Keynote Speaker: Edward Chang, MD Neurosurgeon at University of California, San Francisco  Dr. Edward Chang is a neurosurgeon at UC San Francisco specializing in the treatment of intractable epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia, and brain tumors. His research focuses upon the brain mechanisms for human speech, movement, and cognition. He co-directs the Center for Neural Engineering & Prostheses at UC Berkeley and UCSF, which brings together engineering, neuroscience, neurology and neurosurgery to develop state-of-the-art biomedical devices to restore function for patients with neurological disabilities.
	Invited Speaker: Marisha Speights Atkins, PhD, CCC-SLP Assistant Professor of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University Marisha Speights Atkins is an assistant professor at Northwestern University and the director of the Pediatric Speech Technologies and Acoustics Research Lab (PedzSTAR lab). Her research focuses on testing automated methods for tracking acoustic vocal biomarkers for the early detection of speech disorders in young children. She works in collaboration with computer and data scientists who specialize in machine learning to develop innovative computer-based approaches for classifying children with articulatory difficulties. More generally, her lab conducts research on aspects of articulatory and acoustic phonetics, child speech production, and listeners’ speech perception to develop software tools for quantitative screening of developmental speech disorders and assessment of decreased speech intelligibility.
	Invited Speaker: Adam Buchwald, PhD Associate Professor of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at New York University Adam Buchwald takes an interdisciplinary approach to understand speech and language production mechanisms, and how we can help individuals with impairment to these crucial abilities subsequent to stroke. To achieve these goals, Buchwald’s research includes detailed studies of the performance and rehabilitation of neurologically impaired populations with acquired speech and language deficits (e.g., aphasia, apraxia of speech) as well as neurologically intact populations, and incorporates the research methods of several disciplines spanning methods from Communication Sciences and Disorders, Neurorehabilitation, Psycholinguistics, and Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience. Prior to coming to NYU in 2007, Buchwald completed his Ph.D. in the Department of Cognitive Science at Johns Hopkins University in 2005, and completed a two-year post doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University.
	Invited Speaker: Kathryn Connaghan, PhD, CCC-SLP Assistant Professor of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the MGH Institute of Health Professions Dr. Connaghan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. Her research program, shaped by her experience as a speech-language pathologist, focuses on the acoustic features underlying motor speech impairments and their effect on day-to-day communication. The goal of this work is to support the development of interventions to facilitate the social interactions and communicative participation of individuals with motor disorders such as ALS and cerebral palsy.
	Delsys Sponsored Speaker: Susan Koch Fager, PhD, CCC-SLP Director of the Communication Center in the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals in Lincoln, Nebraska Susan Fager, PhD, CCC-SLP is the Director of the Communication Center in the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals in Lincoln, Nebraska. Dr. Fager specializes in augmentative and alternative communication/assistive technology (AAC/AT) for adults with acquired and degenerative neurologic conditions such as brainstem stroke, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Guillain Barré syndrome. Her research interests focus on the development and evaluation of new and emerging assistive technologies for individuals with severe physical impairments as well as the development of tools to support clinical decision-making and communication partners of individuals who use AAC.
	Invited Speaker: Daniel Lametti, PhD Assistant Professor of the Department of Psychology at Acadia University Dr. Daniel Lametti studies how we learn to produce, maintain, and remember complex movements, such as hand movements and speech production. He tackles this problem using a variety of methods including behavioural manipulations, non-invasive brain stimulation, and computational modelling. He is particularly interested in the role of the brain’s action systems in perception.
	Invited Speaker: Jennifer Zuk, PhD, CCC-SLP Assistant Professor of the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences at Boston University Dr. Zuk is the Director and Principal Investigator of the Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab (est. 2020). She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Boston University. Dr. Zuk earned her PhD from Harvard University, and completed clinical training in speech-language pathology at the MGH Institute of Health Professions and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Jennifer received dual bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Cognitive Science from Case Western Reserve University, and her Ed.M. in Mind, Brain, and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Zuk is committed to translating research to practice in an effort to promote effective identification, access, and inclusion for those who experience communication difficulties. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges experience in clinical speech-language pathology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, music cognition, and education.

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Registration

Registration opening day: 03 January 2023
Early registration deadline: 17 April 2023
Late registration deadline: 15 May 2023

Registration is now closed. Questions regarding registration should be directed to the BSMCS organizing committee (bsmcs@bu.edu).

The in-person registration fee for BSMCS 2023 is US $60.00 (late $100), or $20.00 (late $40) for enrolled students. The virtual registration fee (talks only) is US $10, or $5.00 for enrolled students.

