The NHCA Narrative: The David (DJ) Audet, Au.D. Story

By: David Audet, NHCA Student Member

My interest in hearing conservation began in 2015, during my undergraduate studies in Communication Disorders at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. At the time, I was studying abroad in England, trying to make a decision whether to pursue a future in Audiology or Speech Pathology. One of my classes prompted me to begin listening to the world around me, which is when I first realized that I couldn’t escape the sound of traffic from a nearby highway. I then began reading book after book about peoples’ search for silence, most ending up in monasteries or anechoic chambers. Seeing the natural interest I had in hearing and acoustics, I pursued and completed a Doctorate of Audiology at the University of Washington (UW), taking every opportunity to work in hearing conservation clinics or at the nearby Army post. #en, after completing my Capstone project with Dr. Andrew D. Brown, characterizing the impact of an Army hearing protector on localization abilities, I decided to stay in Washington to pursue a Ph.D.

Now, I am a 2nd year Ph.D. student at UW, working with Dr. Brown on spatial hearing and the plasticity of auditory localization. Looking ahead, I hope to move abroad and work with an institution to continue teaching and doing research. NHCA has been a part of my journey thus far as a collection of people who all share my aim to reduce the impact of noise on listeners. At the most recent NHCA conference, I really appreciated the variety of research presented. I was also able to present my work and receive valuable feedback, even though the conference was virtual. Sometimes, hearing conservation can feel like a niche interest, which is exactly why I value being involved with the NHCA.