AC, AM, MB BS (London), MD (London), FRCS (England), FRACS

Bill Gibson is the inaugural Professor of Otolaryngology at Sydney University. He qualified in Medicine in 1967 at The Middlesex Hospital and held appointments at various teaching hospitals in London before becoming a consultant surgeon at the National Hospitals for Nervous Diseases and the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in London in 1977.

In 1983, he emigrated to Australia with his family to become the first Professor of Otolaryngology at Sydney University. His major interest is in otology. He has pioneered methods of examining the ear electrophysiologically providing, in particular, a means of diagnosis of Meniere's disease. He has been investigating the physiological function of the endolymphatic sac and is currently investigating the effect of removing the extraosseous portion in people with intractable Meniere's disease.

He is currently head of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and a visiting medical officer at the New Children's Hospital, at Parramatta.

He is the director of cochlear implant programmes in NSW. One hundred and thirty adults have received the implant since 1984. In 1986, the children's cochlear implant programme was initiated and 151 children have received implants. A special centre to teach the children to listen and speak using a cochlear implant has been established and can be found presently on Willoughby Road, Naremburn but is soon to be relocated to Gladesville. The children's centre was probably the first such unit to be established worldwide and has pioneered the use of the device in very young, congenitally deaf children.

In his spare time, he is an active member of Rotary International and was proud to receive a Paul Harris Fellowship and a Vocational Excellence Award. Other honours were The Humanitarian Award from the Variety Club of Australia in 1994, and becoming a member of The Order of Australia in 1995. He enjoys boating, fishing and golf, and is currently adding the finishing touches to a beach house near Forster.