Palmer, as a deafblind person because of Usher Syndrome, has worked both in Finland and the UK and has been involved, for example, in the development of a portable music floor, which is known as the Tac-Tile Sounds System, at the University of Sheffield. He also lectures as a deafblind music therapist and is a performing musician with many recordings. At Tampere University he has designed study material for the Sustainable Digital Life Master’s program together with his wife, Dr. Riitta Lahtinen.
During his career, Palmer has done a lot of voluntary work among deafblind people, encouraging them to express themselves. One of the most important methods he has developed is a vibrosensoric method. It highlights how complex an issue sound is; quite often we think it is a relatively unproblematic practice, something we do with our ears, but the vibrosensoric approach highlights how sound is also a tactile phenomenon; we “hear” through our bodies.
The Doctoral Conferment Ceremony takes place at the University of Oulu on 17–19 May 2024.
More information about Russ Palmer’s research and career: www.russpalmer.com