The mission of our department is to maintain an active research program as a source for the clinical and scientific education of our students, and as a vehicle for professional growth for our faculty. Through our commitment to academic and clinical excellence, the mission of the CDS Department continues to maintain a nationally and internationally recognized graduate program in Communicative Disorders and Sciences.

Twelve students were elected to Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges from the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences. Students elected to this honor represent the best of the university's students and only a small group are eligible. Nominees must be provided by each University so only a small quota are actually elected. This year's awardees based on academic performance were: Jodi Bova, Au.D. student; Tricia Brown, Au.D. student; Elizabeth Derx, SLP MA graduate; Lauren Dzamba, SLP MA graduate; Ashley Gambino, Au.D. graduate; Fei Luo, Ph.D. student; Yoonie Moon, SLP MA graduate; Alicia Purvis Stewart, SLP MA graduate; Kelly Richardson, SLP MA graduate and new Ph.D. student in CDS; Megan Saleh, SLP MA graduate; Dawn Vogler-Elias, Ph.D. student; Barbra Zupan, Ph.D. graduate.

Lauren Dzamba wins 2008 NSSHLA Honor's Award

Ms. Lauren Dzamba, graduating M.A. student and President of the GSA, won the 2008 NSSHLA Honor's Award. She received the award based on her excellent academic and clinical capabilities and because of her service to our National Student Speech and Hearing Association chapter. Lauren received an Honor's card, special cords for graduation, and eligibility for a complimentary admission to the 2008 Annual ASHA convention.

The University at Buffalo Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences sponsored the eighth Annual Student Research Day on Friday, April 25, 2008. Ten presentations were given by Ph.D. and Au.D. candidates on topics related to the areas of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. A poster session also took place, consisting of several clinical research projects and topics, completed by first-year M.A. and Au.D. students. Please click on 'read more' to view the presentations from Student Research Day.

This summer from July 26 through July 31, three AuD graduate students will attend an audiology summer camp sponsored by Oticon Audiology in Keystone, Colorado. This is the 11th annual Oticon summer camp that involves audiology students in seminars, discussions, and workshops on Oticon technology and amplification. This year's program will focus on patient profiles and modern technology. Guest faculty member, Dr. Anne Marie Tharpe, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University, will focus on the assessment and management of children with hearing loss. Many AuD graduate students at Buffalo have attended this summer camp in previous years, and have commented that it was a very beneficial and fun experience.

On April 17, 2008 AuD student Carolynne M. Jones participated in a poster session at the University at Buffalo Sigma Xi Research Day and Celebration of Academic Excellence at the Center for Arts. Carolynne's poster summarized her AuD research project on "Trends of Acceptance in Deaf Culture: Opinions about Hearing Status and Cochlear Implants". The purpose of the study was to document the evolution of values by members of Deaf culture over the past ten years in regards to a) the acceptance of individuals who choose to use a cochlear implant b) the acceptance of individuals without physiological hearing loss who choose to identify with Deaf culture. Pictured is AuD graduate student, Carolynne Jones, and Dr. JoAnn Hammer. Click on 'read more' for details on Carolynne's research.

On April 7th 2008, ABC's Good Morning America aired an excerpt on tinnitus, focusing on its symptoms and the Nueromonics device that has become a prominent therapy device for the relief of tinnitus. UB's Center for Hearing and Deafness and the Dept. of Communicative Disorders, along with Dr. Richard Salvi and Dr. Ed Lobarinas contributed invaluable information on tinnitus and information on recent research taking place at UB. The opportunity to have the department and center and faculty represented reflects the indispensable amount of research that has and continues to be conducted on tinnitus here. In addition to research, the UB Speech Language and Hearing Clinic has grown tremendously in treating patients with tinnitus clinically, especially through counseling and fittings with specific noise generators. Dr. Christina Stocking, along with all of the audiology clinic staff, has been involved in the growing activity of treating tinnitus patients. Pictured is Dr. Lobarinas. Click on 'read more' for the rest of the article.

Dr. Carrie Secor, Au.D., is an adjunct clinical assistant professor and supervisor in our CDS department. As a clinical supervisor she is responsible for graduate student training at the University Clinic in diagnostic audiology, hearing aid evaluations and fitting, and central auditory processing. Dr. Secor is also employed at Hearing Evaluation Services in Buffalo since 2005. There, her areas of expertise are in hearing aid and FM fittings, as well as central auditory processing disorders. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Dr. Secor is Hearing Evaluation Services’ Education and Outreach Coordinator. She organizes community events, hearing screenings and in-services to area physicians. Dr. Secor has been involved in multiple international research projects, has been published in the Handbook of Clinical Audiology, and has taught audiology lectures at the University at Buffalo. She completed her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees all at the University at Buffalo. Additionally, in 2004, Dr. Secor presented at the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) in 2004 on, “Acoustic Feedback Management and Telephone Use”. Feel free to contact Carrie at csecor@buffalo.edu for any questions.