Every two years, since 2008, the Callier Postdoctoral Program admits two new Postdoctoral Fellows. The goal of the two-year program is to provide a vibrant, interactive community of researchers for the Postdocs to create an independent line of research that builds on or collaborates with one or more of the current Callier faculty. Because the program is funded through Callier’s Excellence in Education Fund Endowment, it provides the Postdocs with a great deal of flexibility in their research endeavors to advance knowledge and excellence in communication sciences and disorders.
Carlos Benítez Barrera, PhD
Current Postdoc
Carlos Benítez-Barrera earned his PhD in Hearing and Speech Sciences from Vanderbilt University in 2020 under the mentorship of Dr. Anne Marie Tharpe. He received his MA in Deaf Education from Fontbonne University and his BS in Psychology from Autónoma University of Madrid. His general research interest is the auditory and language development in typically and atypically developing children (e.g., children with hearing loss). Additionally, his research interests include the investigation of the relationship between the quality of the acoustic and language environments in which children grow up and their behavioral and neural language outcomes. His current research examines whether low language outcomes in children from disadvantaged households are related to the quality of their home communication environment. To fulfill his research goals, he implements a variety of techniques including EEG, behavioral measures and analyses of home recordings using LENA technology. The goal of his work is to understand to what extent experience modulates the development of auditory and language skills in children from diverse backgrounds.
Sonia Singh, PhD
Current Postdoc
Sonia Singh received a PhD in Psychology with a Cognitive Science concentration from Georgia State University. Her background involves the indexing of sequence learning abilities in individuals with and without reading impairments. Her current interests include understanding the roles of both the auditory and the motor system during speech production in children and adults. To further advance these lines of research, she is working with Dr. Lisa Goffman to investigate sequence learning capacity via speech, motor and cognitive mechanisms in those with and without language difficulties. Ultimately, this work will help understand how people use structure from their environment to perform common tasks such as learning to speak in a new language, make a series of automatic hand movements or how to read and spell correctly.
Mitchell Frye, AuD, PhD, CCC-A
Alumni: 2018
PhD, Hearing Science, 2018, State University of New York at Buffalo
Areas of Interest: Auditory neurosciences, inner ear immunology, audiology service delivery, health culture and domestic health care practices, perceptions of risk and responsibility for illness and health care, the use and interpretation of biotechnology, hearing impairment distribution and health disparity
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences
University: Rush University
Kimberly C. Jenkins, PhD, CCC-SLP
Alumni: 2018
PhD, Speech and Hearing Sciences, 2019, Indiana University Bloomington
Areas of Interest: Language acquisition and development in dual language learners, assessment and intervention in culturally and linguistically diverse populations
Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate
University: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Meghan M. Davidson, PhD
Alumni: 2016
PhD, Communication Sciences and Disorders, 2016, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Areas of Interest: Language, literacy and cognition in children with autism spectrum disorder
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and Disorders
University: The University of Kansas
Patrick Reidy, PhD
Alumni: 2016
PhD, Linguistics, 2015, The Ohio State University
Areas of interest: Speech development, speech motor control, coarticulation, hearing impairment, cochlear implants.
Sarah Kucker, PhD
Alumni: 2014
PhD: Developmental Psychology, 2013, University of Iowa
Areas of Interest: Word learning, language acquisition, category knowledge, individual differences in cognitive development
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
University: Oklahoma State University
Johanna Rudolph, PhD
Alumni: 2014
PhD: Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, 2013, Purdue University
Areas of Interest: Specific language impairment, screening, early identification, early intervention, evidence-based practice
Current Position: Research Scientist, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Communication Sciences and Disorders Program
University: The University of Texas at Dallas
Alyson Abel-Mills, PhD
Alumni: 2012
PhD: Child Language, 2012, University of Kansas
Areas of Interest: Word learning, electrophysiological methods to study language processing
Current Position: Assistant Professor, School of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
University: San Diego State University
Jun Wang, PhD
Alumni: 2012
PhD, Computer Science with a cross training in Communication Sciences and Disorders, 2011, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Areas of Interest: Normal and disordered speech motor control, silent speech interface, dysarthric speech recognition
Current Position: Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
University: The University of Texas at Austin
Raúl Rojas, PhD, CCC-SLP
Alumni: 2010
PhD, Communication Sciences and Disorders, 2011, Temple University
Areas of Interest: Bilingual child language development, disorders, and processing
Current Position: Associate Professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Communication Sciences and Disorders Program
University: The University of Texas at Dallas
Mina Syrika, PhD
Alumni: 2010
PhD: Communicative Disorders, 2010, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Areas of Interest: Speech acoustics and perception; phonological acquisition
Current Position: Assistant Clinical Specialist, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Diane Ogiela, PhD
Alumni: 2008
PhD: Audiology and Speech Sciences, 2007, Michigan State University
Area of Interest: Using event related potentials and behavioral measures to study language development and disorders
Current Position: Assistant Professor in Speech Language Pathology
University: Idaho State University
Jennell Vick, PhD
Alumni: 2008
PhD: Speech & Hearing Sciences, 2008, University of Washington
Areas of Interest: Treatment of children and adults with severe speech sound disorders
Current Position: Executive Director, Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, Cleveland, Ohio
