GM Research Head Meets Melbourne Scientists Who Helped Him to Hear

2008-08-11 -- Dr. Larry Burns, GM Vice President Research & Development and Strategic Planning, today (12 August) met with scientists at Melbourne’s Bionic Ear Institute to pay tribute to the innovators who helped him to hear again.

Dr. Burns, who is a cochlear implant user, met with Professor Graeme Clark, who led the team which invented the device, and Professor Rob Shepherd, Director of the Bionic Ear Institute.

Dr. Burns is the man behind GM’s worldwide ‘reinvention’ of the automobile around advanced propulsion, electronics, telematics, and materials technologies - including the Chevrolet Volt electric car.

Dr. Burns requested to meet Professor Clark and Professor Shepherd to pay tribute to the Australian innovators during his first visit to Australia in several years.

The pair invited Dr. Burns to meet them at the Institute’s labs in East Melbourne where they discussed how an Australian invention changed Dr. Burns’ life and the amazing spectrum of innovative research in Melbourne today.

The bionic ear was invented in Melbourne 30 years ago by Professor Clark and his team; as a young researcher Prof. Shepherd was part of that team.

Dr. Burns received his implant after suddenly losing his hearing more than 15 years ago.

Ten-year-old Sam McLarty, who also received his implant in Melbourne, was also at the lab to discuss his experience with Dr. Burns.

Source: GM Holden

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