Hough Ear Institute

🧪 Tomorrow is the day!

We are so excited to welcome students to Hough Science Camp, presented by Hough Ear Institute and OSU-OKC!

Students will spend the day exploring hands-on STEAM activities, asking questions, testing ideas, and discovering what’s possible through science, creativity, and curiosity.

This camp is about more than one day of learning—it’s about helping inspire Oklahoma’s next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and future leaders.

We can’t wait to see curiosity come to life tomorrow at OSU-OKC! 💙

Sponsored by: The Chickasaw Nation, E.L. and Thelma Ga***rd Foundation, Expand Energy, Jasco Giving Hope Foundation, Tyler Media, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Love's Travel Stops, Modular Services Company, and Oklahoma City Community Foundation!

🧪 Hough Science Camp is just TWO days away!

So… what’s going on at Hough Science Camp?

A lot.

Students will step into hands-on STEAM experiences at OSU-OKC, including:

🧬 DNA extraction
⚡ Electrical circuits
👂 Real otoscopy and hearing tests
🧪 Making CO₂ with chemistry
🧠 Synthetic cadavers and biology
🔎 CSI and fingerprinting experiments
🎨 Plus a touch of art throughout the day

This camp is all about helping Oklahoma students explore, create, test, discover, and imagine what’s possible.

We can’t wait to see curiosity come to life.

Sponsored by: The Chickasaw Nation, E.L. and Thelma Ga***rd Foundation, Expand Energy, Jasco Giving Hope Foundation, Tyler Media, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Love's Travel Stops, Modular Services Company, and Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

🧠 World Brain Tumor Day

Today, we recognize the individuals and families affected by brain tumors—and the courage it takes to navigate the uncertainty, fear, and life changes that can come with them.

For some, brain tumors are also closely tied to hearing health. Neurofibromatosis Type 2, often called NF2, is a rare genetic condition that can cause tumors to develop on the nerves involved in hearing and balance. These tumors can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus, balance challenges, and other serious complications.

This connection is deeply personal to Hough Ear Institute board member Sharina Perry, whose nephew was diagnosed with NF2 at a young age. The tumors he developed greatly affected his hearing, giving Sharina and her family a firsthand understanding of how deeply hearing loss can impact daily life, communication, and connection.

Stories like his remind us why awareness matters—and why continued research, education, and support are so important for families facing complex hearing health challenges.

Today, we stand with those affected by brain tumors, NF2, and hearing loss.

Today marks 82 years since D-Day, when Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in one of the most consequential moments of World War II.

We remember the courage, sacrifice, and service of all who fought—and especially those who never came home.

For many who have served, the sounds of military service do not end when the mission does. Gunfire, aircraft, heavy machinery, and explosions can leave lasting effects on hearing. The VA notes that high-intensity noise exposure during military service can contribute to both hearing loss and tinnitus.

At Hough Ear Institute, we honor our veterans not only by remembering their service, but by recognizing the lasting impact it can have on their lives.

Today, we remember. We honor. We are grateful.

We’re grateful to share that Hough Ear Institute has received a research grant from the American Hearing Research Foundation to support a new project focused on chronic tinnitus.

Tinnitus can sometimes develop after noise exposure—even when hearing seems relatively normal. Our researchers are studying how this may be connected to changes in the inner ear’s “feedback system,” where the brain sends signals back to the ear to help regulate hearing sensitivity.

In early lab models, our team has found that chronic tinnitus may be linked to damage in nerve endings involved in this feedback process. This new project will allow our researchers to study that connection more closely and evaluate whether a small molecule treatment can help modify the outcome in preclinical models.

This work is still in the research stage, but it represents an important step toward better understanding tinnitus—and pursuing future ways to help those who live with it.

🧠💙 June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month

At Hough Ear Institute, we believe hearing health is part of whole-person health—including brain health.

Research continues to show important connections between hearing loss, communication, social connection, and cognitive well-being. While there is still much to learn, hearing loss is recognized as one of several modifiable risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

That’s why our researchers are working to better understand the connection between the ear and the brain—so we can help advance knowledge, raise awareness, and support healthier lives.

This month, we join others in recognizing the importance of brain health, research, and hope for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

👂 National Save Your Hearing Day

Some of life’s best moments are loud—concerts, sporting events, fireworks, lawn equipment, busy workplaces, and cheering on your favorite team.

But repeated exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage over time.

The good news? Noise-induced hearing loss is often preventable.

A few simple steps can help protect your hearing:
• Wear earplugs or hearing protection in loud environments
• Turn down the volume when using earbuds or headphones
• Take breaks from noisy spaces when you can
• Pay attention if you have to raise your voice to be heard

At Hough Ear Institute, we believe hearing connects us to the people and moments that matter most. Today is a great reminder to protect it.

“...sometimes God leads you to do things that you didn’t think you wanted to do... If you respond to what you’re directed to, it turns out to be something better than what you had planned.”

Did you know Dr. Jack Hough never planned to become an ear surgeon?

He originally hoped to become a general surgeon or neurosurgeon. In fact, he once said the ear was the part of the head and neck he was least interested in.

But through the guidance of mentors, a desire to serve unmet needs, and a willingness to follow where he was led, Dr. Hough stepped into a field that would become his life’s work.

He went on to pioneer microscopic middle ear procedures, help advance the cochlear implant, and develop surgical techniques that helped restore hearing for innumerable people around the world.

We are deeply grateful that Dr. Hough followed a path he never expected—one that changed lives then, and continues to shape our mission today.

🧠💙 As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, we’re highlighting an often-overlooked connection: hearing, communication, and mental well-being.

When someone cannot hear clearly, conversations can become exhausting. Over time, it may become easier to withdraw from family gatherings, community events, church, work, and everyday moments of connection.

That matters. The CDC reports that about 1 in 3 U.S. adults feel lonely, and loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, dementia, and other serious health concerns.

Through HoughAid, we provide free hearing aids to low-income adults across Oklahoma—helping people reconnect with family, coworkers, friends, and community.

Because hearing is about more than sound. It’s about connection. 👂💙

Today, we pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

For Hough Ear Institute, Memorial Day carries a deeply personal meaning through the story of our founder, Lt. Dr. Jack Hough, who served as a field medic during World War II at Iwo Jima. In the midst of unimaginable danger, he tended to the wounded at great risk to his own life—an act of courage for which he received the Bronze Star.

Today, we honor not only Dr. Hough’s service, but especially those he could not save. We remember the lives lost on Iwo Jima, and all who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

May we carry their memory with humility, gratitude, and reverence.