About Us
The Bionic Ear Show is a fantastic interactive educational show which tells the story of sound as it travels through the ear to the brain, with the help of The World’s Largest Ear!!!
It raises awareness of the importance of hearing, how it can be damaged and what you can do to protect it. The show is fun and communicates simple messages that can make a real difference to everyone's lives. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To book the show call 020 7164 2294 or email bionicearshow@deafnessresearch.org.uk
"One of the best educational shows I've seen in years ... exemplary in content, visual presentation and delivery." Colin Johnson OBE,Vice-President (Young People's Programmes)The British Association for the Advancement of Science
Tobin May - Bionic Ear Show Presenter
Tobin May has been successfully presenting the show to a wide range of audiences throughout the UK since the pilot of the Bionic Ear Outreach Programme in 2007.
Tobin qualified as a science teacher in 1997, and taught for many years at Further Education Colleges throughout London. He moved from formal to informal education becoming an experienced scientific producer and presenter, eventually managing the Darwin Centre Live programme at the Natural History Museum. As a freelancer, Tobin has produced many events for clients such as the Science Museum and Excite-UK.
Andrew Goodwin - Outreach Advisor
Andrew Goodwin has been our Outreach Advisor since the beginning of 2010, assisting Tobin with the Bionic Ear Show project, delivering hearing screening, as well as offering support and advice for the UK population.
Andrew was born with a severe hearing loss, however at the age of 30, out of the blue, woke up one morning to find he was profoundly deaf. Andrew's determination to help others in similar situations, and to offer advice and support to anyone across the UK concerned about their hearing, led him into the charity sector. He has worked for numerous charities, as well as becoming Eastbourne Borough Councils Disability Champion between 2007 and 2010.
Laura Turner - Bionic Ear Show Co-ordinator
Laura Turner has been with Deafness Research UK and the Bionic Ear Show since August 2011 after graduating from the University of Brighton, achieving a First Class Honours in International Events Management. Laura’s personal motivation to work for Deafness Research UK stems from her nephew, who was born with 60% hearing loss.
Laura has previous worked in the charity sector, having volunteered as an Events Assistant for Macmillan Cancer Support between 2009 and 2010. Her hard work and compassion in this role saw her being awarded the ‘Community and Volunteering Award’ from Santander and the University of Brighton in 2010.
Creator
The Bionic Ear Show was originally created by Professor Matthew Holley, Professor of Sensory Physiology and Head of Biomedical Sciences at the Universityof Sheffield.
Matthew has been an expert panellist at Café Scientifique debates and given talks for the ‘National Science Week Lectures for Schools’ programme including Sounds Interesting and The Bionic Ear. In 2004, he gave the David Allen-Booth Memorial Lecture during National Science Week. He also gave a talk called One Way Ticket to Silence at the 2003 BA Festival of Science.
Scientific Advisor
Dr Bradford Brackus of the UCL Ear Institute
Current Sponsors
BUPA, the Big Lottery Fund and The Scottish Government 
Past Sponsors
Specsavers, The Wellcome Trust, The Scottish Government
Deafness Research UK
Deafness Research UK is the only national charity in the UK dedicated to finding cures for deafness and other conditions such as tinnitus.
There has never been a more exciting time for research. We are on the threshold of truly revolutionary developments in genetics, pharmacology, digital technology, and many other disciplines which, over the next decade, could dramatically improve the quality of life for millions of deaf and hard of hearing people in this country and around the world.
Scientists are now predicting that, within the next five to ten years they will be able to slow the advancement of the most common forms of deafness – age related hearing loss. Within the next ten to fifteen years there could even be a cure for deafness and Deafness Research UK is at the forefront of this work.
Our scientists are also identifying genes that cause deafness and counselling the families affected; making hearing aids and cochlear implants more effective; investigating the causes of childhood glue ear so that non-surgical treatments can be developed and much more besides.
If you are diagnosed with either a hearing loss or tinnitus, contact Deafness Research UK’s Advisory Service by calling our national freephone number 0808 808 2222 or email us at info@deafnessresearch.org.uk
