This conference grant proposal seeks support for the Annual Scientific and Technology Meeting of the American Auditory Society, which is unique in the field of hearing and balance because of the focus on clinical/translational research. Support is requested to provide 1) Translational Research Lectures, 2) an Interdisciplinary Session addressing a new or controversial topic, 3) a lecture by a New Investigator 4) 20 competitively awarded Mentored Student Travel Awards for Student and Resident Posters, and 5) Career Development experts to lead workshop-type sessions. The Translational Research Lectures provide support to invite prominent scientists from related fields to present their research and interact with attendees. These lectures, often from basic scientists, have been stimulating and exciting and receive high ratings from the AAS participants. The Interdisciplinary Session provides a forum for discussion of a controversial topic in the field that is presented from different scientific viewpoints. The topics for all lectures chosen are based on member suggestions, so they are timely and of interest to the membership. Support for the New Investigator Lecture is requested to provide an inspirational talk aimed specifically towards graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and residents. This award acknowledges early excellence in the individual scientist and also serves to motivate aspiring scientists and clinicians. To foster scientific development among students and residents and invest in the future, we propose to support twenty (20) graduate students or otolaryngology residents with Mentored Student Travel Awards to present their research in the form of posters. This mechanism is designed to encourage promising students/residents to attend the meeting, become integrated with other clinical scientists, benefit from the stimulating lectures, and form collaborations. An innovative component of the meeting that is new with this submission is the plan for a series of two Career Development workshop sessions and activities. One session will focus on career development topics relevant to students and new researchers and the second will provide support for topics germane to established researchers. Topics will be chosen based on data from attendees at previous meetings. Throughout all aspects of the meeting, related to planning, speakers, awardees, and attendees, efforts will be made to achieve diverse representation. Abstracts and summaries of the information from the meetings will be distributed at the meeting and posted on the website. The outcome of the annual meeting will be judged by the participants through surveys and questionnaires, with special questionnaires for students and new scientists on how the society can support them. The information will be reviewed annually by the Executive Board, as well as the Program and Student and Mentoring Committees. Suggestions will drive content that will be incorporated into future meetings.

The annual meeting of the American Auditory Society focuses on translating basic research in humans in order to improve the lives of people with hearing and balance problems. Support from NIH will enhance clinical and translational research by promoting synergy among basic scientists, clinicians including physicians and audiologists, and those working in industry in the areas of hearing and balance disorders. Highly successful aspects of the meeting include translational and interdisciplinary research sessions that stimulate thinking, interaction among attendees and promote new research collaborations, travel awards for students/residents to present their research, and career development sessions that provide opportunities for all attendees to enhance their career paths.