Dona Jayakody is an Associate Professor in Audiology at the WA Centre for Rural Health at the University of Western Australia. Additionally, she serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin University and Editor for the Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Journal.
Dona's research has significantly deepened the understanding of the wide-ranging health impacts of hearing loss in older adults, particularly regarding cognition and mental well-being. Her work has influenced changes to clinical guidelines and policies both nationally and internationally. She also led the landmark HearCog clinical trial, which examined the effects of hearing rehabilitation on older adults at risk of dementia.
Her exceptional contributions to the field are recognised through 14 awards, including Superstar of STEM for 2023-2024, STEM Ambassador, and Tall Poppy in Science for 2023. Dona has secured over $7.2 million in research funding from various national and international sources. Furthermore, she has authored more than 70 research papers, which have garnered over 2,000 citations, resulting in an i10 index of 30. Dona has also presented at over 80 national and international conferences.