What’s up Sargent?
Though July has started, we thought we’d take a look back at June at Sargent! We celebrated Pride at BU, released podcast episodes, and made remarkable progress in our research. We’re hoping for an equally productive and positive July, despite our nation’s political challenges. You can read the University’s response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s attack on human rights here.
Now, it’s time to revisit some big stories from this month! Also, make sure to explore our website’s Headlines section for even more Sargent news.
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HealthMatters Podcast: What is the biggest misconception about aphasia?
What is aphasia? How can workplaces better accommodate aphasia patients? What is happening at the Boston University (BU) Aphasia Resource Center and Aphasia Research Laboratory?
In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Clinical Professor in the Department of the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Dr. Elizabeth Hoover. She is also currently the Clinical Director of the BU Aphasia Research Center. Dr. Hoover’s research focuses on adult neurogenic communication and swallowing disorders, with a special emphasis on stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson’s disease.
Tune into this episode to hear more about Dr. Hoover’s work and common misconceptions about aphasia.
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy reveals brain activity on the move
Dr. Swathi Kiran, the director of BU’s Aphasia Research Laboratory and professor at Sargent College and the BU Neurophotonics Center, is contributing to the study of functional near-infrared spectroscopy, or fNIRS, which makes it possible to study the underpinnings of language in the brain.
Included in her research are stroke patients. They struggle to describe simple objects from a picture (e.g., a blue couch, something to sit on), Kiran says; their brain signals are delayed or of much lower amplitude than in healthy individuals. Her group has found that during language tasks, stroke patients’ brains engage areas outside typical language processing networks. These abnormal patterns are “a good starting point for us to see if that can change as a function of rehabilitation,” she states.
Pride Month: BU Today’s Coming Out Stories Series
As we exit Pride month, we want to share BU Today’s series, My Coming Out Story, which features the stories of BU community members as they begin to live as their authentic selves.
Check out the stories of people like David Chard, the dean of Wheelock College of of Education & Human Development, and Chantel James, our former assistant director of financial aid and LGBTQIA+ Faculty and Staff Community Network chair.
June’s Instagram Callout
Congratulations to Assistant Professor of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences Jennifer Zuk, the inaugural recipient of the Albert M. Galaburda Research Award from The Dyslexia Foundation!
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