Lab Members

 Principal Investigator

A headshot of Emily Myers. She is looking at the camera. The sun is shining behind her.

Emily Myers, Professor, Lab PI

Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences 
Department of Psychological Sciences
Co-director: Cognitive Neuroscience of Communication-Connecticut Training Grant

I’m interested in the processes that allow a listener to map the speech signal to meaning, how these processes are instantiated in the brain, and how these processes break down in cases of language disorder. I received my Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from Brown University in 2005. My primary appointment is in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, with a joint appointment in Psychological Sciences. I also serve as co-director (with Inge-Marie Eigsti) of the NIH-funded T32 training program, CNC-CT, which supports predoctoral and postdoctoral scholars studying the cognitive neuroscience of communication.

My current CV.  See Research and Publications page for downloads/pdfs.

Office: Phillips Communication Sciences Building 216

Contact: emily.myers@uconn.edu

Senior Lab Members

A headshot of Holly Zaharchuk. She is looking at the camera and smiling. Holly Zaharchuk is a postdoctoral researcher in the LAB Lab. In this role, she studies what makes someone a good listener. More specifically, she uses neural and behavioral methods to study how right and left temporal brain regions contribute to speech perception, with the goal of understanding how therapeutic interventions might recruit these areas in the successful remediation of stroke. Overall, she is interested in learning how the perceptual system adapts to variation and change. Before coming to UConn, Holly completed her Ph.D. and M.S. in Psychology and Language Science with Dr. Janet van Hell in the Bilingualism and Linguistic Diversity Lab at Penn State, where she studied accented speech processing. She received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Chicago. In between, she worked as a financial analyst at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington, DC, where she worked on language access and fair lending initiatives.
A headshot of Hannah Mechtenberg. She is looking at the camera and smiling with her mouth closed. Hannah Mechtenberg is a Ph.D. student in Psychology. Her past research interests focused on the role of the basal ganglia during visual category learning. She is currently exploring how ambiguity at multiple levels (e.g., phoneme, word, sentence meaning, talker, etc.) is noticed and dealt with by the brain. She uses a mixture of behavioral, eyetracking (pupillometry), and neural methods paired with naturalistic speech samples to find some answers. She received a B.S. in Neuroscience from Colorado State University in 2017, came to the LAB Lab as a lab manager in 2018, and received her M.S. from UConn in 2022.
A headshot of Anne Marie Crinnion. She is looking at the camera and smiling. Anne Marie Crinnion is a Ph.D. student in Psychology. Some of her past research focused on computational modeling of acoustic cues. Currently, she is interested in how top-down information is integrated with lower-level acoustic information, from neural, computational, and behavioral perspectives. She received an A.B. from Harvard University in 2020, where she worked on object and letter processing.
A headshot of Naomi Sellers. She is looking at the camera and smiling. There is a large tree behind her. Naomi Sellers is a Ph.D. student is Psychology who is interested in how input prediction and language error processing offer ways to study the intersection between language production and comprehension, and in how these processes vary across individuals. With a desire for clinical application, she wonders if language errors could give unique insights not only as a bridge between production and comprehension, but also as a bridge between normative and impaired language processing. She received a B.A. in Linguistics and in English from Regis University in 2018.
A headshot of Portia Washington. She is looking directly into the camera and smiling Portia Washington is a Ph.D. student in Psychology who is interested in how both auditory and written language comprehension are affected after individuals experience brain injuries, particularly strokes. She hopes to explore the ongoing role of neuroplasticity during the later stages of post-stroke recovery. As a McNair alum she is passionate about pursuing culturally responsive questions, and serving the greater community through research. She received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2021, where she worked on syntax and bilingual processing.
A headshot of Hannah Olson. She is looking into the camera and smiling. Hannah Olson is the current lab manager. Hannah received her M.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Hartford in 2020 and her B.A. in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She previously completed her master’s thesis on accent imitation and voice switching in the LAB Lab. Her research interests include neuropsychological assessment and psychological disorders, and she enjoys working with a variety of clinical populations.
A headshot of Alexa Feder. Her head is slightly tilted as her eyes look into the camera. She is smiling. Alexa Feder is a research assistant in the Language and Brain Lab with plans to pursue her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She received her B.A. from UConn in December 2023, with a degree in Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences and a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. Her related interests include clinical treatment utilizing AAC in patients with varying speech and language disorders. Additionally, she has deep interest in advocacy and support groups for various populations in the SLHS field. After obtaining her clinical certification as an SLP, she plans on pursuing a career in the medical field, connecting with patients and their families while utilizing her research background to provide the most effective care.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

