Neurotologist Richard Miyamoto, MD, (right) pictured with Dr Marion Downs after he presented recent developments in cochlear implants at the Marion Downs Lecture in Pediatric Audiology at AudiologyNOW! 2009. 

Brad Stach, PhD, chair of the board of the American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF), Reston, Va, reports the Oticon Foundation will provide an $82,000 grant to the AAAF to continue funding the Marion Downs Lecture in Pediatric Audiology through 2014, according to the AAAF.

Stach says the AAAF’s continuing partnership with the Oticon Foundation had been expanded to include an annual live Webcast of the presentation from the convention city, and on-demand viewing of the lecture through eAudiology for 1 year following the live broadcast. This new funding will allow international access at no charge to the lecture through the Academy’s professional education program, the Academy says.
 
“We are pleased that the Oticon Foundation will continue to partner with the American Academy of Audiology Foundation on this worthy educational endeavor,” says Peer Lauritsen, president of Oticon Inc. “We are especially pleased that the grant will allow international access to the Marion Downs Lecture. We can think of no more fitting tribute to Dr Downs’s wonderful legacy than promoting educational excellence for the next generation of pediatric audiologists.” 

The AAAF will work with former AAAF board members, Jerry Northern, PhD, long-time collaborator with Downs, and Carol Flexer, PhD, 2010 AudiologyNOW! featured session chair, to select a speaker for the first live broadcast from in San Diego next spring. 
 
"Since 2005, the grant from The Oticon Foundation has allowed us to feature five first-rate presentations by leaders in the field of pediatric audiology," Cheryl Kreider Carey, CAE,  executive director and AAAF board member, said earlier. "I thank The Oticon Foundation for this most generous gift and applaud their visionary thinking that will ensure widespread dissemination of the cutting-edge information offered at the lecture each year.
 
The Oticon Foundation sponsors social and educational programs, publications, conferences, cultural activities, and campaigns for researchers, hearing-care professionals, and the general public.

[Source: AAAF]