Participate

General Interest

We have several research ongoing research projects at any time. Please review the list below and let us know if you are interested in any of the ongoing studies. Our projects typically require you to fill out questionnaires about your hearing or general health. They may also involve tests of your hearing. These tests are done using earphones that are similar to the ear buds used to listen to music or speak on the telephone. Our research projects are held in Evanston on the campus of Northwestern University. Although we often have projects with multiple centers around the country. Parking in Evanston is provided and each session lasts 2 to 3 hours at the longest.

If you or your child are interested in participating in a study please contact us at:

nuhearing@gmail.com or call (847) 467-0123.

Current Projects

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Aging of the Inner Ear

This project explores early signs of auditory aging that may be detectable using otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and other auditory tasks.

You could be eligible if:

• You are between 18-23, 30-39, or 50-59 years of age
• You have no known hearing loss or perceived difficulty hearing in either ear
• You do not have a history of middle ear infections, other ear disease, or ear surgery
• You do not have a history of noise exposure (e.g., shooting guns, working around loud machinery, or frequently being around loud music without hearing protection)
• You are able to travel to our laboratory on Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus

You could:

• Participate for 1-8 hours, in visits scheduled at your convenience (including evenings and weekends)
• Receive $20 per hour of participation
• Receive reimbursement for your local travel expenses
• Receive a hearing evaluation

This project has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (STU00000295) with Dr. Sumitrajit Dhar as the Principal Investigator.

If you are interested in participating in a study please contact Courtney Glavin at courtneyglavin@u.northwestern.edu.

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Characterization of DPOAE and ABR growth functions in normal hearing individuals

This project explores the relationship between sounds that your ears make (otoacoustic emissions; OAEs) and your brain’s response to sound (auditory brainstem response; ABR).

You could be eligible if:

• You are between 18-50 years of age
• You have no known hearing loss or perceived difficulty hearing in either ear
• You do not have a history of middle ear infections, ear diseases, or ear surgery
• You do not have a history of noise exposure (e.g., shooting guns, working around loud machinery, or frequently being around loud music without hearing protection)
• You are able to travel to our laboratory on Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus

You could:

• Participate for 1-2 hours, in visits scheduled at your convenience (including evenings and weekends)
• Receive $20 for participation in the study

This project has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (STU00217879) with Dr. Jason Sanchez as the Principal Investigator.

If you are interested in participating in this study please contact Maya Hecksel at mayahecksel2024@u.northwestern.edu

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Comparing Two DPOAE Recording Methods Intended to Detect Hearing Loss

This project will explore a new application of a diagnostic tool that can detect hearing loss with only a small probe placed inside of the ear.

You could be eligible if:

• You are between the ages of 18 and 59
• You perceive mild to moderate trouble hearing OR you do not perceive any trouble hearing

If eligible, you could:

• Participate for 1-2 hours, in visits scheduled at your convenience (including evenings and weekends)
• Receive $20 per hour of your time
• Learn more about your hearing

This project has been reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Northwestern University with Dr. Sumitrajit Dhar as Principal Investigator (STU00000295). This project is funded by Northwestern University.

If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact Kennedy Williams at kennedywilliams2023@u.northwestern.edu.

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Comparing Two DPOAE Level-Sweep Recording Methods

This project compares two level stimuli paradigms for DPOAE measurements, aiming to help improve this important hearing diagnostic tool.

You could be eligible if:

• You are between the ages of 18 and 59
• You are able to travel to our laboratory on Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus

If eligible, you could:

• Participate for 1-2 hours, in visits scheduled at your convenience (including evenings and weekends)
• Receive $20 per hour of participation
• Receive a hearing evaluation

This project has been reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Northwestern University with Dr. Sumitrajit Dhar as Principal Investigator (STU00000295). This project is funded by Northwestern University.

If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact Hannah Christensen at hannahchristensen2023@u.northwestern.edu.

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Patient-Centered Hearing Aid Trial

The goal of the Patient-Centered Hearing Aid Trial (P-CHAT) is to compare the benefits resulting from different ways of providing hearing aids to adults with hearing loss.

Try hearing aids in a multi-site hearing aid research study. You must: