News
News & Highlights
Recent publications, student achievements, grants, awards, and presentations from the Colorado Motor Speech Lab.
Featured Highlights
Scholars Transforming Through Research (STR) Program
Dr. Allison Hilger and Karis Wulf participated in the Scholars Transforming Through Research (STR) program in Washington, D.C., where they had the opportunity to engage with policymakers, research leaders, and scholars from across the country while sharing the impact of undergraduate research.
Radiolab: Song of the Cerebellum
Dr. Allison Hilger appeared on the Radiolab episode "Song of the Cerebellum," sharing expertise on speech processes and the non-motor roles of the cerebellum.
Colorado Motor Speech Framework Featured on Speech Uncensored
Dr. Allison Hilger appeared on Speech Uncensored (Episode 155) to explore how the Colorado Motor Speech Framework can support clinical assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and education in motor speech disorders.
Recent Publications
Drew Mancini,Allison Hilger, & Marie Jetté published:
"A motor speech disorder framework for a neurogenic voice disorder: The speech-language pathologist's role in pediatric bilateral vocal fold paralysis."
Allison Hilger, Amanda Sebestyen, & Holly Kleiber published:
"Benefits of LSVT LOUD in a multilingual patient with hypokinetic-hyperkinetic dysarthria and suspected progressive supranuclear palsy."
Student Successes
Members of the lab successfully completed major research milestones:
- Karis Wulf and Dr. Allison Hilger traveled to Washington D.C. for in-person trainings as they participated in the Scholars Transforming through Research (STR) program.
- Caitlin Cain successfully defended her Master's Thesis titled, "Acquired Dysarthria and Dysphagia in Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury."
- Ramey Yost successfully defended her undergraduate Honors Thesis titled, "Respiratory Coordination for Speech in Cerebellar Ataxia."
- Karis Wulf successfully defended her undergraduate Honors Thesis titled, "Analyzing Speech Characteristics of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Subtype 3 and Subtype 6."
Grants & Awards
Dr. Allison Hilger received a 2024 National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) research grant for $50,000 to study Respiratory Incoordination as a Driving Mechanism in Ataxic Dysarthria.
Research in Action
News Archive
- Ramey Yost was awarded a grant from the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) for the 2024-2025 school year to study breath control in ataxia.
- Karis Wulf was awarded a grant from the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) for the 2024-2025 school year to study speech characteristics of spinocerebellar ataxia subtype 3 and subtype 6.
- Dr. Allison Hilger was an invited speaker at the Annual Ataxia Conference in Las Vegas, NV. She presented on speech and swallowing impairments in ataxia. Watch the talk here!
- Dr. Hilger received the University of Colorado's Research and Innovation Office research grant with CU Boulder linguists Dr. Bhuvana Narasimhan and Dr. Rebecca Scarborough for $50,000 to study how mothers talk with their children with autism.
- Jacqueline McCurdy successfully defended her Master's Thesis on aerosol generation from speech production.
- Melanie Esver successfully defended her Master's Thesis on syntax in ataxic dysarthria.
- Kylie Dunne-Platero and Caitlin Cloud presented at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association conference on using the Colorado Motor Speech Framework to assess dysarthria and apraxia of speech.
- Melanie Esver and Caitlin Cloud presented on syntax in ataxic dysarthria at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association conference.
- Mandy Sebestyen won the Outstanding Graduate Student award in the MA-SLP program.
- Allison Hilger received the University of Colorado's Research and Innovation Seed Grant for $50,000 to study aerosol generation from speech production. This project is in collaboration with Drs. Shelly Miller and Sarah Clark. Follow project updates here: Acoustic Speech Characteristics of Aerosol Generation.
- Kylie Dunne-Platero presented "Impact of speech naturalness, intelligibility, and referral to speech therapy on quality of life in cerebellar ataxia" (co-authors: Taylor Fahey, Melanie Esver, and Allison Hilger) at the Conference for Motor Speech in Charleson, SC.
- Taylor Fahey and Allison Hilger presented "Impact of manual American Sign Language parameters on intelligibility" at the Conference for Motor Speech in Charleson, SC.
- Dr. Hilger and Caitlin Cloud presented "Cerebellar Injury, Speech, and Quality of Life: Considerations for Comprehensive Care" at the Brain Injury Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO.
- FIVE presentations by CO Motor Speech Lab at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference in Washington D.C.!
- Mandy Sebestyan, Holly Kleiber, and Dr. Hilger presented a virtual talk, "Efficacy of LSVT in Multilingual Patients with Hypokinetic Dysarthria and Comorbid Unspecified Dementia."
- Kylie Dunne-Platero and Dr. Hilger presented a virtual talk, "Living with Ataxic Dysarthria: Quality of Life Implications for Clinical Evaluation and Intervention."
- Caitlin Cloud and Dr. Hilger presented, "Pure & Mixed Dysarthria Subtypes in Cerebellar Ataxia."
- Melanie Esver and Dr. Hilger presented, "Receptive Prosody in Cerebellar Ataxia."
- Dr. Hilger and Caroline Spencer presented, "Characteristics of Speech in Ataxia and Implications for Speech Therapy."
- Dr. Hilger and Caitlin Cloud presented, "Determining When Speech Therapy is Appropriate for Clients with Ataxia" at the Colorado Speech Hearing Association Conference in Denver, CO.
- Kylie Dunne-Platero was awarded the ASHA Distinguished Early Career Professional (ECP) Certificate.
- Dr. Hilger and Tehya Stockman were invited to present at the National Federation of State High School Associations Performing Arts Conference on aerosol research in performing arts.
- The CO Motor Speech Lab finished data collection for a survey study on speech therapy in ataxia.
- Our lab speech-language pathologist, Kylie Dunne-Platero, received her certificate of clinical competency from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
- Caitlin Cloud presented her poster titled “The Contribution of Pitch and Loudness Control to Speech Naturalness in Ataxia” at the Boston Speech Motor Control Symposium.
- Dr. Hilger led a round table discussion with Dr. Kristen Allison at the Boston Speech Motor Control Symposium on assessment and treatment for dysarthria.
- Dr. Hilger presented “Experiential Learning of Categorical Perception” at the Acoustics in Focus Conference through the Acoustical Society of America.
- Dr. Hilger was interviewed with Dr. Timo Roettger for the podcast Learning Bayesian Statistics.
- Taylor Fahey received the Jacob Van Ek Scholarship for her academic achievement and contribution to the community.
- Caitlin Cloud received the MA-SLP Student of the Year Award for her outstanding work academically and clinically, as the president of the CO NSSHLA branch, as a leader in the department’s cultural competency book club, and in her research.
- The CO Motor Speech Lab was one of the highest fundraising teams for the rideAtaxia fundraiser.
- Dr. Hilger published a paper with Rosemary Lester-Smith, Jason Kim, Chun-Liang Chan, and Charles Larson titled “Auditory-Motor Control of Fundamental Frequency in Vocal Vibrato”
- Dr. Hilger was interviewed for Lifewire Magazine on a new Google app for AAC (augmentative and alternative communication).