Introduction - A Tribute to Tom Tillman

Tom Tillman was a Dean by the time I arrived at Northwestern University. I took courses from the next generation of audiologists, including my advanced amplification course with Mead Killion. Soon after graduation I went to work for Richard Wilson and Cynthia Fowler. Although I didn't take coursework from Dr. Tillman, he was kind enough to allow me to write my qualifying exams in his office and I always thought that brought me good luck. When Mead Killion called me about a year ago and said “why haven't you published a special issue of Seminars in Hearing dedicated to Tom Tillman,” I really didn't know what to say, but I knew I had do something about it. In a brief discussion with Gus Mueller, a member of the Seminars Editorial Board, he indicated that Wayne Olsen would be the only qualified guest editor. This put me in touch with a true gentleman whom I had missed studying with at Northwestern, and it has been a pleasure to work with Dr. Olsen on this edition. He immediately created an edition featuring students of Dr. Tillman who have gone on to change the way we do things in all areas of audiology. I was trained by several of these individuals and count all of them as colleagues. What a great audiology family we have and what a broad reach Dr. Tillman has had! This issue of Seminars focuses on topics that are still not well understood or areas where we have new knowledge-things that were near and dear to Dr. Tillman's heart. Dr. Olsen represents one of Dr. Tillman's closest colleagues and Dr. Jerger represents one of Dr. Tillman's teachers (the genealogy continues!). They have both contributed tributes to Dr. Tillman. Preceding each article, you will find a personal tribute from the authors to the memory of Dr. Tillman. I hope you find that you know more about audiology and more about a very important contributor to our field by the time you finish this issue.