OUR LAB
LAB DIRECTOR
Samira Anderson. Au.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland. After practicing as a clinical audiologist for 26 years, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree in Auditory Neuroscience at Northwestern University to better understand the hearing difficulties experienced by her patients, especially in challenging listening situations. She obtained her Ph.D. in December of 2012 and joined the faculty at the University of Maryland in January of 2013. Dr. Anderson’s research focuses on the effects of development, aging, and hearing loss on central auditory processing, using electrophysiology as her primary assessment tool. She also aims to define neuroplasticity in response to different forms of treatment, such as hearing aid amplification, cochlear implantation, and auditory training.
POSTDOC
Alessandro Presacco, Ph.D., received his Ph.D. at the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science program at the University of Maryland. He also received the Laurea (5-year Italian Degree) in Electronic Engineering from the University of Padua and his M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Miami. Alessandro completed a thesis focused on biomedical signal processing techniques at the University of Padua, and a thesis focused on auditory steady-state responses to 40 Hz click trains at the University of Miami. Alessandro’s current research focuses on neural processing of complex sounds in aging population with neuroimaging techniques such as Electroencephalography (EEG) and Magnetoencephalographic (MEG)
Zilong Xie, Ph.D., is currently a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland. He received his Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Texas at Austin. His Ph.D. research focused on better understanding sensory and cognitive factors that contribute to individual differences in speech processing in typical populations. Zilong's current research focuses on the processing of complex sounds in aging population with cochlear implants, using behavioral and neuroimaging (e.g., Electroencephalography, EEG) methods.
Lindsay DeVries, Au.D., Ph.D., received both of her degrees in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington. During her Ph.D., Lindsay examined an electrophysiological and behavioral measure of spread of neural excitation as a potential tool for identifying poorly functioning electrodes in cochlear implant listeners. She also used behavioral measures to create new, individualized cochlear implant listener strategies. As a postdoc, Lindsay is interested in the perceptual, cognitive, and neural impacts of aging, hearing loss, and cochlear implantation, using electroencephalogram (EEG) and psychophysical measures.
PH.D. STUDENTS
Jason Dunlap, B.A., is a doctoral student in the Hearing and Speech Sciences Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland, College Park. In 2018, he received a dual Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences at CUNY Brooklyn College, where he was also a Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) scholar for two years. His research interests include disorders of auditory and multi-sensory processing as examined through cognitive measures such as electrocephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and eye-tracking.
AU.D. STUDENTS
Alanna Schloss, B.A. is a doctoral candidate in the Clinical Audiology program in the Hearing and Speech Sciences department at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is interested in working with pediatric populations, specifically understand hearing loss in children and how hearing aids can be improved to help them as users.
Rachel Zimmerman, B.S. is a doctoral candidate in the Clinical Audiology program in the Hearing and Speech Sciences department at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Towson University in 2017. Rachel is interested in working with a variety of populations including older adults, pediatrics, those with cochlear implants, and the Deaf community.
Alyson Schapira, B.A. is a doctoral candidate in clinical audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Bachelor or Arts in Hearing in Speech Sciences from University of Maryland, with a double major in Spanish Literature and Culture. She has been working in the research labs in LeFrak Hall since Fall of 2015. She is interested in working with cochlear implant users and Spanish speaking people.
Caitlin Le, B.A. is a doctoral candidate in the clinical audiology program in the Hearing and Speech Sciences department at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2018. She is interested in working with pediatrics and cochlear implant users.
Abbey Poe, B.A. is a doctoral student in Clinical Audiology program at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). She graduated from UMD in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences. For the past year, she worked in the Hearing Brain Lab as a post-baccalaureate research assistant. Abbey is interested in working with young children.
Logan Fraser, B.A. is a doctoral student in the Clinical Audiology program in the Hearing and Speech Sciences Department at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park in Fall 2018. She is interested in working with older adults to help them improve communication ability through the use of assistive technology.
