R. Michael Burger

R. Michael Burger is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University and serves as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on auditory neuroscience, particularly how the brain processes sensory information through precise neural circuits.

• Education
  • Ph.D. in Zoology (Neurobiology) from the University of Texas at Austin (2000)
  • B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology from Ithaca College (1993)

Dr. Burger's research investigates cellular, synaptic, and systems-level integration in auditory processing, with NIH-funded projects on sound localization and cholinergic modulation. He has edited books on neuromodulatory functions and serves on editorial boards of leading journals.

Recent publications highlight his work on dopamine and cholinergic influences in auditory pathways, developmental synaptic plasticity, and computational auditory neuroscience. Grants include NIH R01 and R15 awards.

• Scientific Awards
  • Fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Dr. Burger teaches behavioral neuroscience courses and contributes to graduate committee work, otolaryngology research, and grant review panels. He co-developed the HearMyCl app for cochlear implant simulations with Susan Perry and Brook Sawyer.