Ed Walsh is a neuroscientist whose work centers on questions related to how the brain encodes sound information, the exploration of developmental and molecular processes associated with auditory function and dysfunction, and pathological consequences of noise over-exposure and genetic mutations on sensory and neural information processing. His most recent biomedical research focus is on the development of a non-human animal model of blast-elicited traumatic brain injury (TBI) that will serve as a platform for the development of TBI treatment protocols.
Ed received his Bachelor of Science degree from the Western Illinois University, his Master of Science degree from the University of Illinois (Springfield), and his Doctor of Philosophy degree was earned at Creighton University.
He was the director of the Developmental Auditory Physiology Lab at the Boys Town National Research Hospital for nearly 30 years and was affiliated with Creighton University Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Dept. of Otolaryngology, and the University of Nebraska Lincoln in the Dept. of Special Education and Communication Disorders. Ed has contributed to the medical education program at Creighton’s Medical School and taught in a number of courses including Medical Physiology, Neurobiology, and Auditory Neuroscience. He has over 80 scientific publications and book chapters, numerous magazine articles and lay-language papers, and well over 190 abstracts in scientific journals.
Ed is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and is also affiliated with the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities in the Center for Translational and Applied Sensory Science and the Dept. of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. He has been an Investigator on numerous grants from agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense.
In addition to ongoing biomedical research, conservation research is a second scientific area of interest where he has studied hearing, vocal production and vocalization acoustics in tigers, lions and other large and not so large cats, and is currently studying hearing and vocalization acoustics in bald and golden eagles.
Ed has lived in Omaha since 1990 with his spouse, JoAnn McGee, who is also a neuroscientist. They have two daughters and a son and a growing number of grandchildren. When not working he spends a substantial amount of time participating in philanthropic efforts and enjoying the great outdoors, with hiking sitting at the top of a long list of activities.
We have had four people apply for membership in the last two weeks. We are so excited to welcome them to our club. The club is getting busy with fall activities from serving coffee to the homeless, to collecting clothing and much more.
This week's speaker was Justin Solomon, who is running for election as a Nebraska Regent. A graduate of UNL, he served as student body president and a student regent. He talked about the development of his company Integrated Life Choices, a human services company headquartered in Lincoln. He manages the complex financial and operational health of this organization that supports people with disabilities across Nebraska, Colorado, and California.
As a beneficiary of a Nebraska public education he is committed to providing families an affordable education where families can feel that their sons or daughters are getting a great education that prepares them for life and work. He reminded the audience that trust in higher education is only at 38 %. Much of that has to do with tuition costs, programs that are not adaptable and lack of input from all segments of the university equation-familes, students, faculty, staff and more.
As a Regent he would treat each dollar as sacred and look to financial solutions outside of the box...not tuition.
October is going to be a special month in District 5650, and I hope one of the highlights will be seeing many of you at Fusion 5650, our District Conference, October 23-24 in Ashland!
Our District Conference is more than an event on the calendar. It’s a chance to reconnect with Rotary friends, meet new ones, share ideas, celebrate what our clubs are accomplishing, and return home energized about what comes next. After spending the past several months visiting clubs throughout our District, I can tell you there is a lot worth celebrating!
As I write this, I’ve completed all but one of my official club visits. What an experience it has been! I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the incredible things happening throughout our District, to hear your stories, meet your members, and learn more about the communities you serve.
And one message has come through loud and clear: Rotary creates impact when we see a need and decide to do something about it.
That fits perfectly with October’s Rotary focus on Economic and Community Development. Across our District, Rotarians are strengthening communities in ways large and small. Sometimes that means a major project. Sometimes it means supporting a local organization, creating opportunities for young people, helping a neighbor, or simply bringing the right people together to solve a problem.
October also brings us one of Rotary’s greatest examples of sustained impact: our commitment to ending polio. World Polio Day is October 24, right in the middle of our District Conference. It’s a wonderful opportunity to remember what Rotarians can accomplish when we commit ourselves to a goal and keep going.
Throughout my club visits, I’ve talked a lot about the difference between change and impact. Change is what we do. Impact is what happens because we did it.
As I near the end of my club visits, I’m even more convinced that District 5650 is filled with Rotarians who are making an impact every single day.
So this October, let’s celebrate that impact. Let’s celebrate our communities, renew our commitment to ending polio, and bring all of that Rotary energy together at Fusion 5650.
Consider visiting another Rotary club for a make-up! Rotary.org has a club finder for locations around the world. Please see the District website at rotarydistrict5650.org for details on local clubs. Visit one of the following Metro-Area Clubs!
Monday: Omaha Millard Rotary, 12:00 pm, German American Society, 3717 South 120th St.
Tuesday: Omaha Morning 7:00 am, First Watch Aksarben, 1222 S. 71st, Ste. B, Omaha. NE 68106
Tuesday: Omaha Night, 5:30 p.m. at La Voltaire, 569 N. 155th Plaza (first and third Tuesdays) Omaha, NE http://www.omaharotarynight.org/
Wednesday: Omaha Downtown, 12:00 pm, Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave., Omaha, NE 68105
Wednesday: Council Bluffs Centennial: 7:00 am, Hy-Vee Community Room 1745 Madison Avenue
Thursday: Western Douglas County, 12:00 PM Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation 20272 Veterans Drive, Elkhorn, NE 68022
Thursday: Council Bluffs, 12:00 pm, Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 South 6th Street
Friday: Omaha West, 12:00 pm, Charlie's on the Lake, 4151 S 144th St., Omaha, NE 68137
Email Deb for make-up/attendance credit to omahasuburbanrotary@gmail.com.
.png)
