The recognition from the University of Michigan honors Hochmair’s contributions to hearing implant technology; she also delivered the university’s graduate keynote address.
Dr Ingeborg Hochmair, co-founder and CEO of Med-El, has received an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Michigan, recognizing her contributions to medical technology and engineering innovation.
The honorary doctorate was conferred during the university’s commencement ceremonies on May 2, 2026. On May 1, Dr Hochmair also addressed master’s and doctoral candidates as the keynote speaker at the Rackham Graduate Exercises.
“I am deeply honored by this recognition from the University of Michigan,” says Dr Hochmair, in a release. “Engineering has always been, for me, a way to create meaningful change – and to ensure that technology serves people by improving communication, connection, and quality of life.”
An electrical engineer, Dr Hochmair’s research contributed to the development of the micro-electronic multichannel cochlear implant, which was implanted in Vienna in 1977 and was foundational for the modern cochlear implant. Following their research, she and her husband, Erwin Hochmair, co-founded Med-El in the 1990s. Today, the company has a presence in more than 140 countries.
In her keynote address to graduates, Dr Hochmair spoke on the responsibility that accompanies technical expertise and innovation. “You are the architects of the future world,” she says. “Your ambitions and your ability to realize your visions will influence the fate of this world and shape it.”
She encouraged the graduates to align professional excellence with societal responsibility, emphasizing accessibility and inclusion in technological progress.
Dr Hochmair is the author of more than 100 scientific publications and an inventor on over 50 patents and patent applications. Her international honors include the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, the Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, and the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal.
Featured image: University of Michigan awarded Ingeborg Hochmair an Honorary Doctor of Engineering on May 2, 2026 in Ann Arbor, MI. Dr. Hochmair also addressed graduate students as Keynote Speaker at the Rackham Graduate Exercises, the university’s official graduation ceremony for master’s and doctoral candidates. Photo: Med-El
