{"id":19,"date":"2021-05-11T14:35:09","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T19:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/?page_id=19"},"modified":"2026-01-22T09:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T14:35:26","slug":"our-team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/our-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lab Director<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jennifer Zuk, Ph.D, CCC-SLP (she\/her\/hers)
\n<\/em>Curriculum Vitae<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nDr. Zuk<\/a> 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<\/a>. 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\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lab Members<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Postdoctoral Fellows<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Orla Putnam, Ph.D (she\/her\/hers)
\nocputnam@bu.edu
\n<\/em>Curriculum Vitae<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nDr.Orla Putnam<\/a> is a postdoctoral researcher at Boston University in the Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab. She received her bachelor’s degree in Human Development from the University of California San Diego, and her PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. As an autistic autism researcher, Orla aims to improve our understanding of social communication between autistic and non-autistic individuals through multi-modal measurement approaches. Her PhD research focused on characterizing prosody in autistic youth, and exploring how prosody may be influenced by assigned sex at birth, autism traits, and conversation topic. As an NIDCD T32 fellow at BU, Orla seeks to extend this research and examine prosody in other meaningful contexts, such as reading and storytelling.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/h4>\n

Doctoral Students<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Talia Liu (she\/her\/hers)
\ntalialiu@bu.edu
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nTalia Liu<\/a> is a doctoral student in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences program at Boston University. She received her bachelor\u2019s degree in Cognitive Sciences and Psychology at Rice University. She earned her master\u2019s 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. <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Research Coordinator<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Arianna Aguilar (she\/her\/hers)
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/td>\nArianna is the lab coordinator for the Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab. She earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in Psychology and Education Studies from Wellesley College, where she gained research experience in children\u2019s cognitive and language development. She has also participated in research related to the development of motor skills, play, and emotional understanding in children.
\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Research Assistants<\/span><\/h4>\n

Helen Gray-Bauer (she\/her\/hers)
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span><\/td>\n Helen is a research assistant for the Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab and\u00a0joins with experience in cognition research and clinical oncology trial coordination. She earned her bachelor\u2019s 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.
\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Chelsea La Valle
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n

A recent Ph.D. graduate of the Developmental Science Program in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University, Dr. Chelsea La Valle’s current work at Boston Children’s Hospital focuses on the early development of children with Down syndrome, particularly in the areas of communication and play, and how different profiles may be associated with later developmental diagnoses like autism.<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Masters Students<\/span><\/h4>\n

Ema Zhou (she\/her\/hers)
\nemazhou@bu.edu<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nEma is a second-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.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Sarah Finnegan (she\/her\/hers)<\/i>
\nsfinny@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n		Sarah is a second 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. <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Kaitlyn Saionzkowski (she\/her\/hers)
\nksaion@bu.edu<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		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! <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Tess Latham (she\/her\/hers)
\n<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		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 her free time, she is an avid reader and skier! <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Alison McGrath (she\/her\/hers)
\najmcg@bu.edu<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		Alison is a first-year student in the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program. She received her BA in Linguistics and Cognitive Science from the University of Michigan. Post-graduation, Alison plans on working as a pediatric SLP. <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Yasmine Lecomte (she\/her\/hers)
\n<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n		Yasmine is a first-year student in the MS SLP program. She received her B.Sc. (Honours) in Life Sciences with a minor in French in 2023 and her B.Ed. with specializations in high school chemistry and French in 2024, both from Queen\u2019s University in Ontario, Canada. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, working out, and knitting.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/h3>\n

Undergraduate Students<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h4>\n

Julie Saito (she\/her\/hers)<\/i>
\njsaito@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nJulie is currently a senior, 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. <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Kathleen Wyverson (she\/her\/hers)<\/i>
\nkow@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span><\/td>\nKathleen is a senior 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.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Joshua Holtzberg (he\/him)<\/i>
\njholtz@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nJoshua is a fourth-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.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Sherley Ortiz (she\/her\/hers)<\/i>
\nsortiz15@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nSherley is a senior in the combined BS\/MS Speech Language Pathology program. Her interests include children\u2019s language development, different approaches to children\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Erika Giovanardi (she\/her\/hers)<\/i>
\negiovana@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nErika 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.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Baisley Ruiz (she\/her\/hers)<\/i>
\nbruiz@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nBaisley 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.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Adriana Cruz (she\/her\/hers)<\/i>
\nacruz04@bu.edu <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\nAdriana, a third-year Health Science major with a minor in Spanish at Boston University, is on the pre-dental track with hopes of becoming a Pediatric Dentist. She is especially interested in how bilingualism and early language experiences shape children\u2019s communication and developmental outcomes. She hopes to bring insights from her research experiences into her future career serving children and families.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Collaborators<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Alyssa Boucher, Ph.D. CCC-SLP<\/span><\/td>\nDepartment of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences<\/a> | Boston University<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Claudio Ferre, Ph.D.<\/span><\/td>\nDevelopment, Experience, & Motor Recovery Lab<\/a> | Boston University<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nadine Gaab, Ph.D.<\/span><\/td>\nGaab Lab<\/a> | Harvard Graduate School of Education<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
John Gabrieli, Ph.D.<\/span><\/td>\nGabrieli Lab<\/a> | Massachusetts Institute of Technology<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elizabeth Norton, Ph.D.<\/span><\/td>\nLEARN Lab<\/a> | Northwestern University<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tyler Perrachione, Ph.D.<\/span><\/td>\nCommunication Neuroscience Research Lab<\/a> | Boston University<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stefanie Shattuck-Hufnagel, Ph.D.<\/span><\/td>\nResearch Laboratory of Electronics<\/a> | Massachusetts Institute of Technology<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D.<\/span><\/td>\nCenter for Autism Research Excellence <\/a>| Boston University<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Katrina Fulcher-Rood, Ph.D. CCC-SLP <\/span><\/td>\nThe Big Picture SLP, LLC, Buffalo NY<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Alumni<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18716,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/no-sidebars.php","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18716"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":950,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19\/revisions\/950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/zuklab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}