UCL Ear Institute

Academic Background

• Award Year
  Qualification
   
  Institution
• 2003
  PhD
  Doctor of Philosophy
  University College London
• 1990
  BSc Hons
  Bachelor of Science (Honours)
  University College London

Biography

I started my research career in the Department of Phonetics and Linguistics at UCL. I became interested in Cochlear Implants while I was working in the UCL Bioglass Extra-Cochlear Implant team which worked closely alongside the UCL Cochlear Implant team led by Graham Fraser; these were very exciting and innovative times in the field of cochlear implants.  During this time I completed my Doctoral work under the supervision of Dr Andrew Faulkner, looking at the perception of fricatives for severe-to-profoundly hearing impaired adults.

Following on from this I spent eight years working in the Hearing Lab at the University of Cambridge, led by Professor Brian Moore. It was a fantastic opportunity to explore the psychophysics of normal hearing and apply this to hearing impairment.  My particular interests were in cochlear dead regions and simulations of hearing impairment in the normally-hearing ears of unilaterally-deafened adults. 

For seven years I worked as European Clinical Studies Manager for Advanced Bionics, which developed my skills for conducting clinical research studies and understanding research governance.

I was eager to return to the research laboratory and the Ear Institute is the perfect place for cross modality research due to the spread of expertise in many areas of auditory research and with its hospital-based location makes it unsurpassable for clinical research.