Robert Eikelboom
Research Manager, Ear Science Institute Australia; Deputy Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Ear and Hearing Care; Adjunct Professor, University of Western Australia; Extraordinary Professor, University of Pretoria.
With 1 in 6 Australians experiencing hearing loss, the Ear Science Institute Australia team works to improve the lives of those with hearing impairment to connect them with their world. The impact of hearing loss is often hidden but there are many links between hearing and health. Hearing loss affects people of all ages, however the prevalence of hearing loss in the Australian population starts to rise significantly from about 50 years of age. Hearing loss compromises a person’s ability to communicate and can cause social and emotional distress with up to 50% of adults with hearing loss reporting feelings of isolation, loneliness, or symptoms of anxiety or depression. As a centre of excellence, Ear Science Institute Australia brings together a multidisciplinary team of the brightest minds from across the globe including otolaryngology, audiology, engineering, computer science, molecular and cellular sciences. All are working to develop effective treatments for ear and hearing disorders, and eventually to find a cure for hearing loss. Ear Science Institute Australia respects all ways of communication.
