The HEARing CRC was officially launched in its new Melbourne headquarters by Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research in Thursday 21st May 2009.

The launch was held in conjunction with the official opening of the University of Melbourne’s Audiology, Hearing and Speech Sciences building, the new home of the Department of Otolaryngology’s teaching and research activity. This building is the new location of the HEARing CRC headquarters and includes high spec facilities for some of its sound engineering research.

The Senator was pleased to officiate proceedings and was joined by HEARing CRC Chairman Dr Richard Searby AO QC, and Professor Sue Elliott, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching, Learning and Equity) from the University of Melbourne. Professor Graeme Clark, pioneer of the cochlear implant, inaugural chair of Department of Otolaryngology and the Director of the original CRC for Cochlear Implant, Speech and Hearing Research was also invited to reflect on the developments in these activities. 

The new HEARing CRC is the third hearing-related Cooperative Research Centre to be funded under the Commonwealth Government’s CRC Program. A/Prof Bob Cowan, CEO, has been involved since the first centre in 1992 and commented that “…having the opportunity to build on our research capabilities and partners from the previous CRCs is fantastic, and it’s really exciting to be able to expand into new areas and involve new facilities.”

“Importantly, our focus now includes prevention of hearing loss, and our research projects looking at the genetics of hearing loss, and potential molecular therapies are already making exciting discoveries.” 

“Harnessing some of the latest imaging technologies for acoustic and language development research, such as the MEG (Magneto-encephalography) facility at Macquarie University will shed light on processes involved in central auditory processing disorders, tinnitus, and the effects of hearing loss on audition.”

Read Media Release.