Laurie S. Eisenberg, PhD

Dr. Eisenberg has had a productive and influential history of research in the audiology pediatric community specializing in the study of the efficacy of auditory sensory devices, such as cochlear implants (CIs), auditory brainstem implants (ABIs), and hearing aids in children with significant hearing loss. Notably, her research on CIs and ABIs has been pioneering studies in these fields. It is also noteworthy that Dr. Eisenberg’s multidisciplinary research program has been federally funded for over 25 years. In fact, her most recent CI and ABI investigations epitomize the ultimate goal of scientific research on practical problems in that they focus on translating laboratory research into clinical practice through the means of clinical trials.

Moreover, Dr. Eisenberg is the principal investigator on the largest, 18-year longitudinal, six-center prospective study of the outcomes in pediatric cochlear implant recipients entitled, “The Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI)” project. What makes her especially deserving of this career award is her ability to understand the multi-dimensional impacts of childhood deafness on the whole child, including not only their auditory and communicative skills, but also their social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development. Out of her productive career focusing on the rehabilitation of childhood deafness has come more than 100 publications in research journals, book chapters, and presentation proceedings from distinguished scientific and clinical meetings.

As the supporters of Dr. Eisenberg summarize in their letter of nomination, in the field of pediatric audiology, she has advanced our clinical knowledge/assessment skills, enhanced the adoption of best practices, and improved access to sound for many children with profound deafness. The Honors Committee wholeheartedly agrees that Dr. Laurie S. Eisenberg be recognized as the recipient of the 2018 Jerger Career Award for Research in Audiology based on her significant and ground-breaking contributions to furthering scientific and clinical research in the field of pediatric audiology and, particularly, for the study of cochlear implants in which her studies have ranged from the original single-channel devices to the more advanced multichannel systems of today.