Acoustic and Physiological Phonetics
This focus area, directed by Eugene H. Buder, Ph.D., supports research on the nature of sound signals used for communication and the mechanisms that produce them. A broad range of topics may be investigated in this area, for example: respiratory and laryngeal movements for speech production; normal and pathological voice qualities; variations in speech segments associated with infant and child development, motor speech disorders, phonological patterns, or second-language acquisition; emotional expression; animal vocalizations; and many others according to the interests of students and collaborators. Many other faculty members participate in this focus area, including Drs. Michael Cannito, D. Kimbrough Oller, Linda Jarmulowicz, and Julie Cleary, and facilities that support these topics include the Speech Science Lab, the Phonetics Lab, and the Clinical Instrumentation Station.

Anatomical Sciences Laboratory
Directed by Joel Kahane, Ph.D., this laboratory conducts research concerning the anatomical, histological, and mechanical characteristics of the vocal folds and vocal tract in both normal and abnormal speakers. New procedures for studying developmental changes in the anatomy and physiology of voice and speech production are being developed.

Fluency Research
This research focus area, directed by Walter Manning, Ph.D. involves the process of therapeutic change for children, adolescents and adults who stutter. Recent manuscripts and presentations focus on the application of the Contextual Model of therapeutic change, the nature of effective coping strategies and the application of Personal Construct Theory and Narrative Therapy for the successful management of stuttering.

Infant Vocalization Laboratory
Directed by D. Kimbrough Oller, Ph.D. and Eugene Buder, Ph.D., this laboratory is dedicated to research in infant vocal development and young child phonology. The laboratory continues a line of work that the primary director, Oller, has pursued for over 30 years under funding from the National Institutes of Deafness and other Communication Disorders (the current primary funding agency for the laboratory), the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institutes of Mental Health, as well as a variety of private sources including, currently, the Plough Foundation. The laboratory is co-directed by Dr. Buder and is utilized by Drs. Jarmulowicz and Cleary.  This laboratory is located in the Speech and Hearing Annex.

Neurocommunications Laboratory
Directed by Michael P. Cannito, Ph.D., this laboratory explores the underlining nature of communication disorders resulting from acquired neuropathology and the evaluation of methods used to evaluate and manage these communicative impairments. The major research interests of this area of study include disorders of aphasia, apraxia of speech, dysarthria, and related movement disorders such as spasmodic dysphonia. Methods of study include acoustic and perceptual analyses as well as measurement of functional outcomes of medical and behavioral interventions.

Social Interaction
The social interaction laboratory, directed by Eugene H. Buder, Ph.D, is a specialized facility designed to support this focus area by acquiring video, audio, and physiological data from two persons engaged in conversation. The facility can be used for a variety of purposes, and has supported research in conversational management by persons with aphasia and persons who stutter, as well as collaborations in the areas of social psychology and discourse analysis. Buder’s particular interest is in understanding how the dynamics of rhythmic and melodic aspects of speech behaviors support communicative coordination.  This laboratory is located in the Speech and Hearing Annex.

Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders
This focus area, directed by Debra M. Suiter, Ph.D., supports research concerning the appropriateness and accuracy of diagnostic testing for dysphagia and the efficacy of dysphagia treatment.