Professor Harvey Dillon AO honoured with Hearing Australia Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to Professor Harvey Dillon AO, recipient of the 2026 Hearing Australia Lifetime Achievement Award.
This annual Award recognises a person in the hearing sector who has made a significant and sustained contribution to improving the hearing health of Australians.
Professor Dillon has dedicated more than 40 years to advancing hearing healthcare and improving the lives of people with hearing loss. After joining the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) in 1979, he spent 39 years with the organisation, including 17 years as Director.
Reflecting on his career Professor Dillon said, “Within nine months of joining NAL, I knew it was where I wanted to be for my whole career. It gave me an opportunity to do research that actually changed things.
“Throughout my career, I have been lucky enough to do research that is both what I thought was most needed and what I found really interesting. It’s easy to work hard when you enjoy what you are doing. Seeing the results get used at the end of the research just adds to the personal satisfaction.”
Hearing Australia Chair Elizabeth Crouch AM described Professor Dillon as “a truly remarkable individual whose contribution to hearing health has transformed lives in Australia and around the world.”
The award recognises Professor Dillon’s significant contributions to hearing science, technology and rehabilitation. His research has helped shape the way hearing loss is assessed and managed globally. He has authored more than 300 scientific publications, and his textbook on hearing aids has educated hearing care professionals for more than 20 years.
Professor Dillon says receiving the Award from Hearing Australia, where he spent much of his career, is incredibly meaningful. “I worked for Hearing Australia for so long, including through three name changes. This Award, the organisation, and of course its people, mean a lot to me. At the award night, I really felt I meant something to them too.”
Today, Professor Dillon continues to advance hearing health research as a Professor at Macquarie University. His current work focuses on auditory processing disorders and other causes of listening difficulties, helping to improve outcomes for people who experience hearing challenges. He adds, “I hope my lifetime achievement award does not sound like research has stopped for me. I know it will, some time, but not yet.”
