Just Baby Talk

by Laura Fenton

Every sound a baby makes is fascinating to D. Kimbrough Oller and Eugene Buder. The two U of M professors of Communication Sciences and Disorders observe the ways infants squeal, growl and make vowel sounds, and then they use their findings to develop tools that can determine early risk markers for communicative disorders such as autism, hearing impairment or language delay.

Oller and Buder are directors of the U of M’s Vocal and Speech Development Project. The research team is working with a new $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health over the next five years, a follow-up to prior funding from the same agency to the Memphis team.

The fundamental intention of the research is to determine how human infants come to develop the sounds of speech, said Oller, who holds the Plough Chair of Excellence in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

“Across the first months of life, infants develop sounds that are foundations for speech, and they use these baby sounds to communicate with their caregivers,” Oller said. “They do so in a way that reveals a key feature of speech.

“Anything you can say, you can say with different emotional content. For example, you can speak the words happily or angrily, using different facial expressions and intonation. You can express a variety of emotional attitudes regardless of the words or sentences you use.

2012 CSD Alumni NewsletterA Publication of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Alumni Chapter Board of DirectorsVolume XXIX

Summer 2012

“Babies show they

can also express

themselves flexibly

with squeals, growls

and vowels in the first

months. It seems no

other primate has that

kind of vocal flexibility

at any age.”

– Dr. Kimbrough Oller

continued on page 12

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONSCIENCES AND DISORDERS

Community Health Building Updates• State of Tennessee Governor

institutes “3-to-1 match” program for capital projects at public universities

• Momentum and support are strong – over $10 million raised to-date; remaining $5 million needed by early 2013

Join in the excitement – make your gift today!

December 2011PhD in Communications Sciences and DisorderDoriann Denise BeverlyJani Annette JohnsonKathryn Shaughnessy Schwartz

Spring 2012MA in Speech-Language PathologyKathryn Bills Katie Campbell Jenna Cutshall Molly Ellis Bridget Finlay Christina Gary Caitlin Long JoAnna Sloggy Candace Thompson

AuDHillary Hayes EricksonCarla KillinsMei Ling Miller Elaine Orcutt Tammy Vaughan

Summer 2012 PhD in Communication Sciences and DisordersMemorie GosaAnne WarlaumontJinjing Xu

MA in Speech-Language PathologyBethany AdamskiElizabeth BattiseCharlie BirdSarah CowgurAlisa GokhmanElise HarrisLacey HopperSarah JordanMichelle KomatsuKelly McClenathanMary OddoLydia PerkinsCourtney PierottiLillian RiceRebecca RogersJessica Voyles

Congratulations to the 2011 and 2012 CSD Graduates, Our Newest Alumni!

The CSD Alumni Chapter hosted Graduation Receptions on May 5 and August 12, 2012, for our Spring and Summer graduates and their families. Reception guests were invited to join the CSD Alumni Chapter and the University of Memphis Alumni Association. Graduates receive the first year of Alumni Association membership free of charge.

InThis Issue:Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Alumni Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Student News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Alumni Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

The Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Research Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Development News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The University’s Centennial Celebration kicked off on September 10, 2011, at 12:00 noon (9/10/11 at 12) with the unveiling of 100 “Tigers Around Town.” The University’s main campus was filled with uniquely painted tigers representing each of the 100 years, lively music by students and local alumni, and great memories. Soon after the unveiling, the tiger purchased by the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center (MSHC) Board of Directors for our Jefferson Avenue location was moved downtown and proudly presides over the front entrance of the Center. To the right, please be sure to see the picture below of “Irwin,” our Tiger named in honor of John A. Irwin, who served as director of the MSHC from 1953 to 1969.

What an exciting Centennial it has been – and continues to be! Fall 2011 festivities associated with the Centennial Celebration included a concert in the Cannon Center in downtown Memphis, kicking-off the University’s Empowering the Dream Campaign, a $250 million comprehensive campaign. The funds raised as a result of this campaign will build endowment to attract and retain world-class faculty and talented students, establish crucial program support for strategic areas of study, and add new facilities to the University’s landscape. At the time of this writing, the Empowering the Dream Campaign has secured $210 million in commitments with just over 9 months to go!

Although I have not written much about our new building in the last few years, I am thrilled to report that our new building, the Community Health Facility, which will be shared with the Loewenberg School of

Nursing on the Park Avenue Campus, is the highest priority capital project in the Centennial Campaign and planning is now

“back on track!” Our architects—Askew Nixon Ferguson—received direction from the State of Tennessee earlier this Spring to proceed with “full and final planning,” which will complete all design and construction documents for the building. We expect to break ground for the new building in late Summer 2013, followed by two years of construction. We look forward to keeping a close eye on the construction and sharing our progress with you online.

Another exciting event, this year was the 100 Years, 100 Women event, sponsored by the University’s Center for Research on Women. The dinner program in April, 2012, celebrated 100 inspirational women who have made a difference to the University of Memphis. I’m proud to share that Dr. Robyn Cox was recognized as one of the 100 amazing women. Robyn was joined by her husband, daughter, son-in-law, and fellow faculty for the special occasion.

As the University continues its Centennial Celebration, I hope you share in my excitement about the continued success of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. We are grateful for your support of the School in terms of time and finances, and we look forward to a wonderful year ahead!

Dr . Maurice Mendel Receives Honors of Council from CAPCSDDr. Maurice Mendel received the highest honor bestowed by the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD), the Honors of the Council, during the organization’s 2012 annual conference in Newport Beach, California.

