25th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
Stepp lab undergraduate Courtney Dunsmuir ’24 recently presented her summer research conducted through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) at BU’s 25th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, held at Boston University on October 21, 2022.
Courtney’s research explored the differential contributions of auditory and somatosensory feedback control mechanisms of laryngeal and articulatory speech subsystems in persons with Parkinson’s disease.
We would like to congratulate Courtney for her wonderful presentation and continued contribution to research conducted under Stepp Lab! She is also a recipient of Fall UROP 2022 funding.
Courtney Dunsmuir and her poster titled “Investigation of Auditory and Somatosensory Feedback in Vocal and Articulatory Motor Control Function for Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease”.
Ja Young Choi Receives ASHFoundation Grant!
Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Ja Young Choi has been awarded a 2026 New Investigators Research Grant from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation for her project "Auditory-perceptual contributions to monopitch speech in Parkinson's disease." The New Investigators Research Grant is designed to help further new investigators' research activities by funding one-year preliminary studies that could lead to larger-scale studies. Ja Young's project will look at the relationship between the perception of pitch variability and monopitch speech in PD. Congratulations, Ja Young!
Jenny Vojtech Receives ASHFoundation Grant!
Associate lab director Dr. Jenny Vojtech has been awarded a 2026 New Century Scholars Research Grant (NCSRG) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation for her project "Barriers to Speech Therapy Utilization in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: Identifying Opportunities for Improved Care." The NCSRG is designed to advance knowledge, tools, and techniques in communication sciences and disorders through awards of $25,000. Jenny's project aims to better contextualize and understand the relatively low number of people with Parkinson's who utilize speech therapy services. Congratulations, Jenny!
Daphne Toglia Receives an F31 Grant!
Doctoral candidate Daphne Toglia has received an F31 grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders! This project, titled “Longitudinal examination of subsystem-specific decline in speech motor control and functional communication in Parkinson's disease," seeks to identify the motor control mechanisms driving speech deterioration in Parkinson's disease (PD) through direct measurement of speech movements. The long-term goal of this project is to help speech therapy practices move beyond generic approaches and toward precision treatment, in which therapy targets are individualized based on the specific movement control problems a person with PD is experiencing. By identifying the movement control changes that drive speech decline in PD, this work aims to improve communication, preserve independence, and enhance quality of life for people living with PD. Congratulations, Daphne!
Allison Aaron Awarded Distinguished Early Career Professional Certificate!
Doctoral candidate Allison Aaron has been awarded the Distinguished Early Career Professional Certificate by ASHA! This certificate was made to “recognize and identify early career professionals in audiology and speech-language pathology who are making an impact in the areas of leadership, volunteering, or advocacy at the local, state, and/or national level.” Congratulations, Allison!
Sophie Li and Ana Haubrich Awarded UROP Funding!
Undergraduate research assistants Sophie Li and Ana Haubrich were awarded funding from BU's Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program! Sophie and Ana will complete their semester-long research projects this semester. Sophie's project is titled "Examining Effects of Vocal Effort on Vowel Formant Dispersion in Typical Speakers,” and Ana's is titled "Respiratory Kinematics and Acoustic Estimates of Voice Quality across Speech Conditions in Young Adults." Congratulations, Sophie and Ana, and thank you for your contributions to the Stepp Lab!
Anna Fritz Presents Summer Work
Anna Fritz, a visiting student part of BU's SPIN program, presented her summer project this week! Anna's project investigated the effect of typical and clear speech instruction on the movement of the vocal folds in speakers with Parkinson's disease. Congratulations, Anna, and thanks for joining us this summer!
Andrew Wrede Presents Summer Research @ UROP Symposium
Tomorrow, October 18th, undergraduate student Andrew Wrede will be presenting the research he completed with the Stepp Lab this past summer during UROP's Undergraduate Research Symposium from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM! Andrew's poster is titled "Investigating Laryngeal and Acoustic Behaviors in AdLD." The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) provides funding for undergraduate students conducting research projects on campus. Congratulations on all of your hard work, Andrew, and thank you for your meaningful contributions to the work conducted at the Stepp Lab!
Allison Aaron Receives an F31 Grant!
Allison Aaron, MS, CCC-SLP, has received an F31 grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. This project, titled “The Lombard effect in muscle tension dysphonia: Mechanistic and clinical characterization,” seeks to investigate voice changes associated with speaking in challenging acoustic environments to better inform clinical care for individuals with voice disorders. This project will fill a crucial theoretical knowledge gap of the underlying mechanisms of the Lombard effect and inform development of individualized clinical assessment and treatment for individuals with sensorimotor deficits underlying their voice disorders. Congratulations, Allison!
The Stepp Lab Moved!
Big news! The Stepp Lab has officially moved locations! Our new address is:
111 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215
We're so happy to be in our new space and can't wait for everyone to see it!