Steve Otto, M.A.

Already successful as an on-air radio broadcaster when he was a teenager, Steve Otto was pursuing a degree in journalism, which involved courses in communications, when he became fascinated by the impact that hearing loss can have on speech and language. He received his bachelor degree in communication science at Grinnell College, Iowa, in 1971 and completed his master’s degree in audiology in 1975. He was one dissertation short of his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa, when he was hired as clinical associate in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology and a clinical audiologist in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Iowa Hospital. “It was a dream job. During my time there I developed my clinical audiology skills and counseling skills. I learned to keep things very simple and direct, so that words aren’t misconstrued,” he stated.

After ten years at the hospital, Steve embarked on a one year sabbatical as a cochlear implant clinical specialist for Cochlear Corporation, in Sydney, Australia. Upon his return to the United States, he joined the House Ear Institute as a research audiologist. In 1989 he became chief audiologist and coordinator for HEI’s auditory brainstem implant (ABI) project. “Being asked to become head audiologist for the ABI program at HEI, and helping the ABI to receive FDA approval are two real highlights of my career. The ABI is a marvelous biomedical device that helps restore hearing and changes people’s lives – really, the first brain implant to partially restore a human sense.”

Steve is especially proud of the major role he has played in the lives of ABI patients. Through fitting and programming their ABIs, he was able to help two deaf 3-year-olds learn to hear and talk. One of these children even sings along with his church congregation now. Several deaf young people are able to excel in high school and college classrooms for regular hearing students due to Steve’s ABI work with them, while hundreds of adults are able to hear their family member’s voices again and lead more productive lives.

Steve has worked at House Institute for more than 20 years. “Why have I stayed here this long? Because I get to do what I love! My job at HEI allows me to collaborate with the gifted and talented medical research teams at HEI and HC, even contribute to published research, educational articles and textbooks. It also gives me the chance to combine a lot of my interests – such as observing how people think, react, and deal with problems. I like working with people as well as scientific work, applying new technology and electronics to solve hearing problems.”