 

A headshot of Ava Sheard. She is perpendicular to the camera and is looking over her shoulder to smile at the camera. Ava Sheard is a senior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Human Development and Family Studies. She is interested in the relationship between language disorders and the brain, and wishes to learn more about brain imaging. After graduation, she plans on attending graduate school for speech-language pathology.
A headshot of Ava Buckmir. She is looking into the camera and smiling Ava Buckmir is a senior in the Honors Program, double majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. Her research interests include how language works within the brain, as well as acquired neurogenic communication disorders such as aphasia and apraxia. After graduating, Ava plans to attend graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology.
A headshot of Ashley Douglass. She is looking into the camera and smiling. There is a sunset over a beach behind her.

Ashley Douglass is a senior, double majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Human Development and Family Sciences. She is interested in how TBI’s and cognitive disorders affect the production and processing of speech. She also hopes to gain more insight on brain imaging. After graduation, Ashley plans on attending graduate school for either speech pathology or audiology.
A headshot of Serina Spitzer. She is looking into the camera and smiling with her mouth closed.

Serina Spitzer is a junior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Human Development and Family Sciences. She is interested in the psychological mechanisms that humans use to acquire speech and how brain injuries affect that acquisition. After graduating, Serina plans to attend graduate school and pursue a masters degree in speech-language pathology.
A headshot of Brianna Rodriguez. She is tilting her head slightly as she looks into the camera and smiles

Brianna Rodriguez is a junior Cognitive Science major with a minor in Psychology. She is interested in neurotechnology, human cognition, and how the brain processes language. After graduation, she plans on attending graduate school for cognitive science and continuing research.
A headshot of Madison Relyea. She is looking into the camera and is smiling with her mouth closed. Madison Relyea is a senior majoring in Speech, Language and Hearing sciences with a minor in psychology. She is interested in how traumatic brain injuries/neurological conditions can affect how we produce and perceive speech sounds while leaving many other senses intact. She is also interested in what differences we can see in individual’s brains through brain imaging. After graduation, she plans on pursuing her doctorate in audiology.
A headshot of Amelia DePino. She is looking over her shoulder at the camera and smiling. There is a beach in the background Amelia DePino is a senior studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, with a minor in Human Development Family Sciences. She is particularly intrigued on how brain injuries affect language and speech disorders, in addition to brain imaging. Following her graduation, Amelia plans to continue her education by pursuing a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology.
A headshot of Grace O'Connell. She is looking into the camera with her head slightly tilted down and smiling Grace O’Connell is a senior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is interested in voice disorders, gender affirming voice care, as well as accent modification in adult populations. After graduating, Grace plans to attend graduate school and pursue a masters degree in speech-language pathology.
A headshot of Sarah Perrotta. She is looking into the camera and smiling Sarah Perrotta is a senior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Human Development and Family Sciences. She wants to learn more about exploring various language disorders, their impact on the brain, and their influence on speech production. Additionally, she is interested in expanding her knowledge on brain imaging techniques. After graduation, she plans on attending graduate school to pursue a degree in speech pathology or audiology.
A headshot of Kaitlyn Wood. She is looking into the camera and smiling. There are sunglasses on her head.

Kaitlyn Wood is a junior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. She is interested in brain injuries and how they can affect speech comprehension and production. She would like to learn more specifically about aphasia and its relationship to speech. After graduating, Kaitlyn plans to attend graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in speech-language pathology.
A headshot of Katelyn Abel. She is looking into the camera and is smiling Katelyn Abel is a junior majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology with a minor in Neuroscience. She is interested in aphasia and how the brain works to produce speech. After graduating, Katelyn plans on attending dental school.
A headshot of Katie Myjak. She is looking over her shoulder at the camera and is smiling with her mouth closed. Katie Myjak is a junior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences program and is minoring in Human Development and Family Sciences. She is interested in learning more about what mechanisms help individuals that have Aphasia or Apraxia with their pronunciation, comprehension , and overall ability to communicate. Katie is also planning on going to graduate school and pursuing her master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. 
A headshot of Mikayla Robinson. She is looking into the camera and smiling Mikayla Robinson is a junior majoring in cognitive science. She is interested in all aspects of the brain, with a focus on human cognition, the impacts of brain injuries and disorders, and brain imaging techniques. Mikayla also hopes to learn more about how language works within the brain. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school to pursue a career as a neurologist.

