Our Team

Lab Director

Jennifer Zuk, Ph.D, CCC-SLP (she/her/hers)
Curriculum Vitae

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.

Lab Members

Doctoral Students

Talia Liu (she/her/hers)
talialiu@bu.edu

Talia Liu is a doctoral student in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences program at Boston University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Sciences and Psychology at Rice University. She earned her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Vanderbilt University, where she also worked as a research analyst in the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab. Her research interests include studying the impact of musical activities on social engagement and language in autistic children and the efficacy of music-based interventions and community programs. She also has a clinical interest in pediatric feeding and swallowing.

Research Coordinator

Arianna Aguilar (she/her/hers)

Arianna is the lab coordinator for the Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Education Studies from Wellesley College, where she gained research experience in children’s cognitive and language development. She has also participated in research related to the development of motor skills, play, and emotional understanding in children.

Research Assistants

Helen Gray-Bauer (she/her/hers)

Helen is a research assistant for the Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab and joins with experience in cognition research and clinical oncology trial coordination. She earned her bachelor’s degree in music and neuroscience from Skidmore College where she worked as a research assistant and conducted thesis work with the Music and Cognition Lab. Helen has also held intern positions in clinical ethics, music therapy, and cognitive neuroscience. Her research interests include the neural overlap of music and language and the role of musical training and exposure in language development. Outside of lab, Helen enjoys crafting, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Chelsea La Valle

Masters Students

Ema Zhou (she/her/hers)
emazhou@bu.edu

Ema is a first-year student in the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program. She received her BSc in Linguistics from University College London, where she gained research experience in developmental language disorders and child language acquisition. Post-graduation, Ema plans on working as a pediatric SLP.

Sarah Finnegan (she/her/hers)
sfinny@bu.edu

Sarah is a first year in the MS Speech-Language Pathology program. Her research interests include bilingual school-aged children as well as language development in multicultural households. Post graduation Sarah plans to work in the Boston area as a pediatric SLP.

Kaitlyn Saionzkowski (she/her/hers)
ksaion@bu.edu

Kaitlyn is a second year student in the MS SLP program. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Integrative Neuroscience from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2020. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and baking sourdough bread!

Tess Latham

Tess is a first year MS SLP student in Sargent College. In May, she graduated from Northeastern University with a BS in Linguistics & Psychology. Her clinical and research interests include neurogenic speech disorders, dyslexia, as well as neonatal feeding and swallowing. In my free time, she is an avid reader and skier!

Undergraduate Students

Julie Saito (she/her/hers)
jsaito@bu.edu

Julie is currently a junior, majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, with a minor in History. Her research interests include the neurobiological bases for literacy and language development for multilingual children. She intends to pursue a Master in Speech-Language Pathology.

Kathleen Wyverson (she/her/hers)
kow@bu.edu

Kathleen is a third year undergraduate student at Boston University majoring in Human Physiology. Her research interests include how early parent-child reading and bilingualism affects language development in children. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school in the hopes of becoming a pediatrician.

Joshua Holtzberg (he/him)
jholtz@bu.edu

Joshua is a third-year student studying neuroscience. His research interests include music cognition and neurodevelopment in children and young adults with ASD. Joshua is also an EMT on campus and intends to pursue a medical degree to practice psychiatric medicine.

Sherley Ortiz (she/her/hers)
sortiz15@bu.edu

Sherley is a junior in the combined BS/MS Speech Language Pathology program. Her interests include children’s language development, different approaches to children’s speech therapy, and bilingual language development. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, trying different restaurants around Boston, and going on nature walks with her dog.

Erika Giovanardi (she/her/hers)
egiovana@bu.edu

Erika is a junior studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in CAS. Her research interests include literacy development in young children. After graduation, Erika plans on attending medical school. In her free time she like to cook with friends and play volleyball.

Baisley Ruiz (she/her/hers)
bruiz@bu.edu

Baisley is a senior majoring in Behavior and Health with a minor in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Her interests include pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders, as well as the impact of a child’s socioeconomic status has on their language and neurodevelopment. She intends to pursue a master’s in Speech-Language Pathology after graduation.

Collaborators

Alumni