STEM Café: A Recipe for Hearing and Balance Health

We often assume that hearing loss, loss of balance and resulting falls are inevitable as we age. However, hearing and balance are affected by external factors such as diet, medication, exercise and noise exposure. Do you know you can even make your summer BBQs healthier for hearing and balance? Join us to learn about healthy practices to protect hearing and balance all year round. We’ll learn about the hearing and balance systems of the inner ear (the cochlea and the vestibular system), discuss factors that can affect both systems, and find out when to follow up with a physician or audiologist. Gain the knowledge you need to spot the signs of declining hearing or balance — and know what to do about it.

About the speakers:

Blythe Kitner received her doctorate of audiology in 2009 from Rush University, Chicago, Illinois. Prior to earning her doctorate in audiology, she worked and published in the field of pharmacology and genetics. She has worked in a variety of audiology settings including National Institutes of Health, VA and children’s hospitals, private practice and education. Currently, she is a clinical associate professor at Northern Illinois University where she teaches, sees patients, completes research on balance and does outreach. Her specialty is balance and rehabilitation for balance disorders.

Emily Kopperund is a third-year graduate student pursuing her doctorate of audiology. She’s currently on rotation at the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic evaluating and treating balance and vestibular issues.

Northern Illinois University STEM Cafés are part of NIU STEAM and are designed to increase public awareness of the critical role that STEM fields play in our everyday lives. They are offered in partnership with the NIU Alumni Association and made possible with support from Bayer Fund.