Organization: Dalhousie University
Title: Dalhousie’s SCSD World Hearing Day Event
Al title (for format and translation – not permanent:
Dalhousie’s SCSD World Hearing Day event
Description:
On March 3, 2026, Dalhousie University’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders hosted a World Hearing Day event as part of the World Health Organization’s annual campaign to raise awareness of hearing health and care. The event was organized by MSc Audiology students Sophia Hibbert and Savanna Richard as part of a student-led project under the supervision of Dr. Olivier Valentin, Assistant Professor of Audiology.
The event aimed to promote hearing health while fostering interprofessional learning across the Faculty of Health. It engaged both members of the public and students from diverse disciplines by offering opportunities to learn about hearing loss, hearing aids, and environmental and lifestyle factors associated with hearing impairment. Given that audiology remains a relatively lesser-known health profession, increasing awareness of early detection, prevention, and intervention in hearing healthcare, as well as the role of audiologists in overall health and well-being, was a central objective.
The morning sessions featured presentations from Mr. Evan Mahaney, AuD (“Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Why Pediatric Hearing Care Deserves Everyone’s Attention”), Dr. Aaron Newman, PhD (“The Effects of Exposure to Sign Language in the Early Development of Deaf Children”), Dr. David P. Morris, ENT (“Cochlear Implantation in Children: Past Experiences, Present Practice, and Future Aspirations”), and Ms. Shae Chapman Doucet, SLP (“Building the Pathway for Language Access: Birth to School Age”).
In the afternoon, interactive booths offered hands-on learning opportunities related to hearing aids, hearing protection, provincial audiology services, and careers in audiology. Free hearing screenings were provided by audiology students under faculty supervision. Dalhousie’s American Sign Language Society also delivered a workshop introducing participants to American Sign Language and promoting inclusion and accessibility in healthcare.
Overall, over one hundred participants were welcomed and engaged during this inaugural event, which strengthened connections between the audiology program at Dalhousie University, the broader healthcare community, and the general public. The event also received media coverage from CTV News, part of one of Canada’s largest television networks, which aired a short interview and segment across the Atlantic provinces.
Primary site: AMR – Canada
Region: AMR
General Photos
“Cochlear Implantation in Children”, by Dr. David P. Morris
CTV News covered Dalhousie’s WHD event
Free hearing screenings were provided by audiology students
Informative booths were setup in the afternoon
Types of Engagement:
Live event: No
Screening: Yes
Traditional media: Yes
Social media: Yes
Special needs populations: persons with disabilities (including hearing loss), children and adolescents, older adults
Met with individual policymaker: No
Participation of policy makers: No
Participation of influencers: No
WHO technical tool used: No
WHO educational and social media used: Yes