She joined Pitt’s faculty in 1990 and has a secondary appointment in the Department of Otolaryngology, Pitt School of Medicine. She also directs the Division of Audiology and Hearing Aids, UPMC. Palmer’s research focuses on quantifying deprivation, learning, and adaptation in the adult hearing-impaired auditory system, both pre- and post-treatment. She also studies how to best match technology to individual patient needs.