(Reston, VA – April 25, 2013)—Nearly 6,600 audiologists, students, and hearing health professionals came to sunny Anaheim, CA, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the American Academy of Audiology, as well as learn about new innovations in technology and business practice for the profession of audiology.
The Academy’s General Assembly on Thursday morning provided attendees with a mix of the past and an eye toward the future. A video of the first address given from the inaugural Academy convention at Kiawah Island, SC, by Academy founder and Past President Dr. James Jerger was shown by current Academy President Deborah Carlson. Jerger was also a recipient, as wereDr. Kathy Foltner, Dr. Gail Whitelaw, and Dr. Joseph Smaldino, of a 2013 Presidential Award. The assembly keynote address was given by Jack Uldrich, a renowned global futurist, scholar, business speaker, and best-selling author. Uldrich’s address looked ahead to the year 2020 for a discussion on how business practices will change, and how audiologists will need to adapt along with their practices to these changes.
Following General Assembly, the Audiology Solutions expo floor opened to attendees. Over 190 exhibitors displayed new, innovative technology on the floor of the Anaheim Convention Center. At the Friday evening Industry Solutions Reception, Best-in-Show awards were presented to AuDBling (small booth category), CaptionCall (medium booth), Auditdata A/S (medium-large), Able Planet (large), and Oticon (extra-large). The winner of the New Product Showcase was Ear Technology Corporation, for their DryCaddy hearing instrument care system.
The fifth-annual Academy Research Conference (ARC), entitled “The Moral of Binaural: Why and How Hearing Should Be Restored to Both Ears,” looked at the latest findings on how the brain responds to binaural information and the ongoing work to translate that knowledge into improved use of intelligent hearing devices. That same day, the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) held their first conference for future audiologists currently enrolled in audiology programs nationwide. Entitled “Case-Study Investigations,” students heard from internationally recognized audiologists who presented clinical cases and discussions on clinical problem-solving that involved various aspects of audiology, including auditory-evoked potentials, cochlear implants, pediatrics, and vestibular. Also debuting this year was the Cochlear Implants Mini-Conference: “Expanding Indications for Cochlear Implants in Infants Aged 6 to 12 Months,” on the final day of AudiologyNOW!.
Building upon the innovations made at the convention in Anaheim, the Academy is now planning for AudiologyNOW! 2014, which will be held in Orlando, FL, from March 26–29. To learn more about AudiologyNOW!, visit https://www.audiologynow.org/.
The American Academy of Audiology is the world's largest professional organization of, by, and for audiologists. With an active membership of more than 11,000 audiologists, the Academy promotes quality hearing and balance care by advancing the profession of audiology through leadership, advocacy, education, public awareness, and support of research.