The award recognizes an individual’s contributions to CAPCSD and to higher education in communication sciences and disorders through clinical practice, teaching, research, administration, service, or legislative activity.

“I am grateful to receive this honor from the Council,” Mendel said. “I have been involved with this organization for many years; I believe in its mission and the important steps it takes to support and further the academic programs in the field of communication sciences and disorders. It is truly a privilege to receive such high honors and recognition for work that means so much to me.”

A Message

from the

Dean and

Director

Maurice Mendel, PhD

Dr. Mendel and his wife, Dr. Lisa Lucks Mendel (far right), celebrated the Honors with their son, Jeffrey, and grandson, Griffin.

3

Conference ReportThe Mid-South Conference was a great success and we owe our NSSLHA Board and the whole student body our thanks for carrying out all the tasks, large and small, which made things run smoothly. As usual, the speakers and exhibitors were very impressed with how well-run the conference was and how professionally our students managed everything. Nearly 600 registered for the conference, which included a large number of visiting students. Thanks to everyone for your support of and participation in the Mid-South Conference!

Karen F. Steckol Keynote Luncheon Speaker: Spotlight on Karen Gaffney From the moment she was born, Karen Gaffney’s life has been an incredible journey that continues even today! As President of a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing the journey to full inclusion in families, schools, the workplace and the community for people with developmental disabilities, Karen travels the country, speaking to a wide range of audiences about overcoming limitations and about what can be accomplished with positive expectations. Aware of her personal limitations, Karen tackles any

challenge she faces with determination and commitment, allowing nothing to limit her drive to succeed. Oh, and by the way…Karen Gaffney has Down Syndrome.

Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders

awareness campaign. SFA provides free online resources and services to those who stutter and their families, as well as support for research into the causes of stuttering. During Ms. Fraser’s tenure, the organization has assisted individuals and their families in over 130 countries.

Recently, Ms. Fraser and the Memphis-based SFA have received well-deserved attention with the release of the motion picture, The King’s Speech. Following the film’s release, she has been interviewed by many of the nation’s prominent newspapers and television stations. In the Los Angeles Times, Ms. Fraser shared that the movie is “a long-yearned-for opportunity to get the word out to schools, therapists, the general public, anyone and everyone, about what it’s like for people to live with a stutter and how they can get help.”

Ms. Fraser is most deserving of this award for her effective and dedicated advocacy and ongoing service to those affected by stuttering.

Malcolm Hough Fraser

Community Service

Award Presented to

Fraser’s Daughter,

Jane Fraser

The Malcolm Hough Fraser Community Service Award is presented annually, during the Mid-South Conference Harold A. Price Awards Luncheon, to an individual in the Memphis community who, though not an audiologist or speech-language pathologist, has made a significant contribution to the field and to individuals with communication disorders.

The 2012 recipient of the Malcolm Hough Fraser Community Service Award is Ms. Jane Fraser, daughter of the late Malcolm Fraser. Ms. Fraser is president of The Stuttering Foundation of America (SFA) and co-author of the book, “If Your Child Stutters: A Guide for Parents,” which is in its 8th edition. She is also vice president of the Association for Research into Stammering in Childhood, Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children, in London.

Since becoming president of the Stuttering Foundation in 1981, Ms. Fraser has embarked on an extensive public

44

To nominate alumni for the 2013 Centennial Outstanding Alumna Award: Please send the nominee’s resume, including all honors received and published works, as well as two letters of support to CSD Alumni Chapter Coordinator, U of M Alumni Association, 635 Normal Street, Memphis, TN 38152. You may also email your nomination to csd@memphis.edu.

Dr . Robyn Cox was recognized

on April 27th as one of

100 women who have made

a difference at the U of M

during its 100-year history .

Cox has spent most of her professional career at the U of M directing the CSD’s Hearing Aid Research Laboratory (HARL), which she established in the mid-1980’s. Since then, HARL has become known nationally and internationally for improving older adults’ quality of life through the use of hearing aids. Most notably, her research has improved methods of fit-ting hearing aids and developing self-report and assessment techniques for successful fittings, reflecting well the University’s goal to cultivate research and creativity that advances knowledge and enhances society.

5

Annual CSD Alumni

Reception

The Communication Sciences and Disorders Alumni Chapter hosted its annual Alumni Reception on Thursday, February 23, 2012, at the Hilton in East Memphis. The reception took place during the 42nd Annual Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders. CSD Alumni Chapter President Ms. Lauren Busby (MA ’10) welcomed alumni, faculty, and students.

Following Ms. Busby’s remarks, Dr. Joel Kahane was invited to the podium to introduce the 2012 Outstanding Alumna Award recipient, Ms. Tracy Baldwin (MA ’82), one of his former students. Ms. Busby returned to the podium to introduce the 2012 Outstanding Student Award recipients, Ms. Rachel Elkins, a third-year Audiology student, and Ms. Elise Harris, a second-year Speech-Language Pathology student.

Ms. Busby thanked alumni guests for coming out to enjoy the company of CSD alumni friends and faculty. Please make plans to join us next year as we celebrate another year of CSD Alumni accomplishments in 2013.

Alumni Chapter

Activities

Tracey Baldwin Honored by CSD Alumni Chapter

The U of M CSD Alumni Chapter honored Tracey Baldwin as its 2012 Outstanding Alumna at the annual alumni reception following the first day’s sessions of the 42nd Annual Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders.

