Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center

Get Involved

Student Volunteering

Student volunteers on both the undergraduate and graduate levels are a valued part of our lab teams. Volunteering gives opportunities for hands-on experience to help develop skills and clarify areas of interest, as well as build relationships with research mentors.

VMBHRC does not have a formal program to set up volunteering opportunities. We encourage those who are interested to review Lab profiles and Affiliate profiles to find a potential match, and to contact principal investigators directly. An email with a quick summary of your background and interests and why that investigator’s lab seems a good match can lead to a one on one meeting to discuss options, and the process goes from there.

Study Participation

As a research subject, you can pay it forward…

 

Being a research subject, or having your child participate in research, might make you feel a bit nervous at first. If it’s a new experience, you won’t know what to expect. The research staff will explain everything that will happen, and there will be a lot of opportunities to ask questions. Before signing yourself or your child up to participate in a study, you’ll also want to make sure you understand the time commitment. Ask yourself if you and/or your family can dedicate not only the hours that the research staff will need you to do, but also the extra time and effort that transportation to and from the Center will require.

Be prepared to gain new friendships (with the staff), a little extra spending money (the more you go, the more you get), and learn a bit about hearing in different situations (like background noise), and the workings of your balance system. And don’t be surprised at how good it will feel knowing the difference it will make in improving the lives of those with communication, hearing, and disequilibrium problems.

For information on current research studies, please contact the coordinators below:

Each of these coordinators will be happy to tell you about what studies are available in their area of research, if you qualify to be a participant, and how to start. You won’t regret it.