I'm An Audiologist... Come Again?

"Being able to explain what you do in terms of its scientific roots is outstanding."

Audiology Today published an article titled "I'm An Audiologist. Come Again?" that discusses the public un-awareness of the field of Audiology. Featured in the article were three Healthy Hearing Community Education Program (HHCEP) outreach events lead by Frank Wartinger, Au.D. in collaboration with the department of Audiology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). 

As a part of the 2017 Philadelphia Science Festival, these events addressed different audiences and various aspects of Audiology. 

Be A CHOP Audiologist! 

On April 23rd, 2017, CHOP Audiology opened its doors to welcome visitors to the new Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care. More than 160 attendees were given tours of the facility and six interactive stations: hearing testing, amplification technology, hearing protection, stuttering treatment, and augmentative & alternative communication technology. For the event, Frank built a freestanding 12" Chladni Plate, a device that allows attendees to interact with sound as a physical, visible energy. He also demonstrated a Jolene mannequin, a device that accurately reports an individual's listening level on their own personal music player and earphones. The event was a success with plans to repeat next year on a larger scale. 

Sensory Overload

Hosted at Yards Brewing Company, Sensory Overload was an interactive speaker event that featured five scientists and clinicians from various fields, each discussing one of our five senses. Frank presented on... you guessed it... hearing! The main take home of the discussion was that sound is an enjoyable and powerful force. As such, hearing is something to be respected and protected throughout our lives.

Science Carnival

On April 29th, 2017, CHOP Audiology presented an interactive booth at the Science Festival's flagship event, the Carnival. This year, over 300 presenters and nearly 50,000 attendees enjoyed this free public event on Penn's Landing with content tailored to scientists of all ages.

Future workshops in the works!

Stay tuned for further community events planned to address topics such as the use of hearing protection by live and studio audio engineers, and the use of in-ear monitors to improve performance potential.