Jennifer Borja, B.A. is a doctoral student in the Clinical Audiology program in the Hearing and Speech Sciences department at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park. Jennifer is interested in working with older adults and Spanish speaking individuals.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Vera Yevsukov is a pre-med Undergraduate student majoring in Neurobiology & Physiology and Russian Language. She is interested in studying speech and language understanding and the effects of neurodegenerative diseases on these processes. Vera is currently a sophomore who hopes to pursue a career in the health sciences upon her graduation.
Nicole Balassone is an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland studying Hearing and Speech Sciences. She will be graduating in Fall 2020 and plans to persue her doctoral degree in Clinical Audiology upon graduation. She would like to specialize in cochlear implants with pediatrics.
Alessandra Vidal is an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland studying for a degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences. She will graduate Spring of 2021 and plans to pursue a doctoral degree in Clinical Audiology. She plans to specialize in pediatrics with her Au.D.
COLLABORATORS
Jonathan Simon, Departments of Biology, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, www.isr.umd.edu/Labs/CSSL/simonlab/Home
Sandra Gordon-Salant, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland, www.umdhearinglab.com
Matthew Goupell, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland, www.goupelllab.umd.edu
Hamish Innes-Brown, Bionics Institute, Melbourne, Australia, www.bionicsinstitute.org/our-staff/Pages/hamish-brown
FORMER STUDENTS
Lindsey Roque, Au.D.
Current position: Audiologist
Einat Korman, B.A.
Current position: Masters student in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Mary Zhou, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park (Starting Fall 2020)
Bridget McNamara, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park (Starting Fall 2020)
Ariella Shapiro, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Texas, Dallas (Starting Fall 2020)
Alexandra Papanicolaou, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park (Starting Fall 2020)
Anhelina Bilokon, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park (Starting Fall 2020)
Veeda Baradar, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Johnathon O'Neal, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.
Reynier Hernandez
Current position: Preparing for medical school
Sydney Hancock, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park (Starting Fall 2020)
Danielle King, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral candidate in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Hanin Karawani
Current position: Researching Auditory Neuroscience in Haifa, Israel
Kaitlyn Sheapp, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.
Andrea Kaplanges, B.A.
Current position: Graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Hearing and Speech Sciences
Julie Mehta
Current position: Undergraduate student at the University of Maryland
Miranda Velasquez
Current position: Undergraduate student at the University of Maryland
Erica Thomas, B.S.
Current position: Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
Sumaiya DeLane
Student from the Neuroscience department at Vanderbilt University
Kimberly Jenkins, Au.D.
Current position: Audiologist at Metropolitan Neuroear Group, Rockville, MD
Lauren Evans, Au.D.
Current position: Audiologist
Rachel Lieberman, Au.D.
Current position: Audiologist at Advanced Hearing Group, Baltimore, MD
R.B. Ellis, Au.D.
Current position: Audiologist at San Diego Hearing Center, San Diego, CA
Maeve Salanger, B.S.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Calli Fodor, B.S.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Erin Walker, B.S.
Current position: Student at the University of Maryland, College Park
Arielle Abrams, B.A.
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Rachel Stein, M.A.
Current position: Speech-language pathologist
Meg Graves, B.A.
Graduated in 2015 in Hearing and Speech Sciences
Current position: post graduate training in public health at the University of Maryland, College Park
Eve Kronzek, B.A.
Graduated in 2015 in Hearing and Speech Sciences
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Courtney Wallace, B.A.
Graduated in 2015 in Hearing and Speech Sciences
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Pittsburgh
Jen Chisholm, B.A.
Graduated in 2015 in Hearing and Speech Sciences
Current position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Tarah Chibber, B.S.
Graduated in 2015 in Business
Current position: pre-med training
Rachel King, B.S.
Cuurent position: Doctoral student in Clinical Audiology at the University of Maryland, College Park
Kurt Erhardt, B.S.
Graduated in 2014 in Neurobiology & Physiology with a pre-medical focus.
Current Position: Medical student (2015 - Present)