 Lab Affiliates and Collaborators

Dr. James Magnuson, Ph.D.
Dr. Jennifer Mozeiko, Ph.D.
Dr. Erika Skoe, Ph.D.
Dr. Rachel Theodore, PhD.

 

 Lab Alumni (Lab alums: keep in touch! Let us know where you end up!)

 

 Senior Lab Member Alumni                                       Research Assistant Alumni

David Saltzman (Phd, 2024): Job in the real world! Erica Croxford (former URA): University of Connecticut
Phoebe Gaston (Postdoc): Faculty member, McMaster University Manal Sheikh (former URA): SLP Program, Southern Connecticut State University
Sara Guediche (Postdoc): Faculty member, Augusta University Kavita Srirangam (former URA): Applied Machine Intelligence, Northeastern University
Bhamini Sharma (Postdoc): Faculty member, CUNY – Brooklyn College Elizabeth Teskey (former URA): SLP Program, URI
Sahil Luthra (PhD, 2021): Postdoc, Carnegie Mellon University Caitlyn Sodergren (former URA): University of Connecticut
Christopher Heffner (Postdoc): Faculty member, University at Buffalo Matt Phillips (former URA and RA): SLP Program, Adjunct Professor, University of Connecticut
Pamela Fuhrmeister (PhD, 2020): Postdoc, University of Potsdam
 Arden Ricciardone (former URA): SLP Program, University of Connecticut
Kathrin Rothermich (Postdoc): Faculty member, East Carolina University
 Michelle Shavnya (former URA): SLP Program, University of Rhode Island
Xin Xie (PhD, 2015): Faculty Member, University of California Irvine Daniella Bryson (former URA): University of Connecticut
Jennifer Mozeiko(PhD, 2014): Faculty member, University of Connecticut Mikaela Puzzo (former URA): SLP Program, Boston University
Illiana Meza-Gonzales(MA, 2016): Job in the real world! Lane Perkins (former URA): University of Connecticut
Alexis Johns(PhD, 2016): Job in the real world!  Gretchen Healy (former URA): University of Connecticut
F. Sayako Earle(PhD, 2016): Faculty, University of Delaware Kim Kabulis (former URA): University of Connecticut
Stephanie N. Del Tufo(PhD, 2016): Faculty, University of Delaware Cecelia Licktieg (former URA): University of Connecticut
Karen Aicher (former lab manager): Faculty member, Bridgewater State University Federico Sorcini (former RA): RA, UMass Medical School
Xinming Zhou (former URA): MS Program, University of Columbia 
Lillian Mastrogiovanni (former URA): SLP Program, Southern Connecticut State University
Valerie Ferrante (former URA): University of Connecticut
Avital Sutin (former URA): University of Connecticut
Chelsea Pereira (former URA): University of Connecticut
Cristal Giorio (former RA): PhD, Penn State University
Laura Morales (former URA): University of Connecticut
Sophia Arruda (former URA): University of Connecticut
Ashley Lombardi (former URA): SLP Program, University of Connecticut
Triana Feliconio (former URA, 2020 LAB Lab Digest Editor): SLP, New York Medical College
Orly Berkoff (former URA): MS Program, TC Columbia University
Alyssa Finuoli (former URA): Graduate Program, SUNY New Paltz
Rachel Plant (former URA): SLP Program, Southern Connecticut State University
Madison Perriolat (former URA): SLP Program, University of Connecticut
Divya Ganugapati (former URA): MD Program, University of Connecticut
Ana Hernandez (former URA): Post-bacc RA, Yale School of Medicine
Erin Kirchner (former URA): MSN program, Northeastern University
Gillian Foley (former URA): SLP program, Southern Connecticut State University
Brianna Schlemmer (former master’s RA): Speech-Language Pathologist
Maria Murljacic (2020 honors advisee): SLP program, MGH Boston
Anders Waldo (former URA): SLP program, University of Connecticut
Allie Romanowski (former URA): SLPA
Corinne Myjak (former URA): SLP program, Southern Connecticut State University
Laura Mesite(former RA): PhD Program, Harvard University
Kristen Swan Tummeltschammer(former RA): Postdoc, Brown University
Julia Drouin (2014 honors advisee): Faculty member, Cal State Fullerton
Brittany Ciullo (2014 honors advisee): Lab manager/RA, Brown University
Elaina Rappaport (former URA): SLP program, University of Connecticut
Rachelle Levasseur (former URA): PhD program, Washington University