Ms. Baldwin received a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1980. She earned a Master of Arts in 1982 in Speech-Language Pathology from the U of M. She then participated in post graduate studies and research in voice at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1992-1993. She held the position of clinical instructor and supervisor in the graduate program of communicative disorders at California State University-Fresno from 1988-1993. Ms. Baldwin joined Kaiser Permanente Medical Center (KPMC) in Oakland, California, in 1993 where she developed the Regional Voice Clinic serving patients throughout the northern region of California. She currently is the Director of Speech Pathology within the Head and Neck Surgery Department at KPMC.

Her research interests include biofeedback for the treatment of hypotonia and muscle tension dysphonia. She has authored several publications regarding voice recognition software and functional dysphonia. She is currently working on development of a multichannel biofeedback device to improve vocal parameters of individuals with Parkinson’s disease. She also has written the Kaiser Permanente Training guidelines for use of endoscopy within speech pathology, and she offers clinical training for SLPs thoughout the region. In addition, Ms. Baldwin has served as a member of the Bay Area Tumor Board.

Congratulations to Ms. Baldwin!

Tracey Baldwin accepts Outstanding Alumna Award from Dr. Joel Kahane

Left to Right:Denice Perkins, Laura Martin, Lauren Busby, Lauren Powers

CSD students and faculty returned to the Dominican Republic to serve the speech and hearing needs of those living in San Pedro. Independent of the Loewenberg School of Nursing, with whom they had partnered in 2010 and 2011, CSD students planned and implemented a week-long itinerary of service and education for the children and instructors of the Central Auditivo Experimental del Sordo (CAES). An archive of our students’ experiences can be found at the following blogsite: memphis.edu/csd/studyabroad/drtrip2012.htm.

Despite their exhaustion from travel and anxieties of serving in a country with language and cultural differences, our students quickly connected with the children they encountered in the CAES. Our faculty had visited CAES last year, so many of the young children greeted our students with smiles and signing about getting hearing aids, as well as unique signs for our students’ names, which is customary in deaf culture. Unfortunately, the need for pediatric hearing aids is greater than the supply of aids available. Future plans for providing additional aids are being developed.

Our students also spent time at the Casa De Luz, an orphanage, where our faculty and students had built relationships in previous years. The image of sad, “helpless children” in an orphanage was replaced by children who were full of life, and eager to interact with our team in any way they could. Our students’ experiences at Casa De Luz exercised their audiology and speech-language pathology skills, and served as a reminder to leave their expectations behind and be open to new, bright opportunities.

In addition to service, our students and faculty also had the opportunity to visit the Asociación Dominicana de Rehabilitación (ADR). This rehabilitation facility, located in

the center of Santo Domingo, took our team by surprise — it was truly comprehensive and forward-thinking, offering occupational therapy, physical therapy, prosthetics, speech therapy, audiology, psychology, early intervention, special education, technical training, and more, for children and adults. The philosophy of the facility’s director was that rehabilitation is about the whole person, not just fixing an arm, leg, or speech, but helping the client achieve his or her full potential.

On the final day of the trip, the students presented a monetary gift from the proceeds of the Mid-South Conference Silent Auction to the staff and supervisor of Casa De Luz. Additionally, an emergency fund for Casa De Luz was established with the director of the local foundation, with whom our team works throughout the year. The final day was filled with bittersweet feelings of excitement and sadness — soon our team would be home, but they would be leaving behind many wonderful people and numerous opportunities to serve.

Dominican Republic CAES student group

6

CSD students and faculty gather with Lucas, the supervisor of Casa de Luz, and his wife (back center).

Fourth-year Audiology student, now CSD graduate, Carla Killins assessing a child’s hearing at Casa de Luz.

StudentNews:Study

Abroad Program

Charlie Bird

Rachel Elkins

Sara Jordan

Carla Killins

Kelly McClenathan

Caleb McNiece

Elizabeth Meenan

Rebecca Rogers

Dr. Jennifer P. Taylor

Mrs. Marilyn D. Wark

CSD’s 2012 Outstanding Students: Rachel Elkins and Elise Harris

The CSD Alumni Chapter was proud to recognize two excellent students with the 2012 Outstanding Student Award. This award is presented each year to deserving Master’s or Doctoral students who have completed at least three semesters in the University of Memphis School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Nominees must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average and demonstrate outstanding clinical skills. Rachel Elkins, a third year Audiology student, and Elise Harris, a second year Speech-Language Pathology student, shared this honor during the Alumni Reception at the 42nd Mid South Conference on Communicative Disorders. Nominated by both academic and clinical faculty members, Rachel and Elise have demonstrated exceptional performance in both the classroom and clinic.

Dr. Lisa Lucks Mendel shares that Rachel Elkins is an exceptional student who has demonstrated model academic performance throughout her three years in our program. Last year, Rachel applied for and was awarded one of the graduate assistant positions funded by a Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CLD) grant provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Through the CLD clinic Rachel has been learning how to work with interpreters as she evaluates Spanish-speaking children in our audiology clinic. Dr. Jennifer Taylor adds, “Rachel was the first AuD student selected on the Working with Interpreters grant. She helped plan and form what the Cultural Linguistic Diversity clinic is today and was enthusiastic throughout her two semesters participating in the clinic.” Dr. Taylor also had the privilege of having Rachel on the CSD Study Abroad trip where her can-do attitude and willingness to serve the population was amazing and inspiring. Dr. Jennifer Crider described Rachel’s performance in the Auditory Processing Disorders (APD) clinic in the following way: “Rachel was

absolutely wonderful in her ability to establish a rapport with these children, making them willing and eager to participate in lengthy tasks that were often very difficult for them. She was also an excellent counselor and was able to explain complicated concepts of auditory processing to parents in ways that were easy to understand.” She also sat on our NSSLHA chapter as the Silent Auction/Publicity Chair and raised the largest amount of money that has ever been raised. The money from this event helped the students and faculty in

providing much needed services to CAES School for the Deaf on the CSD Study Abroad trip to the Dominican Republic.

