Bio
Gerald R. Popelka obtained a neuroscience PhD degree from the University of Wisconsin followed by a two year post doctoral research fellowship in Otolaryngology at UCLA. Prior to this he earned a masters degree in Audiology from Kent State University. He was a full professor at Washington University in St. Louis when in 2004 he came to Stanford as a faculty member in Otolaryngology and as Chief of Audiology. As PI for his research lab in Otolaryngology he initiated and completed successful collaborative research projects among diverse academic divisions including Otolaryngology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Radiology, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. Popelka’s research covers both animal and human studies and has been funded continuously with grants from NIH and a wide variety of other agencies and philanthropic gifts.
Popelka is a co-inventor of the world’s first all digital hearing aid. The resulting patent forms the basis for virtually all hearing aids currently produced worldwide. In 2000, he conceived and lead the development of JARO, the peer-reviewed Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, now recognized as the premier, high impact international auditory scientific research journal.
With over 135 publications, including peer-reviewed research articles, review articles, two college textbooks and a book on hearing aid research, along with many research presentations and various achievement awards, he has an international reputation for creating and using leading-edge technology that addresses both basic science issues and clinical applications. He remains in the forefront of creating and developing innovative biomedical approaches focussed on several basic neuroscience issues. Currently his research is conducted in Radiology and is centered on understanding, creating and developing effective radiologic imaging related to non-invasive neuromodulation intervention using acoustic and transcranial focussed ultrasound signals for several chronic neurologic conditions including auditory disorders.
Popelka currently teaches in Radiology and Anatomy and has taught previously in Otolaryngology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Genetics. His other Stanford responsibilities include faculty affiliation with several multidisciplinary centers, institutes and initiatives. He also regularly supervises doctoral student dissertations in a variety of departments including Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Music.
Current Role at Stanford
Faculty Member, Stanford Center on Longevity, Advisory Council
Faculty Affiliate, Stanford Bio-X
Faculty Affiliate, Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences
Faculty Affiliate, Stanford Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Faculty Member, Stanford Balance Center (Co-Founder)
Faculty Member, Stanford Wearable Electronics Initiative, eWEAR
Faculty Member, Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging, AIMI
Faculty Member, Stanford PhD Dissertation Committees (5 total, 2 current)
Faculty Member, Stanford Undergraduate Advising (37 total, 2 current)
Personal Interests
I have an interest in optimizing scientific oral and poster presentations and writing, especially peer-reviewed research articles. I believe the proliferation of newer open access research journals, both legitimate and Illegitimate, is detrimental to the scientific method largely because the long term viability of the entities that operate these is unknown and the peer-review process has little oversight. One model I proposed is that scientific societies become the holder of the copyright and the monitor of the quality of the peer-review process. Under this model I conceived of and developed JARO, the peer-reviewed journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology that launched in 2000 and has since become the highest impact scientific journal in auditory neuroscience. Because of this history, I am interested in helping other societies consider this model.
I also have a decades long interest in environmental issues ranging from toxic exposures to the auditory system from recreational sound, occupational sound and pharmaceuticals, to more general issues including climate change and global warming. I routinely participate in governmental regulatory processes, political activism and focussed volunteer efforts.