Note: All refunds will be processed three weeks prior to the symposium date and will subtract 20% of the registration cost for the administration fee.

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Information for Presenters

Abstract submission is now closed.

 Click HERE for the list of BSMCS 2023 poster presentations.

Poster Presentations:

All posters must be no larger than 36″ wide by 42″ tall.  Please note that this is in portrait orientation, NOT landscape!

To be considered for a Poster Award, please email a PDF of your poster to bsmcs@bu.edu by 9:00 am, Monday June 05, 2023.

Podium Presentations: 

For podium presentations, please bring your presentation slides on a USB drive or email them to bsmcs@bu.edu. Slides can be uploaded to the computer between 7:00 am – 8:00 am or during the coffee break prior to your presentation. 

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Travel Fellowships

The Boston Speech Motor Control Symposium will be awarding travel fellowships to undergraduate students, graduate students, doctoral candidates, and post-doctoral trainees. Fellowship awardees will have an opportunity to meet with invited speakers at a special lunch the day of the conference. Interested applicants may apply for a travel fellowship. Fellowship recipients will receive free registration and a $500 travel award.

Questions regarding travel fellowships should be directed to the BSMCS organizing committee (bsmcs@bu.edu).

Travel fellowship submission is now closed.

Note: Those applying for a travel fellowship should not register until they have heard back from the BSMCS organizing committee; selected applicants will be notified on April 10th, 2023.

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🔔 Roundtable Discussions 🔔

One of the key goals of BSMCS is to provide accessible experiences for trainees (students/post docs). Trainees will meet with invited speakers and special guestes at a pre-conference event Sunday, June 11, 2023.

Dr. Christopher Moore of BU’s Sargent College will offer an introduction on career planning in speech motor control, followed by lively roundtable discussions on the topics below. This optional event offers a great opportunity for trainees to gain insight from the speakers and guests regarding their future career paths.

• Doing speech science in industry — Jenny Vojtech, PhD
• Writing your first grant proposal — Adam Buchwald, PhD
• Getting funded by private foundations – Jennifer Zuk, PhD, CCC-SLP
• Researching at an undergraduate teaching school – Daniel Lametti, PhD
• Bringing basic science into NIH-funded research – Frank Guenther, PhD
• Conducting hospital-based research — Susan Koch Fager, PhD, CCC-SLP
• Developing commercial speech products — Jessica Huber, PhD, CCC-SLP
• Taking a less traditional path to academic speech science — Jay Bohland, PhD
• Setting up an academic speech lab — Marisha Speights Atkins, PhD, CCC-SLP
• Informing clinical questions for speech research — Kate Connaghan, PhD, CCC-SLP

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Symposium Agenda

To tweet during the conference please use: #2023BSMCS

Sunday 11th of June 2023
03:30 PM	Trainee meet-and-greet for students and postdoctoral researchers	CILSE101
04:00 PM	Trainee tutorial: Christopher Moore, Ph.D., Boston University  ft. roundtable discussions with invited speakers and special guests “Career Planning in Speech Motor Control”	CILSE101
06:00 PM	Adjourn
Monday, 12th of June 2023
07:00 AM	Poster set up	OSW922
08:00 AM	Registration	OSW922
08:30 AM	Conference Opening	OSW922
8:40 AM	Invited Talk: Marisha Speights Atkins, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Northwestern University “Looking Forward: Speech Analysis and Assessment Through an Equity Lens”	OSW922
9:20 AM	Invited Talk: Adam Buchwald, Ph.D., New York University “Enhancing Speech Motor Learning With tDCS”	OSW922
10:00 AM	Break	OSW922
10:20 AM	Contributed Talk: Ding-Ian Tang, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin “The Brain’s Sensitivity to Sensory Error Can Be Modulated by Altering Perceived Speech Variability”	OSW922
10:40 AM	Contributed Talk: Mara Kapsner-Smith, Ph.C., CCC-SLP, University of Washington “Test-Retest Reliability of Behavioral Assays of Feedforward and Feedback Auditory-Motor Control of Voice and Articulation”	OSW922
11:00 AM	Sponsored Talk: Susan Koch Fager, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals “Adaptive and Individualized AAC: A New Access Method For Individuals With Severe Motor Impairment”	OSW922
11:20 AM	Invited Talk: Kathryn Connaghan, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, MGH Institute of Health Professions “The Impact of Dysarthria on Communicative Participation and Social Connectedness”	OSW922
12:00 PM	Lunch Independently
01:30PM	Keynote Address: Edward Chang, MD, University of California, San Francisco “Speech Cortex”	OSW922
02:30 PM	Coffee Break	OSW922
02:50 PM	Invited Talk: Jennifer Zuk, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Boston University “Evaluating Speech Variability Across Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Contributions of Motor Speech Subskills”	OSW922
03:30 PM	Contributed Talk: Amanda Eads, M.A., New York University “Auditory Acuity and SimpleDIVA Modeling of Response to Altered Auditory Feedback in Children with and without Residual Speech Sound Disorder”	OSW922
03:50 AM	Invited Talk: Daniel Lametti, Ph.D., Acadia University “Sensorimotor Control in Bilingual Speech”	OSW922
04:30 PM	Announcement of Poster Award Winners	OSW922
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM	Reception and Poster Presentations	OSW922

