A
brief tour of the Wendell Johnson Speech & Hearing Center
Select which floor you'd like to explore: ground
level |1st
floor | 2nd
floor | 3rd
floor
Then, choose the name of the room from the navy textbox below to learn more:
Welcome to the Wendell Johnson
Speech & Hearing Center
Anechoic chamber
B-1 WJSHC
This facility was originally built into the sub-basement of the building, and its original function remains constant: to produce pure and echo-free audio recordings for research.
Electronics
Shop, 27, 31, 41 WJSHC
David Wood, Technician
Electronic, computer and other technical maintenance / repairs / video duplication are based in this area.
Neurogenic
Language Disorders, 23
Jean K. Gordon, PhD, Director
This research
team seeks to investigate the nature of language deficits in neurologically
disordered subjects. The room is equipped with a sound booth used to minimize
distractions and noise during testing; a Kay Elemetrics system for the analysis
of speech samples; a digital video editing system; and several computers for
word processing, statistical analysis, and the administration of language
experiments. Current research focuses on phonological and grammatical analyses
of aphasic speech samples, with the goal of refining psycholinguistic models
of language production in normal and aphasic populations.
Tissue Engineering
Lab, 19 WJSHC
Ingo Titze, PhD, Director
The focus of
this lab is the study of the effects of vibration on vocal fold tissues. Synthetic
materials (like sponges and foams) are used to begin the engineering process.
These materials, which are porous, are seeded with cells that produce their
own products (various protein fibers and fluid-like protein substances) to
fill the spaces in the sponges or foam. Its environment is a bioreactor, which
is a device that allows cells to react to imposed environmental forces. For
this work, the forces are vibrational, mimicking the vibrational forces in
voice production. The objective of the research is to determine the underlying
molecular causes for voice disorders related to excessive use of the voice.
Stuttering
Lab, 14 WJSHC
Patricia Zebrowski, PhD, Director
The primary focus
of the Stuttering Lab is to study the onset and development of stuttering
in early childhood. Thus, the lab is equipped with facilities for the collection
and analysis of a wide variety of speech and language data, including behavioral,
kinematic, and acoustic. The lab contains a video recording studio and four
computer workstations dedicated to data acquisition (Windaq) and analysis
(Windaq, Computerized Speech Lab, SALT, SPSS), in addition to a conference
room for meetings and subject interviews.
Glottal Aerodynamics
Lab, 13 WJSHC
Fariborz Alipour, PhD, Director
Areas of research interests include speech biomechanics, finite element modeling of vocal fold vibration, aerodynamics and acoustics of voice, and computer simulation of phonation.
Student Computer
labs
10, 12 WJSHC
Computer workstations are available for student use in Room 12, while Room 10 is arranged in a classroom setting with twenty workstations for participant use, as well as computer projection capabilities for the instructor.
Grammar Acquisition,
6 WJSHC
Dr. Amanda Owen, Director
The Grammar Acquisition Lab studies how and when children develop syntax and morphology. The learning processes of children with speech and language difficulties as well as typically developing children are studied and compared.
Child Language
Research Center, 3,7
Dr. Bruce Tomblin, Director
Investigators study causes and consequences of childhood language difficulties, including Specific Language Impairment, as well as genetic contributions to these disorders, and the language development of children with cochlear implants.
Word Learning
Lab, 2 WJSHC
Dr. Karla McGregor, Director
Over-arching mission: to understand how children learn new words, how knowledge of word meanings deepens over time, and how best to facilitate rich vocabulary learning among children who are challenged by language learning impairments.
Faculty and staff offices
Most faculty and support staff offices are located on the first floor of the building.
Faculty Lounge
123 WJSHC
The Faculty Lounge is the site for faculty meetings, held most Wednesdays during the academic year from 11:30-1.
Department
Administration
119 WJSHC
The department chair, Dr. Paul Abbas, and the administrative staff have their offices in this area.
Clinic Director
/ reception area
116 WJSHC
Office and reception areas for the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Clinic are conveniently located just inside the front (west) entrance.
Clinic counseling
area
107-109 WJSCH
The WJSHC employs a part-time counselor to provide these services, if needed, for clients and their families.
Scottish Rite
Diagnostic Center
104-110 WJSHC
A generous donation made by the Scottish Rite organization provided renovation of diagnostic and clinical facilities for individuals with hearing disorders.
Therapy rooms
101, 103 WJSHC
These areas, primarily used for the summer programs, provide clinical and observation areas for clients with communication disorders.
Fluency Observation
Room
Room 236
Patricia Zebrowski, PhD, Director
Named for long-time researcher and faculty member, Dr. Dean Williams, this area provides therapeutic and observational capabilities for clients who stutter and the clinicians treating them.
Speech &
Language Production
Room 234
This lab space is currently unassigned.
Hearing Research
Lab, Room 227
Dr. Chris Turner, Director
This lab is designed
and equipped for research on perception of speech and other sounds by both
normal and hearing-impaired patients. Five Macintosh computers and their accompanying
software, along with other sound and signal analysis equipment, allow the
digital recording of speech and other sounds, as well as speech and music
synthesis. Various computer programs for signal processing assist in the design
and evaluation of future hearing aids. A custom-built response system allows
patients to listen to various stimuli presented by the computers, and their
responses to be stored online.
Student Lounge
Room 222
The lounge has a number of student comforts to ease the long hours: couches for relaxing or studying, student mailboxes / bulletin boards, kitchen facilities and vending machines.
Kid Talk Preschool
219
The Grant Wood Area Education Agency administers this inhouse preschool for children with communication disorders.
Study carrels
215, 229
Students enrolled in the master's programs are assigned carrels for storage and a quiet place to study.
