Department of Speech and Hearing Science

New Equipment Expands Accessibility

With the help of donor funds, important new equipment was purchased for the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Clinic including an Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) system and laptop. Sadie Braun, clinical assistant professor, said, “The equipment allows us to test the integrity of the hair cells of the inner ear and therefore is an objective measure to help identify hearing loss.” The equipment will help clinicians test younger/difficult-to-test patients in the field who they would otherwise not be able to test with conventional audiometry. The new equipment also gives students experience with a state-of-the-art system that they may encounter in their external clinical rotations and jobs in the future. In addition to the OAE system, donor funds supported a new touchscreen monitor. Jennifer Dahman, clinical assistant professor, said, “the touchscreen is a true asset to our clinic and a favorite clinic tool!”

The Impact of the Willard R. Zemlin Fund

The Willard R. Zemlin Memorial Fund was established to commemorate the life and work of Professor Emeritus Willard R. Zemlin, who had a profound impact on numerous students in the Speech and Hearing Science department. This year, the fund contributed to the advancement of a faculty member and a student by supporting their conference travel. Clinical Assistant Professor Clarion Mendes presented work about the Speech Accessibility Project: Working with Big Tech to Save Lives, at the 2023 Project Voice conference. The goal of the Speech Accessibility Project, led by the U of IL Professor Mark Hasegawa-Johnson, is to improve speech technology is to improve speech technology for people with a range of diverse speech patterns and disabilities. Ph.D. student Charlie Nudelman attended the Summer Vocology Institute held at the University of Utah. Of his experience, Nudelman said, “Attending the Summer Vocology Institute this summer was truly unforgettable, and one of the best learning experiences of my life. I engaged with like-minded peers who shared my passion, but more importantly, I connected with and learned from a monumental scientist who I aspire to be like.”

Ron and Sonita Gaitros Scholarship Provides Opportunities for Students

The Ron and Sonita Gaitros Scholarship Fund was established to support travel scholarships for students in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science. In 2022-23, six students received scholarships to attend both national and international conferences. Ph.D. student Gibbeum Kim said, “sharing my research at a conference with peers in my field shaped my evolution as an independent researcher. Their feedback both enhanced my research abilities and provided direction for my future work in the field.” Kaley Graves, AuD student, said, “I got to meet alumni of UIUC that are also in our field and I have made some incredibly valuable connections for mentorship. I am fortunate to have been afforded the travel funding to help offset the expenses. I wouldn’t have made those valuable connections otherwise.” The following students attended conferences with the help of the Gaitros Travel Award:
● Siliva Murgia, Ph.D. student, attended Forum Acusticum 2023 in Italy and 2022 Inter Noise Convention in Scotland
● Gibbeum Kim, Ph.D. student, attended 2023 Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) Meeting in Florida and UBISS 2023 in Finland.
● Elisabeth Coster, M.A. student, attended 2022 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention in Louisianna
● Kaley Graves, AuD student, attended AAA 2023 + HearTECH Expo in Washington
● Rebekah Bosley, Ph.D. student, attended 2023 55th Gatlinburg Conference in Missouri
● Alex Barkhimer, Ph.D. student, attended 2023 55th Gatlinburg Conference in Missouri