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Venue and Area Information

The 2023 Boston Speech Motor Control Symposium will take place at the Metcalf Trustee Center located on the ninth floor of One Silber Way at the Boston University Charles River Campus. The pre-conference tutorial will take place at the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering  The official addresses of the venues are:
Metcalf Trustee Center 1 Silber Way, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02215	Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering 610 Commonwealth Avenue, Rm. 101 Boston, MA 02215

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COMMUTING TO BSMCS
BSMCS locations are all easily accessible from the Green Line B, C, and D trains via Kenmore station. Several Boston University parking lots as well as street parking options are available for those choosing to drive.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

• Overview of local public transportation services
• For more information about the local bus or subway services, visit the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority

• Flights: Boston is served by Boston Logan International Airport
• Biking: Boston’s bike share system (Blue Bikes) offers six convenient stations installed around the Charles River Campus
• Taxi/Car Service: Visit the Boston Police Department to view a list of authorized taxi cab associations in Boston

DRIVING

• Directions: Driving directions to Boston University Charles River Campus
• Parking: Overview of available guest/visitor parking lots

HOTELS

There are plenty of options for accommodations within the Boston area. Below are options of varying distance from symposium venue as well as commute time for multiple modes of transportation (including walking-Boston is a very walkable city!).

Within Short Walking Distance of Conference: 

• Hotel Commonwealth
• Residence Inn
• The Verb

Short T (subway) Ride Away:

• Boston Park Plaza
  ~13 min T ride on the B line for 3 stops or ~38 min walk or ~11 min uber/lyft
• Hilton Inn
  ~9 min T ride on the D line for 3 stops and walk ~7 min to conference center or ~33 min walk from hotel to conference center or ~14 min uber/lyft
• Courtyard by Marriott
  ~8 min T ride on the C line for 3 stops and walk ~ 7 min to conference center or ~30 min walk from hotel to conference or ~9 min uber/lyft
• AC hotel by Marriott
  ~18 min T ride on the D line for 6 stops and walk ~6 min to conference center or ~14 min uber/lyft

Short Train Ride (Commuter Rail) Away:

Boston Marriott Newton 
~11 min walk to Auburndale Train Station and ride the commuter rail for 17 min (4 stops) to Lansdowne station near conference center or ~20 min uber/lyft
*note the commuter rail does not run as frequently as the T*

Continuing Education Units

Learning Objectives. As a result of attending this symposium, participants will be able to:

1. List current questions in speech motor control
2. Identify the role and impact of sensorimotor impairment in a variety of communication disorders (e.g., dysarthria, neurodevelopmental disorders, speech sound disorders)
3. Describe factors that influence sensorimotor control and learning in speech

This course is registered for .55 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level, Professional Area). Participants are expected to be present for the entire program. Individuals who are not present for the full program will not be recommended for ASHA CEUs. No partial credit will be provided.

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BSMCS Inclusion Policy

The Boston Speech Motor Control Symposium strives to be an inclusive event for all, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability. If you have any comments or concerns throughout the symposium, please contact us at bsmcs@bu.edu.

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Organization and Contact

Program & Organizing Committee:

• Cara Stepp
• Jason Bohland
• Frank Guenther
• Christopher Moore
• Melanie Matthies
• Nicole Tomassi
• Kimberly Dahl
• Jackie Kim
• Mara Kapsner-Smith
• Saul Frankford
• Kara Smith

Questions? Feel free to contact us at bsmcs@bu.edu with any inquiries.

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Sponsors

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Symposium financial support disclosures: 

Conference expenses, including travel expenses for speakers are being partially paid for by a grant from the NIH. Delsys, Inc. sponsored Susan Koch Fager to speak at this sympsoium and the scientific poster session. Dysphonia International sponsored a travel award for a presenter. Sargent College, Boston University, paid for additional expenses including refreshments, space rental and facility charges, and poster board rentals.

Speaker financial & non-financial disclosures