award for Research in Audiology
This award honors an individual who has had a distinguished career in the field of audiology. Recipients must not only be productive researchers but must have made significant contributions to the practice and/or teaching of Audiology as well.
Recipient: Harry Levitt, Ph.D.
Dr. Harry Levitt's career epitomizes the intent of the Jerger Career Award for Research in Audiology. He has a distinguished publication record with almost 150 articles in the most prestigious journals, more than 30 book chapters and 5 books. His research has advanced our knowledge and clinical applications in the areas of digital signal processing, computer simulations of speech, visual speech cues, and assisted adaptive testing. His work in adaptive methodology, presented in his 1971 paper Transformed up-down methods in psychoacoustics (JASA) laid the foundation for the adaptive test method still used today. His pioneering work in digital signal processing resulted in the development of the first digital hearing aid reported in his 1982 paper An array-processor computer hearing aid. While he receives the highest praise for his research, he receives equally high praise for his unusual spirit of intellectual generosity and kindness to his fellow scientists, colleagues, and students. Perhaps one of his greatest legacies to the profession will be his students, who hold him with such high regard for teaching them to think like scientists! Dr. Harry Levitt has dedicated his life to reducing or alleviating the impact of hearing loss on individuals through his research, his teaching, and his service.
2006 International Award in Hearing
The Academy is pleased to honor two individuals who are non-residents of the United States for their contribution to the profession of audiology. The recipients of this award have provided outstanding service to the profession of audiology in a clinical, academic, research, or professional capacity. 
Recipient: David Baguley, Ph.D.
In his 20 years in the profession, Dr. David Baguley has been extremely prolific with over 100 peer-reviewed publications, 2 books, and 9 book chapters in almost all aspects of Audiology. He has given over 100 presentations to audiences all over the world. His work in tinnitus was most recently honored as the invited 2005 Tonndorf Lecturer at the VIII International Tinnitus Seminar. Beyond his research and academic credits, Dr. Baguley was instrumental in forming the International Committee of the American Academy of Audiology and served as its co-chair for three years. He is a founding member of the British Audiologic Academy. One of his most notable professional achievements has been his involvement in changing the service delivery in the United Kingdom that places audiologists and nurse practitioners as the gatekeepers to hearing healthcare. His clinical, research, and service contributions have had tremendous impact on Audiology not only in the United Kingdom but on the profession as a whole, and for this, he is most worthy of this recognition.
Recipient: Stuart Gatehouse, Ph.D.
Dr. Stuart Gatehouse's achievements exemplify the very basis of this award. While his name is synonymous with hearing aid research, his over 100 published articles have a broader spectrum addressing such issues as medical audiology, basic audiologic and electrophysiologic testing, as well as issues related to successful use of amplification including the underlying dimensions and determinants of auditory disability, handicap, and benefit; however, his contributions are not limited to the laboratory. His clinical contributions have been nearly as important as his basic science work. Two examples of his clinical work are seen in outcome measures he developed: the Glasgow Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (GPHAB) and the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ, along with William Noble). The GPHAB is a well-known outcome measure documenting hearing aid satisfaction and benefit. Perhaps, it is his pioneering work in the studies of perceptual acclimatization to amplified speech and its implications with hearing aid use that is most recognized in the international hearing aid community. Dr. Gatehouse is truly an international scholar whose contributions have had dramatic influence in many areas of Audiology.
2006 Samuel F. Lybarger Award
This award is given to individuals who have made a significant and pioneering contribution within the field of hearing while employed by a hearing healthcare company or corporation. The activity (research, engineering, or teaching) must have a significant impact on the understanding of normal or disordered auditory systems and extend beyond the contribution to their company's service or product.
Recipient: Sadanand Singh, Ph.D.
Dr. Singh holds two doctorate degrees, one patent, one trademark, has been on the faculty of 4 universities, published over 50 scientific articles, and published 8 books and last year founded his third publishing company. His first publishing company, College Hill Press, was started in a garage behind his house while he was on faculty at University of Texas Health Science Center. Under his direction, 250 different titles in the area of speech and hearing were published. Ten years after founding College Hill Press (and later selling it) he founded his second publishing company, Singular Publishing and oversaw the publication of over 350 titles and 7 journals. He has just entered the publishing world again with his third publishing company, Plural Publishing, but not before developing a literature search program (ContentScan) for the internet. Dr. Singh's name is synonymous with publishing many books used by students and clinicians alike. He understood the need to share the knowledge held by many. Through his encouragement to academicians, researchers and practitioners, he created a forum to share their knowledge with others. Dr. Singh has created a library within and outside our profession for all to share.
2006 Humanitarian Award
An individual who has made a direct humanitarian contribution to society in the realm of hearing is honored with the Humanitarian Award. Recipients must demonstrate direct and outstanding service to humanity in ways that are related to hearing, hearing disability, or deafness. 
Recipient: Jackie Clark, Ph.D.
As an active member of the University of Texas at Dallas faculty, Dr. Jackie Clark has been the consummate professional. Yet, her activities are not confined to the university or to Texas. Since 1998, Dr. Clark has planned, overseen, and led teams of volunteers to Mozambique bringing audiologic programs to underdeveloped areas. She and her team have tested hearing, provided donated hearing aids and supplies to those in need, and have trained local physicians, nurses, medical technicians, and social workers in the areas of hearing disorders, otoscopy, and testing. Every year she returns, not only does she provide more hearing aids and supplies as well as audiologic test equipment, she provides additional training and knowledge to the staff - empowering the community to become more self-sufficient in the area of hearing healthcare. Last year, she and her team directed the first large scale hearing screening in Mozambique. Dr. Clark's humanitarian work is an example to the world of why Audiology should be a part of the healthcare team and how audiologists should function as a vital member of that team. Closer to home, Dr. Clark has been an active member of the Healthy Hearing Program of the Special Olympics in Texas. Her efforts to individuals with hearing loss nationally and internationally make her most deserving of this honor.
Join us at the Academy Honors Reception!
The American Academy of Audiology Announces the 2006 Academy Honorees
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