Stach was joined by Dr. Marion Downs and Oticon representatives, Donald Schum, PhD, and Henning Falster, as he stated that this continuing partnership with The Oticon Foundation had been expanded to include an annual live Webcast of the presentation from the convention city, and on-demand viewing of the lecture through eAudiology for one year following the live broadcast. This new funding will allow international access at no charge to the lecture through the Academy's professional education program.
"We are pleased that The Oticon Foundation will continue to partner with the American Academy of Audiology Foundation on this worthy educational endeavor," said Peer Lauritsen, President of Oticon, Inc. "We are especially pleased that the grant will allow international access to the Marion Downs Lecture. We can think of no more fitting tribute to Dr. Downs's wonderful legacy than promoting educational excellence for the next generation of pediatric audiologists."
Cheryl Kreider Carey, CAE, executive director and AAAF Board member, was thrilled to learn of the grant in March:
Since 2005, the grant from The Oticon Foundation has allowed us to feature five first-rate presentations by leaders in the field of pediatric audiology. I am so excited that this new funding will give us the ability to make this lectureship available internationally to audiologists and others interested in ensuring quality hearing health care for infants and children all over the world. I thank The Oticon Foundation for this most generous gift and applaud their visionary thinking that will ensure widespread dissemination of the cutting-edge information offered at the lecture each year.The AAAF will work with former AAAF Board members, Jerry Northern, PhD, long-time collaborator with Dr. Downs, and Carol Flexer, PhD, 2010 AudiologyNOW! featured session chair, to select a speaker for the first live broadcast from in San Diego next spring.
About the Oticon Foundation
When Hans Demant founded Oticon in 1904, it was for a good reason—his wife was hearing impaired, and he was determined to help her and others like her. Inspired by Demant's humanistic philosophy, his son William and his wife created the William Demant & Ida Emilie Foundation in 1957. The Foundation is also known as The Oticon Foundation. The Foundation's statutes mandate that income be used to support the needs of hearing-impaired individuals as well as organizations. Income is derived through the Foundation's ownership of the majority of shares in the Oticon company. As one of the world's oldest foundations, The Oticon Foundation sponsors social and educational programs, publications, conferences, cultural activities and campaigns—for researchers, hearing-care professionals, and the general public.
For more information about Oticon, visit www.oticonusa.com or the Oticon web channel on Audiology Online.
About the American Academy of Audiology Foundation
The American Academy of Audiology Foundation's (AAAF) mission is to raise funds and support for programs of excellence in education, research, and public awareness in audiology and the hearing sciences. The AAAF works closely with the American Academy of Audiology to fund promising research grants, to sponsor educational opportunities for audiologists and other hearing professionals, and to increase public understanding of the causes, treatments and prevention of hearing loss. The AAAF is exempt under 501(c)3 of the IRS code, and all gifts to the AAAF are tax deductible as allowed by law.
For more information, please visit the AAAF Web site at www.audiologyfoundation.org.
