The American Academy of Audiology's Academy Research Conference (ARC) 2014, 2015, and 2016, will be the sixth, seventh and eighth meetings of a now annual one-day translational research conference which was launched in 2009. The conferences are equally designed for audiologists who wish to gain a better understanding of the latest research in areas of critical need and positively impact the care of their patients;as well as scientists who want a deeper knowledge and understanding of the latest findings in these translational areas of study. Post-doctoral fellows and doctoral students in audiology and the hearing sciences will also have the opportunity to join these thought-provoking discussions, with some competitively selected to make poster presentations as a means of encouraging our emerging scientists. In keeping with the mission of ARC to make research available to practitioners, the conferences are held each year on the opening day of AudiologyNOW! (R), the American Academy of Audiology's annual convention and exposition, which draws an attendance of over 7,000 audiologists, scientists, doctoral students, and representatives from a wide variety of industries, organizations and other agencies of interest to the profession of audiology. ARC 2014 will convene on March 26th, 2014, in Orlando, Florida with a program on """"""""Hearing Aids and the Brain"""""""". Hearing aids and the brain well represents the ARC's
. Hearing loss is estimated to affect 36 million adults and 2 to 3 out of every 1000 children in the United States alone (NIDCD, 2010). The relationship between hearing aids and the brain has significant clinical implications with respect to the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with hearing impairment in both the pediatric and adult populations. This can have far-reaching consequences on health and significantly impact quality of life. Much of the information which will be presented would not otherwise be obtained through traditional educational avenues due to the translational and clinically relevant nature of the presentations. ARC 2015 and 2016 will continue the translational focus of this conference series. ARC 2015 will offer a program on Vestibular Assessment and Rehabilitation and will be held March 25th, 2015, in San Antonio, Texas. ARC 2016 will be on the topic of Auditory Processing in Children and Adults and will be held April 13th, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. Each of these conferences will seek to engage audiologists and scientists in presentations and discussions to more critically understand clinically relevant research. These conferences reflect the American Academy of Audiology's commitment to fostering the accessibility and transparency of research, as well as the translation of the latest data into clinical practice in audiology. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The American Academy of Audiology's Academy Research Conferences (ARC) are intended to bridge the gap between clinical practice and academic research by engaging both audiologists and scientists in translational presentations and discussions on clinically significant research. The ARC 2014 program on Hearing Aids and the Brain well represents the ARC's public health relevance as it will address a condition which affects millions of Americans. Historically, emphasis has been placed on the interaction between amplification and its impact on the periphery;however, research supports the important role that the brain and cognition plays with respect to hearing aids. Given the personal, medical and economic toll that hearing loss has on both individuals, their families and society, this makes the clinical implications of the latest research in this area that much more significant for the management of hearing loss through the use of hearing aids. The ARC 2015 program on Vestibular Assessment and Rehabilitation and ARC 2016 program on Auditory Processing in Children and Adults will also address critical public health areas for patients with vestibular an auditory disorders.
