Audiologist Wins ISA Scholarship for Researching Children with Listening Difficulties

Dr Alisha Isaac Gudkar won the prestigious International Society of Audiology (ISA) Student Scholarship for her PhD research into children with listening difficulties and their links to auditory processing, speech, language and cognitive challenges at the 36th World Congress of Audiology in Paris, France.

The Audiology Australia (AudA) Accredited Audiologist was presented the award alongside 5 other recipients from a competitive international pool of applicants.

Well into her third year of a prestigious joint program, her research investigates children aged 6-12 who have difficulties with their auditory processing, cognition, speech identification and language ability, and its contribution to their listening difficulties, which affect their academic and social performance.

The research is being conducted through The University of Melbourne and The University of Manchester.

It was the first time that her PhD research was submitted to an awarding body.

“It feels like not just a win for me, but for the children I’m advocating for,” says Alisha.

“I hope that we can find ways to ensure these children get the support they need to thrive in school and in future academic environments.”

Alisha in Paris

The US$1,500 scholarship not only recognised Alisha’s research but awarded her the chance to meet prominent international audiology leaders at the conference venue and the gala dinner at Paradis Latin, the city’s oldest cabaret.

“My favourite part of the trip was definitely getting the chance to network with famous researchers whose articles I’d been reading,” says Alisha.

One of the plenary sessions Alisha attended was on hearing and neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings aligned strongly with her own research, emphasising the importance of the work for research and clinical advancements.

“They discussed comorbidities that my research was looking at, including the connection between dyslexia and auditory processing, focusing on gap detection and dichotic listening abilities,” says Alisha.

Alisha was also given the opportunity to present her own research findings in both an e-poster format and a 3-minute presentation.

The chance to engage the crowd again provided a platform for Alisha to present herself as an emerging leader in the field of audiology.

“Condensing my work was an interesting exercise, but seeing the audience’s genuine interest and appreciative faces was incredibly rewarding” Alisha says.

Alisha presents her research poster in Paris.

Shaping the Future of Audiology

While the congress was a wonderful opportunity for Alisha, her own focus and appreciation remains on the children she sees in the Melbourne Hearing Care Clinic.

After each session, Alisha writes a detailed report containing a summary of her clinical tests to the parents and guardians of the children. Recommendations for the child’s further auditory or audiological treatment are also included.

“Some of these parents are struggling to figure out how to help their kids. They’re always very appreciative of my advice,” says Alisha.

The positive experiences have resulted in Alisha building strong word of mouth around her program, allowing her to see 69 research participants. By her PhD’s 2025 completion date, that number is expected to increase to well over 100.

At the same time, Alisha’s program opened the door for her to work as a clinical tutor and supervisor at The University of Melbourne’s Master of Clinical Audiology program, where she is helping shape the next generation of audiologists.

“Audiology is such a diverse field. I’m loving every moment of it,” she says.

“What warms my heart is knowing I’m making a difference in people’s lives. That could be improving their communication or enhancing their overall quality of life or academic achievement.”

Alisha would like to thank The University of Melbourne’s Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology and her PhD supervisory team for supporting her research efforts.

Audiology Terms

• Gap detection: A hearing test that detects whether clients can identify two rapid, successive sounds as separate. This helps to identify clients with temporal processing difficulties, often associated with Auditory Processing Disorder.
• Dichotic digits: A hearing test to determine cognitive processing difficulties by presenting pairs of numbers (1-10, excluding 7) at the same time, one in each headphone. The clients must identify the numbers heard in both ears.