Elise Harris was also among the first trainees selected for the Working with Interpreters program funded by the U.S. Dept of Education. Dr. Linda Jarmulowicz says “I have known Elise as her advisor and instructor. Her GPA (3.98) speaks for itself—she is an excellent student.” Both Dr. Jarmulowicz and Teresa Wolf, Clinical Associate Professor, describe Elise as a valued member of the CLD team as they develop techniques and procedures in the clinic. “Elise has offered her insight to improve the program, has adapted and integrated information in and out of the clinic, and has been engaged as a colleague in this process,” says Dr. Jarmulowicz. Ms. Wolf shares that Elise’s knowledge and skills are solid and evidenced in her ability to teach other graduate clinicians about the pertinent details, directions, and nuances of a particular clinical situation. Both nominators have been amazed at her willingness to try just about anything, including presenting at TAASLP this past October. She has also managed to serve on the Mid-South Conference organizing committee, and she plans to go on the Study Abroad program in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Jarmulowicz adds, “I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with Elise and to learn from her. She is outstanding in every sense of the word, and she is certainly deserving of recognition.”

Congratulations, Rachel and Elise!

Additional Ways to Give BackConsider the many ways you can give back to CSD:Your financial support of the following funds (identified as our five priority areas) is warmly welcomed: CSD Alumni Enhancement,

CSD Alumni Scholarship, The MSHC Fund, Elizabeth J. Webster Visiting Scholar Institute, and the Louise Ward Fellowship Award.

Our incoming student enrollment for Fall 2011 grew, nearly doubling in Audiology; consider supporting CSD by becoming an

off-site supervisor.

The CSD Alumni Chapter is on the move; jump aboard and help us chart the future of CSD alumni activities locally and nationally.

Recruit and recommend students into the profession and to your alma mater; you are the best recruitment staff.

7

Left to Right: Rachel Elkins, Lauren Busby, Elise Harris

8

I moved to Memphis in 1982 from the “North” to attend Graduate School at then-Memphis State University in Speech-Language Pathology. Many of my fellow classmates were from the “South.” However, one of the gals in the program stood out - she was from New Mexico and was no “Southerner.” We hit it off! There were so many things about Martha Brown (now Swinney) that I liked immediately – her wonderful spirit and great sense of humor. If it weren’t for Martha, I would never have passed Dr. Studebaker’s Statistics class! Martha also had juvenile diabetes, and I was amazed by how she had to take care of that on a daily basis. Did I mention that Martha sang all the time? She sang Patsy Cline songs, especially “Crazy;” and yes, she was a little bit!

Martha and I remain connected to this day through her annual Christmas newsletters, which are often rather humorous and picture her singing while writing the letters. In addition to the annual newsletter, I am reminded of Martha each morning as I start my day at the University of Tennessee Child Development Center (CDC) in Memphis. Martha’s father, Dr. George Brown, was a pediatrician who moved to Memphis in the mid-1960s to work at the CDC. When Martha and I were nearing graduation with our Master’s in Speech Pathology, she told me about the CDC and encouraged me to look into the Center. (Martha would have applied to work there herself, but she was returning to New Mexico to marry her college sweetheart, Jay Swinney, and work with kids with special needs.) So, I went to the CDC upon her recommendation, completed my Clinical Fellowship Year, and remain working there today!

Martha and Jay have been married for almost 29 years. While assisting Jay with their family business, Martha worked for six years in a birth-to-three Early Intervention Program, three years at a state residential center for adults with developmental disabilities, and another three years for the University of New Mexico Indian Children’s Program. She also provided contract services for 20 years to the University of New Mexico Early Childhood Evaluation Program, which provides multidisciplinary developmental evaluations for children birth-to-three with developmental disabilities. Martha continues to specialize in autism, developmental apraxia, feeding and early childhood special education.

Times weren’t always easy for Martha as she and Jay raised their two daughters, but I was always amazed at how Martha seemed upbeat even during the most difficult of times. Martha became a born-again Christian in 2000 and shares that her life has not been the same.

In 2009, after both her daughters were grown and married with children of their own, Martha and Jay adopted two teen-agers from a Ukrainian orphanage with significant disabilities, including fetal alcohol syndrome, post-traumatic stress disor-der, learning disabilities, and depression. David is now 20, and Sam is 19. Martha and Jay stay busy with three grandchildren living nearby, and a fourth on the way. They absolutely adore their grandchildren, and Martha sings to them on a regular basis! Recently, Martha wrote to me saying, “Most of my people barely tolerate my singing, but our exchange student from South Korea sings right along with me … and he dances with me, too!” Martha continues to amaze me!

While I miss seeing Martha, I am thankful for having met her so many years ago as a student clinician in the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center. She continues to be an inspiration to me and many others.

Alumni Spotlight

Inspiration in a Letter: Spotlight on Martha Brown Swinney, '84 By Denice Perkins, '84

The Swinney family celebrated Lauren and Will’s wedding in June. Pictured are Martha, Lauren, Will, and Jay.

Martha celebrates with Tae Yoon, her “son” and South Korean exchange student, as he graduates from high school in the U.S.

