Guoping  Li PhD in Cochlear Implants2008

Hi, I'm Guoping Li and I studied PhD in Cochlear Implants within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.

Thanks to my postgraduate research at the University of Southampton’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR), I now work as an audiologist helping people with profound hearing problems to hear better through cochlear implants.

Thanks to my postgraduate research at the University of Southampton’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR), I now work as an audiologist helping people with profound hearing problems to hear better through cochlear implants.

I took my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at university in Beijing, then won a scholarship to study a master’s degree in Medical Science at Louvain in Belgium. I heard about the work underway at Southampton by Professor Mark Lutman and his team and was fortunate enough to win a place to study for a PhD in the field of cochlear implants. After I graduated, I stayed on to do postdoctoral research and now have a job in the department.

I enjoy working with my colleagues in the South of England Cochlear Implant Centre to conduct research based on evidence from clinical practice. It is extremely rewarding to help them to hear again and see them get their confidence back. I am now working towards registered clinical scientist qualifications.

The future of audiology research is very exciting. We are working on more sophisticated implants that will need fewer interventions for adjustment. Hearing conversations over the telephone and in noisy environments is still very challenging for cochlear implant patients. We are conducting research which may help.

We are also now planning to take Southampton’s expertise in cochlear implants to China. We already have joint projects in education and research with our Chinese partners to help people with hearing problems. One of the most interesting involves a telephone hearing test where people can find out if they have problems by just making a phone call.