Voice and Respiratory Research
The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology houses two laboratories for the purpose of voice and speech science research. The Clinical Voice Laboratory, directed by Barbara Weinrich, Ph.D., contains state-of-the-art instrumentation for the diagnosis and treatment of adults and children who exhibit the full range of voice disorders. Acoustic and aerodynamic analysis of voice, as well as laryngeal videostroboscopic assessment of vocal function are available. This instrumentation is used to evaluate patients with voice disorders as well as in clinical research activities.
The Speech and Voice Science Laboratory is directed by Susan Baker Brehm, Ph.D. This laboratory contains instrumentation for the analysis of speech samples, aerodynamic data, and respiratory function. Dr. Baker Brehm collaborates with faculty in the Department of Kinesiology and Health to examine physiologic variables related to respiration when speech and exercise are performed simultaneously (e.g., aerobic instructors, singers who perform choreography). Alterations in speech patterns are also examined in this research. Dr. Baker Brehm’s research also examines the use of respiratory muscle strength training on speaking and exercise in patients with upper airway disorders.