8

Cochlear implants enrich the personal, academic, and professional goals of U of M doctorial student By Anita Houk Miscommunication was the bane of her life, but Monica Ann Schepers Riordan struggled on. As her hearing waned, decibel by decibel, she focused on catching precious words, deciphering sentences and translating the world of sound.

A cochlear implant to improve her hearing hadn’t been a serious consideration. She didn’t know she was even eligible.

She turned her misadventures in communicating into legitimate research at the University of Memphis. By the time she defended her dissertation (2011) in experimental psychology, she had investigated emotion, psychology and effectiveness of verbal and nonverbal communication, including email, instant messages, texts and even those funny- face emoticons.

“I’m good at piecing things together into a coherent picture. Instead of memorizing different theories, I can see how it fits into my life, or the life of someone I know.”

Naturally, her personal experiences influenced her professional endeavors.

“I was a teenager when AOL instant messaging came out. All I could think was, ‘Thank God, I can finally dial up my friends and talk about boys.’”

She wore hearing aids since preschool in St. Louis, and, yes, suffered the bullies on the bus who mocked her. As she matured, she honed her lip-reading skills, allowing her to cloak her worsening disability with aplomb.

What she couldn’t do, however, was get a job.

First time out, she had graduated in 2007 from the University of Missouri-Columbia magna cum laude, with full university honors, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and one in Sociology.

But employment? No takers.

Disappointed but not deterred, she decided to go to graduate school and create her own niche in academia.

“I wasn’t aware of her (hearing) issue when she started as a masters student,” says Dr. Roger Kreuz, U of M psychology professor, and the person Riordan dubs “the best boss in the entire world.”

“She wanted to have an academic profession,” Kreuz continues, “but having a hearing problem was limiting. We talked about that early-on. My assumption was that really smart, motivated people will make things work for themselves.”

In fall 2008 Riordan defended her thesis, “The Role of Emotion in Language Use,” and earned her Master of Science in Psychology. She dove into the doctoral program.

“There are different kinds of graduate students,” Kreuz says. “One type meets expectations and does a good job; the second type, you have to keep pushing. Monica falls in a third category. Just give her the tools and get out of her way, and she takes off and does great work.”

“It’s been wonderful having a graduate student who has that intense desire to pursue the research she has done. It has been quite amazing.”

And yet, on the cusp of completing her PhD, she could barely land an interview for work. Many potential employers, she explains, expect a telephone interview with candidates, but her resume had no number because hearing loss had nixed phone talk.

The Last Word

“Just give

her the tools

and get out

of her way,

and she takes

off and does

great work.”

— Dr. Roger Krueuz

U of M psychology professor

9

Riordan and her husband, Ryan

Riordan and Kreuz

While worrying over the problem, Riordan coincidentally took advantage of her U of M health benefits and checked in with the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders to get her hearing-aid earmolds replaced. When the audiologist mentioned cochlear implants, she was receptive to being evaluated for candidacy.

“The candidacy criteria,” explains Dr. Roxanne J. Aaron, clinical associate professor at the school, “is a 50 percent cutoff for understanding sentences.”

Riordan’s left ear, with hearing at 57 percent, did not qualify. Her right ear definitely did.

“Her ability to understand single words in her right ear was 4 percent,” says Aaron. “When we gave her sentences, her ability to understand words was only 23 percent.”

Aaron encouraged Riordan to learn more about the implant. “She was an ideal candidate because she had hearing through childhood, was a good hearing-aid user, always relied on her hearing, was very attached to the auditory modality. All we had to do was restore access to sounds and her brain was able to use it to understand words.”

Opting for a cochlear implant, however, is a huge decision.

“I have a genetic disorder,” Riordan explains. “The exact term is sensorineural hearing loss, binaurally, which means I have hearing loss in both ears that is related to abnormalities in the hair cells of the cochlea.”

“The records indicate that in 2002 I was audiometrically deaf. I could not understand speech without both hearing aids and lip reading, and was often totally unaware of environmental sounds unless they were very loud; for example, a jet taking off. I was profoundly deaf in both ears. My hearing threshold was to the point at which I could hear only what was at 95 dB or greater. For context, normal conversation is about 60 dB; a lawnmower in operation is about 90 dB.”

“My hearing loss was progressive. There was no endpoint but total deafness.”

And yet, a cochlear implant was a scary idea.

“You’re gambling,” she says. “You’re gambling that you’re going to risk everything to be able to hear. But if the implant doesn’t work, you’ll have no hearing at all in that ear.

A cochlear implant uses its own electrical signals to stimulate the auditory nerve.

Riordan conferred with audiologist Aaron, studied on the procedure, consulted her husband, sportswriter Ryan Riordan, and her parents, Dave and Carol Schepers of St. Louis.

“I was ecstatic,” says Carol Schepers. “She never qualified for the cochlear implant in high school. We told her it doesn’t matter how much it costs, if we have to pay out of pocket, we’ll pay for it. As it turned out, insurance covered it.”

Riordan herself had no insurance, but she qualified under the Affordable Care Act to be added to her parents’ policy until she turned 26. The Schepers quickly added their 25-year-old married daughter to their policy.

10

Monica Riordan (left) worked diligently with Aundrea Proctor, graduate clinician in speech-language pathology (center), and Kati Lane, graduate clinician in audiology (right), during aural rehabilitation therapy to refine her listening skills when using her cochlear implant.

