University of Melbourne Laureate Professorial Fellow and bionic ear pioneer Professor Graeme Clark has been awarded the 2006 Ian Wark Medal from the Australian Academy of Science.
Professor Clark’s lifetime work has culminated in the major discovery of multiple channel cochlear implants giving hearing to thousands of deaf people in over 120 countries.
Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Melbourne for 34 years, Professor Clark was one of the earliest inventors, investigators and implementers of cochlear implantation and the bionic ear.
The University of Melbourne appointed Graeme Clark one of its inaugural Laureate Professors in 1999, an honour reserved for the very best and most distinguished of its academic staff.
Professor Clark is also Founder and for 20 years has been the Director of the Bionic Ear Institute. He remains a Laureate Professorial Fellow at the University.
Professor Clark has received many accolades during his career including the Prime Minister’s Science Prize in 2004, Fellowship of the Royal Society, honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the University of Melbourne’s Sir William Upjohn Medal for medical research, and honorary doctorates from universities in Australia, Taiwan and Germany.
The Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science is an independent, non-profit organization of Australia’s leading research scientists, elected for their personal contributions to science, Fellows occupy senior positions in universities, CSIRO and industry. The Academy recognizes research excellence, advises government, organizes scientific conferences, publishes scientific books and journals, administers international exchange programs, fosters science education and promotes public awareness of science and technology.
The Ian Wark Medal and Lecture