Our ability to understand speech has always been subject to how well we hear. But can cultural, social, and behavioral linguistic differences (within a language) impact how well we hear and understand? Professor Benjamin Munson and Dr. Alayo Tripp are studying the impact of race-based biases on how easily older people understand the speech of younger people.

This year, we bid a very fond farewell to Dr. Arlene Carney whose entire career has involved SLHS in some way. Department Chair Ben Munson reflects on Dr. Carney’s contributions to her field, our University, and our department.

Language and our ability to communicate unites us. For some, however, disorders such as stuttering make connection more difficult. Through her research in the Speech Fluency Lab, Dr. Jayanthi Sasiekaran examines speech and language processes that contribute to speech fluency to understand why some people stutter.

As graduation nears for many students, the last semester is a time to reflect on memories at the University. Graduating senior Kaitlin Trefethen looks back on the skills and experiences she gained through speech-language-hearing sciences and how she can take that knowledge into the future.

Difficulties in language development can cause children to fall behind academically and socially. Through her research with early language intervention and children with neurodevelopmental disorders, Dr. Liza Finestack is working to improve clinical practices and keep children from this population on track.

Sensory loss, or loss of vision, hearing, and balance increases with age and can be related to a decline in quality of life. By 2050, the Census Bureau predicts that the number of persons 65 years and older will approach 20 percent of the U.S. population. Sensory loss of all types is prevalent among aging people, accounting for a sharp decline in social engagement, and a significant reduction in socioeconomic potential.

“Once you find your passion and the piece of you that clicks, everything else falls into place.” That’s the advice of 2018 graduate Lily Obeda, whose double major in GSD with a Scandinavian & Finnish emphasis and speech-language-hearing sciences has prepared her for an exciting career in academia.

“You never know when the phone rings what you might be up to do,” says Director of the Center For Applied and Translational Sensory Sciences Peggy Nelson. What began as wind turbine research for humans took a turn when Nelson was asked to test some other subjects--ones with feathers.

Rebecca Lulai’s role in community outreach began when she arrived at the U of M in 2006. Most notably, Lulai oversees the ALS Speech Bank, a unique program receiving national attention for its work with patients who will eventually lose their voice to the disease. Learn how Lulai helps ALS patients preserve part of their identity.