Hallowell Davis was an American physiologist and otolaryngologist and researcher who did pioneering work on the physiology of hearing and the inner ear. Hallowell Davis was born on August 31, 1896, in New York City, the son of attorney Horace A. Davis. Davis was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1975. During the 1930s, Davis participated in the development of electroencephalography and was the first person in the United States to have his brain waves scanned by an EEG device. He focused on the physiology of the inner ear, investigating how neurological impulses are transmitted to the brain via the cochlear nerve. His studies led to the development of electrical-response audiometry, which allowed diagnosis of hearing difficulties in infants. He died on August 22, 1992 in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.