Mary Kate Martin (Photo by Erik Campos/UTK)
Second-year Audiology student Mary Kate Martin of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), is one of 21 recipients of the American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance’s Student Scholarship. She will be attending the organization’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., to accept the award.
Martin will have the opportunity to present her research at the conference. While there, she will also meet will also meet with other cochlear implant professionals. The scholarship covers her registration fee to attend the conference, ACI membership, and also includes a stipend to assist with educational and travel expenses.
“I am excited to delve deeper into the cochlear implant world and learn more about current research areas,” she said. “My hope is that the knowledge that I gain from attending this conference will strengthen my clinical knowledge on cochlear implants.”
“The faculty in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology could not be more proud of Mary Kate,” said Ashley Harkrider, PhD, UTAA Distinguished Service Professor and chair of the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology in the College of Health Professions at UTHSC. “Her efforts to determine how young children learn novel words has implications for typically-developing language learners as well as for those individuals with communication disorders. We are excited to see the impact her data will make on the field of audiology and speech pathology.”
According to their official press announcement, the ACI Alliance Student Scholarship is intended to encourage continued involvement in the field of cochlear implantation. The opportunity to receive the scholarship is open to full time students, fellows and postdoctoral scholars who have a clinical or research interest in cochlear implants. Twenty-one applicants were selected and awards were given to individuals from audiology, speech pathology, otolaryngology, and engineering. The group represents universities from around the country.