Therapy Observation
rooms
214, 218
Masters' students provide voice, speech and language therapy to clients under the supervision of clinical faculty.
Therapy rooms
211, 213
These areas are currently set aside as private therapy rooms.
Graduate Student
offices
220, 226
Students enrolled in the masters' and doctoral programs are assigned office areas on either the second or third floor of the SHC.
Student Computing
area
205 SHC
Computer workstations, laser printer and coin-operated copy machine are available for student use.
Classrooms
204, 206, 233 SHC
Many departmental courses are taught in these classrooms.
Media Center
203 SHC
Books, games and toys used for therapy tools as well as reference materials may be checked out by students in the department.
Laryngeal
Neurophysiology, 339 SHC
Eileen Finnegan, PhD, Director
(under construction)
National Center
for Voice & Speech
Ingo Titze, PhD, Director
330-334 SHC
This suite of offices contains the administrative and educational offices of this multisite research center.
Research Conference
Room
329 SHC
Multiple activities occur in this space, including: doctoral defenses, research team meetings, and training sessions for parents of children with communication disorders.
Hearing Aid
Lab, 327 & 331 SHC
Ruth Bentler, PhD, Director
This dual lab is the site of clinical trial investigations. It houses a full double-walled sound suite, Frye Electronics 6500 probe microphone system, GS61 diagnostic audiometer, AudioScan Verifit probe microphone system, as well as five (wireless) networked computers for student and staff use. A NOAH software system with HiPRO interface provides for programming of many hearing aids for directional microphone, digital noise reduction, and feedback cancellation assessment. Multiple equalizers, amplifiers, etc., allow for generation of multi-speaker arrangements and noise sources for assessment of signal processing effectiveness.
The Assembly
and Repair laboratory is currently used by the clinic staff for repairs and
modifications of hearing aids. Because if its high reverberation characteristics
(1.3 RT60), it has been the site of several studies.
Digital Video
Studio, 326 SHC
Richard Hurtig, PhD, Director
This sound-treated area and computer workstation supports the production of original video. These clips are imbedded into e-books for hearing impaired children that are designed to link sign to text.
Molecular
& Cell Biology Lab, 324 SHC
Ingo Titze, PhD, Director
This research
group seeks to fully understand the molecular underpinnings of laryngeal development
and their response to environmental stresses like vibration. Goals are to
elucidate the molecular constituency, processes and regulation of the voice.
Through this multilevel approach, the Cellular and Molecular Biology Group
looks to develop effective preventative measures and remedies for voice disorders
and injuries.
Auditoryl
Electrophysiology Lab,
319 WJSHC
Carolyn J. Brown, PhD, Director
The Auditory Electrophysiology Lab is equipped with instrumentation necessary to record and analyze a wide range of auditory-evoked potentials from human subjects with a wide range of hearing impairments. The general goal of most experiments in the lab is to evaluate the extent to which evoked potential measures can be compared with behavioral measures of hearing sensitivity, acuity, or performance and to explore ways in which electrophysiologic measures can be used to understand more about hearing loss or to expand the clinical utility of current evoked potential techniques.
Psycholinguistics
Lab
Assistive Devices Lab, 318 SHC
Richard Hurtig, PhD, Director
This lab contains two separate areas of work.
Those interested in speech perception and psycholinguistics conduct research on perceptual and cognitive strategies used in the comprehension of linguistic input.
The assistive devices team team designs prototype augmentative/assistive devices, including prototype systems for individuals with multiple impairments.
Pediatric
Audiology Lab, 317 SHC
Sandie Bass-Ringdahl, PhD, Director
Areas of research include the early speech development of infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing; newborn hearing screening; aural (re)habilitation; and cochlear implants.
Speech Physiology
Lab, 315 SHC
Jerry Moon, PhD, Director
The Speech Physiology Laboratory houses a number of computers dedicated to acquiring and analyzing physiologic signals. Data conditioning, digitizating, and analysis are accomplished using a variety of commercial software packages and custom computer algorithms.
The laboratory has equipment for recording six channels of EMG activity. It has six channels of strain gauge equipment for recording lip and jaw movement. The laboratory includes a double-walled IA sound-treated room, a cephalostat, an 8-channel- and a 2- channel-storage oscilloscope, a Sony PC-108M digital audio instrumentation recorder, and Tascam 22-4 four-channel AM tape recorders. The lab also includes a variety of transducers for monitoring electromyographic, aerodynamic, and kinemetic events during speech production.
Auditorium
308 SHC
The auditorium is used for large lectures, special presentations, and Professional Seminar (ProSem) each Friday from 12-1 pm.
Word
Learning Lab (2)
Child Language Research Center (3, 7)
Grammar Acquisition Lab (6)
Student
Computer facilities (10, 12)
Glottal
Aerodynamics Lab (13)
Stuttering
Lab (14, 26)
Tissue Engineering Lab
(19)
Neurogenic
Language Disorders Lab (23)
Electronics Shop (27,
31, 41)
Anechoic Chamber (B1)
Therapy
rooms (101, 103)
Scottish
Rite Diagnostic Center (104-110)
Clinic
Counseling area (107-109)
Clinic reception/Director's
Office (116, 116A)
Department
Adminstration offices (119 A-C)
Faculty
Lounge (123)
Faculty
/ Staff Offices
Auditorium
(308)
Speech
Physiology Lab (315)
Pediatric
Audiology (317)
Psychology of Language
/ Assistive Devices Lab (318)
Auditory Electrophysiology
(319)
Laryngeal Molecular
& Cell Biology Lab (324)
E-book Production Studio
(326)
Hearing
Aid / Ear Mold Labs (327, 331)
Research
Conference Room (329)
National
Center for Voice and Speech (330-334)
Laryngeal Neurophysiology
(339)
Auditory Research Lab (341)