Riordan rode a whirlwind in early 2011. She defended her dissertation, “How We Laugh and Cry Online,” in February. She underwent the $70,000 cochlear implant procedure with Dr. Bruce Fetterman as surgeon at Baptist Memorial Hospital on March 31, 2011. On April 21, she turned 26 and lost her insurance coverage. In May, she was awarded her doctorate.

The cochlear implant surgery was painful, she says, and the healing and changes, a bit tricky. She suffered severe headaches from the noisy barrage to her senses as the implant mechanics were adjusted, first over weeks, then over months.

“The device is programmed to match the amount of electrical current needed for you to hear,” explains Aaron. “The level of electrical current is adjusted on each electrode, and there are 22 in the device. Everybody is different. There’s a lot of tuning up in the very beginning.”

“All at once, I realized how loud the world is,” Riordan says. “I could hear the refrigerator—I never knew it made noise. I could hear my husband chew. Once, he said something under his breath when he was leaving the room, and I said, ‘I heard that!’ ”

“It had been a long time since I heard the birds singing. Now I know just how unbelievably annoying birds can be!”

She chuckles softly, but she’s not joking.

Husband Ryan sympathizes. “Once she got used to the noise, once she saw the different things she could do and how the job process changed this time around, she said it was worth it.”

In May 2011, implant in place and PhD in hand, Riordan still had no outside job prospect. Then again, she was still adjusting to being all ears. She was hired as a U of M postdoctoral research associate to Rick Dale and Roger Kreuz in the Cognition and Integrated Action Laboratory. She held that position until Summer 2012, when, at 27, she received an offer she couldn’t refuse.

She is moving to Pittsburgh, her husband’s hometown, to be a teaching professor and researcher at Chatham University.

“Monica,” Ryan says, “just seems happier now that she got (the implant) done. She believes it did help with her job process, and that’s really why she wanted to go through with it. Obviously, if it made her happier, it made me happier.”

While predictably delighted, Riordan exits her U of M circle of support with the prerogative of having the last word.

“Determination is good,” she says, “but it’s also incredibly important to have supportive people around you. I couldn’t do it without my husband Ryan, without my boss Roger Kreuz, without my friends, true friends. You have to find those people who support you and get rid of the people who doubt you.”

“Everybody,” she says emphatically, “everybody has a struggle. People may struggle with ADHD, be confined to a wheelchair, have alcoholic parents.”

“This just happens to be my struggle.”

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To learn more about the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center Cochlear Implant Program,

visit memphis.edu/mshc or contact Roxanne Aaron at 901.678.5800 or rjaaron@memphis.edu

“Babies show they can also express themselves flexibly with squeals, growls and vowels in the first months. It seems no other primate has that kind of vocal flexibility at any age. That’s one reason we think the infant sounds are important foundations for speech,” explained Oller.

The intense longitudinal study will involve hundreds of hours of recording on each of 12 normally developing babies across a 30-month period for each baby. Three baby and mother pairs are already being recorded. When mothers and babies come to the laboratory, they find a room set up as a standard playroom or nursery.

“Babies wear a vest with a small wireless microphone in a pocket on the chest area,” said Oller. “This allows for crisp recordings of the child’s sounds without interfering during the child’s movement. Because the microphone is close to the infant’s mouth, the recordings are much better than if the microphone were somewhere else in the room. Mothers and babies are recorded several times a month in the laboratory.”

During the recordings, mothers also wear microphones so there are two channels of audio being recorded at all times.

“This allows for better judgments on exactly who is speaking in the audio recordings, an important feature in the procedure because the mothers often imitate the babies and can sound remarkably like them,” said Buder.

Eight cameras in the room offer various angles for video recording. Two cameras are selected at each moment by remote control from an adjacent room to record both a close-

up of the baby’s face and a view of the interaction between baby and mother. In the lab, mothers are instructed to think of the recording room as a home away from home. All interactions are naturalistic with only minimal protocol restrictions. For example, in some sessions the mother is instructed to interact normally with the child, while other times she is asked to read alone and allow the baby to play in the room.

“(Mothers) have a lot of intuitive awareness of what the babies sounds are about and what they express emotionally,” Oller said. “They may not remember this as time passes and the child goes on to real speech. But they react to baby sounds very effectively while they are going on. They seem to know how to communicate with the baby and how to interpret the sounds of the infants emotionally. Mothers often mimic the sounds of the babies and gauge the babies emotional states from the sounds and the associated facial expressions.”

Sometimes another adult will enter the room and speak with the mother. While mother and the other adult talk, the baby may make sounds, occasionally vocalizing what seems to be a bid to enter into the conversation. Mothers react naturally to baby’s bids for attention and may engage the baby in dialogue.

“The mother and the infant negotiate about the functions of the infant sounds, even before the baby is really using speech and language,” said Buder.

Buder added that the grant also focuses on how mothers initiate and respond vocally and on how the

interactions change according to the types of vocalizations the baby is using. In addition to the laboratory recordings, all-day home recordings (using a battery-powered recorder that fits into the infant’s clothing) are also made regularly to complement the laboratory work. Online diaries are completed by the mothers to give even more information about how the babies are learning to vocalize and communicate with sound.

Information gathered from these intensive observations and automated analysis procedures developed in the Memphis laboratory will be applied to information in a database from the LENA Research Foundation in Boulder, Colorado, which has 80,000 hours of recordings made in the homes of hundreds of infants and children. The collaborative work aims to create automated tools to determine risk markers for important disorders of communication.

