UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – When Bob Hillman came to Penn State on an athletic scholarship for the men’s cross-country and track and field teams, he began studying English and journalism with plans to become a high school teacher.
Little did Hillman know that instead he would one day help preserve voices known around the world, from actress and singer Julie Andrews to vocalist Steven Tyler of Aerosmith.
Hillman started down that path as a sophomore when he enrolled in an introductory speech and hearing disorders course as an elective. With one course, Hillman was hooked. He decided he wanted to become a speech-language pathologist and selected communication sciences and disorders as a major.
Hillman, recipient of the 1974 Ernest B. McCoy Award as the outstanding senior scholar-athlete, received a bachelor’s degree in 1974 and master’s degree in 1975 at Penn State, which prepared him to qualify for certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
While earning his the master’s degree, Hillman conducted his thesis under the direction of Harvey Gilbert, which ignited his passion for research. That passion prompted Hillman to earn his doctoral degree at Purdue University and pursue a career devoted largely to research.
Since then, Hillman has been awarded more than 25 grants to support his research. The National Institutes of Health has granted him funding since 1984. His research has appeared in more than 140 publications, covering many basic areas associated with human voice production including the development of new ways to assess and treat voice disorders.
The impact includes helping to develop the first voice prosthesis for laryngectomy patients that can be controlled by electrical signals from neck muscles, and the first commercially available ambulatory voice monitoring and biofeedback system for diagnosing and treating common voice disorders.
“I feel very fortunate to have found a career that, after more than 30 years, I am still very passionate about,” Hillman said. “I get almost daily positive reinforcement and gratitude from the patients I see clinically, and deep satisfaction from doing research that has a clinical impact.”
Hillman is currently the co-director and research director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital. The group specializes in treating serious laryngeal diseases, such as cancer and papilloma, while preserving or restoring vocal function.
“The courage and positive attitude of many of these patients is truly inspiring, and it is extremely gratifying when we can not only effectively treat their disease but also maintain or improve their voices,” Hillman said.
Throughout Hillman’s career he has treated a diverse group of patients, including celebrities. Pressure increases when working with a patient whose livelihood is dependent upon his or her voice, Hillman said.
“Voice loss has a devastating impact on almost everyone who experiences it, so we always feel a great responsibility to help every patient we see,” he said. “There is added pressure anytime you are working with someone who depends on their voice to make a living, whether it’s a celebrity performer, or a trial lawyer, or teacher.”
Earlier this year, Penn State Board of Trustees selected Robert Hillman as one of eight Penn State alumni to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award, the University’s highest award for an individual. The honor recognizes his distinguished career in speech pathology and his contributions toward improving the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders.
Hillman is also professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and director of Research Programs and professor of communication disorders at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Additionally, he mentors doctoral students in the Boston area enrolled in various programs, including Harvard, MIT, and a rehabilitation sciences program Hillman developed at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.