UB to Honor Audiologist, Clarence Resident

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences is honoring nationally known audiologist and alumnus Sebastian "Red" Rosica, Ed.M. '50, with its 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award, noting his outstanding professional achievement.

He will receive his award Oct. 6 at the Julian Park Society and Alumni Awards Dinner to be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Jacobs Executive Development Center, 672 Delaware Ave.  The dinner will follow a reception at 5 p.m.

Rosica began his career in 1944 as a supervisor for the boy's dormitory at St. Mary's School for the Deaf. Two years of military service during World War II interrupted his plans and in 1946 he resumed his work at St. Mary's and his undergraduate studies at Canisius College. With a bachelor's degree in hand, he enrolled at both UB and Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., earning master's degrees in communication disorders and sciences, and audiology and speech pathology, respectively.

Rosica returned to the St. Mary's School, becoming the first certified audiologist in Buffalo and only the second audiologist in the United States to work full-time at a school for the deaf.

Responsible for designing the first hearing clinic at St. Mary's, Rosica also was instrumental in securing the funds to build St. Mary's Taylor Hall.

He is recognized nationally for his research on the genetics of deafness, impedance audiometry, and cochlear implants, and has served as a consulting audiologist to many Western New York businesses, institutions, and government agencies. In 1996, Rosica received the Canisius College Distinguished Alumni Award and was inducted into the DiGamma Honor Society of Canisius College in 1998.

Rosica lives in Clarence with his wife, Lee McGowan Rosica.