“The Vocal and Speech Development Project is primarily basic research on infant development, but the findings may soon be applicable to the work of pediatricians, speech-language pathologists, and other healthcare workers,” Oller said.

Parent and infant participants are recruited from birthing classes at local hospitals, from among prospective mothers who are already pregnant. More participants are needed. Prospective parents interested in participating with the research study should contact the Project Coordinator, Dr. Edina Bene at ebene@memphis.edu, or they can call the laboratory at 901.545.8850.

8

Just Baby Talk, continued from page 1

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Did you know?Alumni giving is universally regarded as the best way to measure alumni satisfaction with their alma mater, and a high alumni participation rate for the U of M carries weight in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges ranking.

Any gift is appreciated and counts toward the alumni giving participation rate in U.S. News & World Report.

Make a gift now online at: memphis.edu/giving.

Research SpotlightThe School has a long history of research productivity in the form of national and international presentations, peer-reviewed professional publications, book chapters, books, and external grants and contracts. Students take an active part in the research activities that are conducted in nine research laboratories, some of which were recently profiled for the following videos now up on our website.

• Speech Perception Assessment Lab

• Otoacoustic Emissions Lab

• Hearing Aid Research Lab

• Instrumentation Lab

• Neurocommunications Lab

On May 3, 2012, students and faculty participated in a colloquium where the third-year AuD students presented the results of their research projects. Each AuD student completes a research project during the second and third years of study. The colloquium provided a setting where students and faculty could discuss their research and share their ideas on a variety of topics. Below is a listing of the research projects completed this year.

Response Time and Confidence Ratings in Monosyllabic Word Recognition; Chantee Brakeville; Dr. Lisa Lucks Mendel, Research Advisor

Measures of Cochlear Efferent Activity and MP3 Player Music Exposure; Paul Carter; Dr. Shaum Bhagat, Research Advisor

Spanish Speech Recognition Threshold Test for the Pediatric Population; Rachel Elkins; Dr. Lisa Lucks Mendel, Research Advisor

VEMP - A Study on the Impacts of Gender and Height; Katie Isbell; Dr. Shaum Bhagat, Research Advisor

Word in Context Intelligibility Test (WICIT) Results Compared Between Children and Young Adults; Elizabeth Meenen; Dr. Herbert J. Gould, Research Advisor

An Assessment of the Validity of a Subjective Hearing Aid Verification Procedure; Whitney Vineyard; Dr. Robyn M. Cox, Research Advisor

Caleb McNiece — PresidentKati Lanner — Vice President/Exhibits ChairKristin Haller — TreasurerHannah Widner — Secretary/CEU ChairGal Flam — Co-coordinator-SLPChelsea Kilgore — Co-coordinator-AuDJonathan Schug — Audiovisual ChairLaura Hall — PhilanthropyLauren Pontopiddan — Hospitality ChairRebecca Sawyer — Current Issues ChairMary Helen Sick — Registration Chair

Julie Marshall — Faculty AdvisorJennifer P. Taylor — Faculty AdvisorEd Brainerd — Technical AdvisorCaroline Royal-Evans — CEU Advisor

2012-2013 NSSLHA Leadership Elected

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Please join me in congratulating the following students who were elected by their peers to serve on the 2012-2013 NSSLHA Board:

Scan this code on your smartphone to visit the CSD Research webpage and see more about our faculty and students’ research activities

2012 CSD Alumni Chapter Leadership

Lauren Busby (MA ’10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President (Outgoing)

Melissa Meeks (MA ’02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President (Incoming)

Lauren Street Powers (MA ’02) . . . . . . . . Secretary

Laura S. Martin (MA ’87) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member

Maggie Mitchell (MA ’11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member

Denice Perkins (MA ’84) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member

Liz Roads Upchurch (MA ’07) . . . . . . . . . Member

Hayley Vincent (MA ’07) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member

Cinda Walz (MA ’10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member

Roxanne Jennemann Aaron (MA ’83) . . . Faculty Liaison

Maurice I. Mendel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dean, Ex-Officio

Shannon Edgar Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alumni Association Coordinator

Dr. Roxanne J. Aaron, ’83

Dr. Kenn Apel, ’86

Marva Aven, ’79

Dorothy C. Baker, ’81

Jessica E. Balderson, ’05

Vicki C. Baskin, ’66, ’68

Ginny Hull Bell

Tim Bishop

Kimberly Mullins Blair

Diana Drewry Bradberry, ’65, ’74

Dr. Bonnie P. Buntin, ’74

Beverly W. Burroughs, ’75

Dr. Michael P. Cannito

Mr. Mark E. Cary

Dr. Benton W. Cox III, ’78

Steven P. Craig, ’04

Ruben Cuervo

Dr. J. Clarice Dans, ’85

Carmen G. Davis

Roberta Wells Davis, ’81

Dawn M. Dion, ’89

Dr. Victor E. Feisal

Henry J. Fitzer Jr.

