Collegiate Affiliation
Assistant Professor,
Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
Links
Auditory Research Lab

Dr. Stiepan investigates how functional assessments of hearing can inform our understanding of inner-ear mechanical processes. Her research explores how structural changes in the inner ear alter auditory and vestibular function in complex disorders such as Ménière’s disease. By combining physiological measures like otoacoustic emissions with perceptual assessments of speech and pitch, Dr. Stiepan aims to connect basic cochlear mechanics to sensitive, real-world diagnostics. 

In the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Dr. Stiepan brings this translational perspective to undergraduate and graduate level courses. Her teaching encompasses core audiologic assessment procedures and data interpretation (SLHS 4801), advanced clinical reasoning and diagnostic justification (SLHS 5801), and auditory treatment methods such as hearing aid fitting, cochlear implants, and aural rehabilitation (SLHS 4802). Through this coursework, Dr. Stiepan equips students to bridge physiological principles with patient-centered clinical practice.

Educational Background
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Educational Background

  • Doctor of Philosophy: Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, September 2014 - December 2020
  • Doctor of Audiology: Audiology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, September 2010- June 2014
  • Bachelor of Science: Communicative Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, September 2007 - May 2010