The Department of Communicative Disorders enthusiastically announces the successful establishment of the Diane M. Bless Chair in Otolaryngology.
This endowed chair is established by the UW Division of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery with funds from the UW Voice and Swallow Program as well as generous donations from colleagues, friends and family members to honor Diane M. Bless, PhD, for her leadership and distinguished career in teaching, research and clinical practice.
During her 30-year career at the UW-Madison, Bless produced seminal work in the field of voice disorders.
Her translational research advanced the clinical practice of voice measurement and her dedication to mentoring and teaching contributed significantly to the success of the next generation of scientists in the field of voice and swallow.
Bless has profoundly influenced the disciplines of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Otolaryngology through her pioneering advances in laryngeal imaging, aerodynamic and acoustic measurement and interdisciplinary treatment of voice disorders.
In 2009, Bless was awarded the Frank Kleffner Lifetime Clinical Achievement Award by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
This chair will ensure that Blesss legacy of innovation and excellence in research, teaching and clinical care, for which she is internationally renowned, continues in perpetuity.