Joan H. Fullwood, ’81

Kathy Fulmer, ’77

Joseph P. Garrone, ’87

Georgie A. Goldsmith, ’80

Van H. and Ginger Gray, ’91

Helen H. Hamilton

Jo-Ann Hammons

Rebecca R. Harkness, ’91

Heidi R. Havnen, ’96

Jean C. Hill, ’74

Dr. Steven M. and Ann (Mitchell)

Horton, ’72

Cynthia F. Hurst, ’74

Dr. Lennette J. Ivy, ’04

Dr. Linda Jarmulowicz

Lee P. Johnson, ’98

Cynthia L. Johnson

Katie P. Jolly, ’05

Amy K. Key, ’08

Dr. Walter H. Manning

Barbara C. McDaniel, ’71

Vicki L. Meitus, ’79

Dr. Lisa Lucks Mendel

Dr. Maurice I. Mendel

Byron Morgan

Dr. Lauren K. Nelson, ’84

Dr. D. Kim Oller

Deborah D. Pitts, ’83

Kelly O. Richert, ’91

Page J. Robinson, ’78

Sharon A. Roehrig

Caroline Royal-Evans

Hassan Saadat

Dr. Jennifer P. Taylor

Cindy M. Wagster, ’81

Kathleen P. Wallace, ’82

Dr. David J. Wark

Marilyn D. Wark

Alice C. Wasdin, ’72

Yvonne I. Willis, ’78

Angie Wilson

Simone N. Wilson

William C. Wilson

Teresa Wolf

Emily B. Yaghoubian, ’72

Charles B. Ziemba

Anonymous Donor

We’re breaking records! Once again, the alumni and friends of

the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders surpassed

annual giving goals with gifts totaling more than $74,800 for

student scholarships, MSHC client services and support, and

alumni activities.

We are most grateful for the alumni and friends listed below

who have chosen to designate their annual and major gifts to

the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Their

investments will pay dividends in the lives of our students for

years to come!

Development News

In MemoriumWe remember the many significant contributions of Karen F. (Cande) Steckol, who passed away in late 2011. Two years ago, the Friday luncheon of the Mid-South Conference on Communication Disorders was named the Karen F. Steckol Keynote Luncheon in recognition of Cande’s contributions to the creation of the Conference. Cande will be greatly missed.

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONSCIENCES AND DISORDERS

Your gift is important to us!We have made every effort to report gifts correctly; however, if we have made an error, please bring it to our attention by contacting Lendon Ellis at 901.678.5288 or lellis2@memphis.edu.

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The University of Memphis is at a dramatic

crossroads. As we move into the final

months of our $250 million Empowering

the Dream Centennial Campaign, we are

celebrating a century of educational

achievement, steady growth and service

to the community. Our momentum is

strong; to date, our alumni and friends

have demonstrated their support of this

historic effort with commitments in excess

of $210 million.

A capital priority of the Empowering

the Dream Centennial Campaign is the

Community Health Building, which will

unite the students, faculty, and facilities of

the School of Communication Sciences and

Disorders and advance the University’s

master plan of developing a health campus

on the site of the former Kennedy VA

Hospital. The Park Avenue Campus holds a

vibrant future of interdisciplinary research

and community revitalization as several

other University health-related schools and

colleges make this campus their home.

Construction costs for the Community

Health Building total $60 million, of which

the University must raise a total of $15

million. Earlier this year, the Governor of

Tennessee instituted a “3:1 state matching

program”; every dollar directed toward this

important capital project will result in an

additional three dollars from the state. Join

our local healthcare systems, foundations,

alumni, and community friends who have

already committed more than $10 million to

the Community Health Building. Your

participation in this once-in-a-lifetime effort

is a very wise investment.

Additional information about the

Community Health Building — the expected

impact of the Schools, the floor plans, and

a variety of ways to give — is available

online: memphis.edu/chbuilding.

An Extraordinary Solution

Planned GivingHave you considered your legacy as a professional in the speech and hearing sciences? Countless individuals have likely been touched by your care: the children now living productive lives as adults thanks to your intervention; and the elderly who now treasure communication with their children and grandchildren as a result of your therapeutic services.

Everyone has an estate, and everyone can leave a legacy. Will your legacy impact the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis through a planned gift? While the gift might not be realized for many years, your legacy of thoughtfulness will be celebrated now and for years to come. Whether you have included the University in your estate plans or you are considering this type of giving for the first time, I welcome the opportunity to discuss this meaningful method of giving with you.

Prepare our leaders of tomorrow with your commitment today!

Park Avenue Elevation

Caroline Royal-Evans

Hassan Saadat

Dr. Jennifer P. Taylor

Cindy M. Wagster, ’81

Kathleen P. Wallace, ’82

Dr. David J. Wark

Marilyn D. Wark

Alice C. Wasdin, ’72

Yvonne I. Willis, ’78

Angie Wilson

Simone N. Wilson

William C. Wilson

Teresa Wolf

Emily B. Yaghoubian, ’72

Charles B. Ziemba

Anonymous Donor

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Thank you for considering your legacy as a speech and hearing professional, and as a graduate of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis.

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 207

MEMPHIS, TN

As a graduate of CSD, you belong to a special group... the CSD family!

The CSD Alumni Chapter invites you to join the U of M Alumni Association. Membership is only $35/year and the benefits include:

• University of Memphis Magazine subscription (published and mailed quarterly).• Invitations to alumni events, such as the annual Alumni Award Reception and casual mixers. • Opportunities to volunteer with students and other alumni.

If you would like to help chart the course of the CSD Alumni Chapter, please consider joining the CSD Alumni Chapter’s Board of Directors. The Board is made up of energetic alumni and faculty who are interested in growing alumni connections locally and nationally. Please contact our Alumni & Constituent Relations Coordinator, Mr. Shannon Miller (BA ’98), at 901.678.3043 or semiller@memphis.edu for more information.

SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONSCIENCES AND DISORDERS

Membership Matters!

The University of Memphis is a Tennessee Board of Regents Institution. An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action UniversityUOM119-FY1213/1M3C TOOF 670 SOUTH COOPER STREET MEMPHIS TN 38104