Principal Investigator
Tammie Spaulding
As a former practicing speech language pathologist and a clinical researcher, my central goal is to connect practicing clinicians with a solid evidence-based in order to inform their clinical-decision making. I work collaboratively with speech language pathologists on a national level to identify their clinical needs and to develop research investigations to address their current concerns. My research, driven by its importance for clinical application, is quoted in a number of State Departments of Education evidence-based practice guidelines for practicing speech language pathologists. As such, I have significant prior experience connecting clinical speech language pathologists with best practices for experimental research and am highly motivated to stimulate the interest of basic scientists in connecting their research endeavors with the needs of special populations.
Doctoral Students
Kacie Wittke is a first-year doctoral student and a NSF IGERT Fellow. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Brandeis University in 2007 and her M.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from UConn in 2011. Her research interests are studying language impaired populations, primarily specific language impairment (SLI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the impact of executive functioning on language learning.
Elizabeth Eagan is a fourth-year doctoral student. She received her B.A. in Communication Disorders from UConn in 2008 and her M.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from UConn in 2010. Her research interests include transition challenges for individuals with learning disabilities and individuals who rely on AAC, as well as policies that impact the implementation of speech and language intervention services throughout the educational setting, with a focus on the secondary school setting.
Yara Aljahlan will begin her Ph.D. training in the spring of 2015. She received her B.S. from King Saud University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia and her M.S from Portland State University, Portland, Oregon. Her research interests center on early intervention and on improving the assessment practices for identifying child language impairment in Saudi Arabia.
Graduate Students
Jessica Pandolfe is a graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology Master’s program. She received her undergraduate degree at UConn in 2013 in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Her thesis research examines the ability of adolescents with language-based learning disabilities to understand vocabulary on the Learner’s Permit Test.
Anne Marie Leiser is a graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology Master’s Program. She received her undergraduate degree at The University of Arizona in 2013 in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Her thesis research examines Miranda Rights comprehension in adolescents with language-based learning disabilities.
Undergrad Students
Tate Strack
Jennifer Chapman
Victoria Nishball