Prof Dowell has worked in hearing research since 1980 and was responsible for the initial clinical trial of the Australian cochlear implant system now manufactured and distributed by Cochlear Ltd.

Richard is Director of the Victorian Cochlear Implant program at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and responsible for postgraduate teaching in audiology at the University of Melbourne. He received his PhD in 1991 in the field of speech perception for cochlear implant users. Parts of this work contributed to improvements in the commercial cochlear implant system and better patient outcomes.

Richard was appointed to the Chair of Audiology and Speech Sciences in 2001 and became Head of the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Melbourne in 2004. More recent research interests have involved the development of evidence-based guidelines for cochlear implantation in adults and children, evaluation of patient factors affecting outcomes for cochlear implant users and the use of bilateral auditory input using cochlear implants and/or hearing aids.