Adam Kissiah, Jr.

Best Individual 

Received by: Adam Kissiah, Jr.
Presented by: Lt. Col Brian Birdwell, sole survivor of those working in the directorate at the time of the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and Deputy Superintendant Thomas G. Byrne, Chicago Police Department

In the 1960s, Adam Kissiah began to experience hearing loss.  As a NASA engineer, he had education and experience in electronics and became self motivated to study and research the disciplines of hearing and acoustics.  The Kennedy Space Center Library provided a wealth of sources for detailed study in the fields of both hearing and acoustics, and through his research and development, he proposed a design for successful transmission of “intelligence” to the hearing center of the human brain.  The Kissiah Patent provided the basic engineering specification for all Cochlear Implants, which are surgically implanted electronic devices that restore the ability to hear sound and understand speech.  The implant is a prosthetic replacement that circumvents damaged cells, providing direct stimulation to hearing nerve fibers in the inner ear.