In the second part of our SUSSED series, we focus on Dr Nicci Campbell, Associate Professor/Principal Audiological Scientist in the Auditory Implant Service, an Enterprise unit within the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, who has earned a place on the shortlist for her innovative approach to higher education.
Dr Nicci Campbell has developed an unrivalled reputation for excellence for her education in the area of auditory implantation at Southampton, which enhances, and is enhanced by, her clinical patient care commitments.
The Auditory Implant Service at Southampton (USAIS) provides clinical care for those requiring cochlear implantation and other types of auditory implantation, along with specialised hearing services. This is the only service of its kind in the UK to be based within a university. Dr Campbell has capitalised on this unique location and USAIS’s reputation for excellence to develop unique student training opportunities, which have significantly enhanced the educational experience of audiology graduates nationally and internationally.
As Academic Coordinator at USAIS (a role created by the University following her vision 12 years ago) Dr Campbell has forged a win-win collaboration with the Audiology Department, within the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research. This collaboration offers students real world experience through direct patient observation and interaction opportunities. USAIS staff members are directly involved in Audiology teaching and bring a wealth of multi-disciplinary clinical expertise.
Dr Campbell is the coordinator of the MSc Audiology module Fundamentals of Auditory Implantation. It is unique in the UK as it is a postgraduate module dedicated exclusively to this area, and is consistently rated as ‘excellent’ by students. Two staff members, who themselves are cochlear implant users, present some of the lectures. This realigns the students’ understanding of the traditional roles of ‘clinician’ versus ‘patient’. The students see a ‘live’ tuning session with an USAIS cochlear implant patient, projected onto the ‘big screen’. This interaction is an invaluable learning experience for students. Equally, it is empowering for our patients who play an active role in the training of the next generation of audiologists. Dr Campbell also teaches on a number of modules, including a brand new e-learning course in China (CUAE-China UK Audiology Education) and the very popular Engineering Replacement Body Parts interdisciplinary module.
Dr Campbell has set up the competitive 12-week clinical placement programme at USAIS. These placements offer audiologists intensive specialist training in cochlear implants, as part of our multi-disciplinary team. Her trainees have excelled and gone on to set up and develop cochlear implant services around the world as well as securing substantive clinical and research positions, both nationally and internationally. Countries that have benefitted from this expertise include Singapore, Saudi Arabia, China, Canada, Netherlands and Belgium.
In addition to her leadership in the above areas of education, Dr Campbell is the team lead for the USAIS Self-funded cochlear implant service and has also set up and managed the first interdisciplinary auditory processing disorder service in the UK.
Dr Campbell said:
“Cochlear implants have completely transformed the lives of those with severe and profound hearing loss over the past 35 years. I have been fortunate to be part of this journey from the very beginning. I am passionate about teaching and am delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious award!
It is tremendously rewarding to ignite the same passion for learning and love for the field of audiology/cochlear implants in our students. It is humbling to see how the great work done at USAIS impacts nationally and internationally, improving the lives of those with severe and profound hearing loss.”
This year’s Times Higher Education Awards will be announced on Thursday 30 November at a gala dinner in London.
Look out for the next SUSSED post on Professor Jelena Grbic, Professor of Mathematics within Mathematical Sciences, who has been shortlisted for Outstanding Research Supervisor.
