Academic and Professional Appointments

• Associate Professor, Department of Communication Science and Disorders, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine
• Director, Audiology and Hearing Aids, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Professional Certification and Licensure

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Certificate of Clinical Competence (00166819-02)
• Audiology/Pennsylvania (AT-000660-L)

Biographical Profile

Catherine Palmer is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders in the School or Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (since 1990) and has a joint appointment to the School of Medicine in the Department of Otolaryngology where she serves as the Director of Audiology for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Her research interests focus on quantifying deprivation, learning and adaptation in the adult hearing-impaired auditory system pre- and post-treatment. In addition, her clinical research focuses on matching technology to individual patient needs. Dr. Palmer teaches the graduate level amplification courses and the practice management course in addition to supervising four to five PhD students in her laboratory. Dr. Palmer has served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Audiology and served as the national convention director in 2005. She currently is the Editor-in-Chief of Seminars in Hearing.

Education

•  PhD, Northwestern University, 1991
• MA, Northwestern University, 1985
• BS, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1984
• BA, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1984

Awards and Honors

• 1st Editor's Award for the American Journal of Audiology 1993
• Dean's Distinguished Teaching Award School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences1999
• PA Academy of Audiology Don Konkle Award for Outstanding Service 2004
• PAO-HNS Citation for Distinguished Service 2006
• Larry Mauldin Award for Educational and Professional Excellence 2009

Academic Interests

• Auditory learning, adaptation, acclimatization following the introduction of amplification
• Matching technology to individual patient needs through evidence based practice
• Musicians’ hearing protection outreach
• Ethical issues in hearing health care

Recent Publications: Refereed Articles

• Palmer, C., Solodar, H., Hurley, W., Byrne, D., Williams, K. (2009). Relationship between self-perception of hearing ability and hearing aid purchase. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 20(6), 341-348.
• Palmer, C. Mormer, E., Ortmann, A., Byrne, D., Ye, Y., Keogh, L. (2008). Is it REAL? Research Evaluation for Audiology Literature, The Hearing Journal. 61(10), 17-28.
• Ruscetta, M., Palmer, C., Durrant, J., Grayhack, J., Ryan, C. (2007). The impact of listening with directional microphone technology on self-perceived localization disabilities and handicaps. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 18(9), 794-808.
• Palmer, C., Glattke, T. (2007). Efficacy of mandatory continuing education. Seminars in Hearing, 28(1), 46-54.
• Johnson, C., Danhauer, J., Dybala, P., Hanks, W., Meyer, D., Olek, M., Palmer, C., Wilson, M. (2007). Future perspectives in audiology continuing education. Seminars in Hearing, 28(1), 72-85.
• Hanks, W., Palmer, C., Johnson, C. (2007). Audiologists’ guide to selecting and providing continuing education. Seminars in Hearing, 28(1),36-45.

Recent Publications: Book Chapters and Other

• Palmer, C. (2007). Evidence based decision making in hearing instrument selection, fitting, and outcomes. Proceedings of Hearing Care for Adults: An International Conference. Phonak, Inc.
• Palmer, C. (2007). A brief history of hearing aids. New Zealand Audiological Society Journal, Auckland, New Zealand.
• Palmer, C. (2007). Hearing Protection of Young Musicians: Focusing on Life-Long Habits, Spectrum a publication of the National Hearing Conservation Association, 24(3), 1, 8-9.
• Palmer, C. (2007). An evidence-based approach to applying hearing instrument technology in pediatrics. Sound Foundations Through Early Amplification, Phonak, Inc., 121-126.
• Palmer, C., Lindley, G., Mormer, E. (2008). Hearing Aid Selection and Fitting in Adults. In Valente, M. (ed). Audiology Treatment, (second edition) Thieme Medical Publishers; NY:NY, 119-159.
• Seelman, K., Palmer, C., Ortmann, A., Mormer, E., Guthrie, O., Miele, J., Brabyn, J. (2008). Quality of life technology for vision and hearing loss. Special Issue: Quality of Life Technology. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 27(2), 40-55.
• Mueller, H.G., Palmer, C., Bentler, R., Sweetow, R., Valente, M., Ricketts, T. (2009). A candid round table discussion on open-canal hearing aid fittings, The Hearing Journal, 62(4), 19-26.
• Palmer, C. (2009). Time to be smarter about accreditation. Audiology Today, 12(3), 71.
• Palmer, C. (2009). Contemporary Review of Amplification Technology. The Laryngoscope, 119(11), 2195-2204.
• Palmer, C. (2009). Best Practice: It’s a matter of ethics. Audiology Today, Sept/Oct 2009, 31-35.
• Palmer, C. (2010). Hearing Health for Young Musicians. Hearing Loss Magazine, Jan/Feb 2010, 13-15.

Key Publications:

• Durrant, J., Palmer, C., Lunner, T. (2005). Analysis of counted behaviors in a single-subject design: modeling of hearing-aid intervention in hearing-impaired patients with Alzheimer Disease. International Journal of Audiology, 44, 31-38.
• Taubman, L., Palmer, C., Durrant, J., Pratt, S. (1999). Accuracy of hearing aid use time as reported by experienced hearing aid wearers. Ear and Hearing, 20, 299-305.
• Palmer, C., Adams, S., Bourgeois, M., Durrant, J., Rossi, M. (1999). Reduction in caregiver identified problem behaviors in patients with Alzheimer Disease post hearing aid fitting. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 42, 312-328.
• Palmer, C., Nelson, C., Lindley, G. (1998). The functionally and physiologically plastic adult auditory system, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 103(4), 1705-1721.
• Palmer, C. (1998). Quantification of the ecobehavioral impact of a soundfield system in elementary classrooms. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 41, 819-833.
• Palmer, C., Adams, S., Durrant, J., Bourgeois, M., Rossi, M. (1998). Managing hearing loss in a patient with Alzheimer disease. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 9, 275-284.

Courses Recently Taught

• 2009-1 COMMCD2047 3 G Amplification I 10
• 2009-1 COMMCD2654 3 G Practice Management 15
• 2009-1 COMMCD2971 1 G Research Practicum 3
• 2009-1 COMMCD2902 3 G Directed Study 1
• 2009-1 COMMCD2600 1 G Medical Rotation 4
• 2009-1 COMMCD3000 1 G Dissertation Research 1
• 2009-1 COMMCD2972 1 G Examination 1
• 2009-1 COMMCD2990 1 G Independent Study 1
• 2009-2 COMMCD2971 1 G Research Practicum 5
• 2009-2 COMMCD2990 1 G Independent Study 1
• 2009-2 COMMCD3000 1 G Dissertation Research 1
• 2009-2 COMMCD2902 3 G Directed Study 1
• 2009-3 COMMCD2971 1 G Research Practicum 3
• 2010-1 COMMCD3000 1 G Dissertation Research 1
• 2010-1 COMMCD2047 3 G Amplification I 6
• 2010-1 COMMCD2454 3 G Amplification II 24
• 2010-1 COMMCD2971 1 G Research Practicum 4
• 2010-1 COMMCD2600 1 G Medical Rotation 11

Externally Funded Projects

• Binaural loudness summation PI, 10% 2008- Lions Foundation 2009 $5,000
• Trainable Hearing Aids PI, 10% 2010 $33,000, Siemens, Inc.

Service

• Consultant to NIH/NIDCD grant entitled “Early childhood longitudinal study – Kindergarten Class of 2010/11 (ECLS-K: 2010/11)
• Chair, AAA Sub-Committee on China, 2010 – present
• Member, International Committee, AAA, 2010- present
• Advisory Board Member, Paediatric Audiology Congress, DuBai, United Arab Emirates, Sponsored by Widex, Inc. (May, 2010).
• Co-chair, Teaching Conference (Practice Management), University of Pittsburgh (June, 2009)
• Co-chair, Teaching conference (Managing hearing loss), University of Pittsburgh (June, 2007)
•  Advisory Board Member, The Hearing Center, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, University of  Pittsburgh School of Medicine (2005-present)
• Advisory Board Member, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Hearing Enhancement(RERC-HE), Gallaudet University, Washington, DC (2004-present)
• Steering Committee Member, Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE), Washington, DC (2003-present)
• Board Member, DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, Pittsburgh, PA (2001-present)
• University IRB Committee Member (section B) (2002-present)
• Chair of SHRS Council on Professional Entry Level Education (1998-present)