ASHA Voices American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

From hearing aids to cochlear implants, from tinnitus to speech-in-noise, AI is everywhere. On this episode, professor Fan-Gang Zeng (UC Irvine) discusses where audiologists may see AI show up next, and the promise this technology holds for assessment and treatment. Zeng’s research focuses on the ways hearing and the brain are linked, like through tinnitus or with cochlear implants. At the 2023 Research Symposium on Hearing at the upcoming ASHA Convention, he will present on the implications of AI for audiological research and care.

From the moment a patient approaches their primary care provider about balance problems, the road to recovery can be long and expensive. But audiologist Devin McCaslin (University of Michigan) is working to simplify that path and reduce costs--using artificial intelligence.This technology can help patients receive needed care, and McCaslin discusses how an AI system, which he helped to develop, coordinates care for patients with dizziness and puts them in front of the appropriate providers.McCaslin will be presenting as a part of the 2023 Research Symposium on Hearing at the upcoming ASHA Convention.

In his book “Every Waking Moment,” author Christopher Anderson shares in unflinching detail the pain he experienced related to stuttering—both as a young person and into adulthood. But he also recounts how a series of personal decisions and a single business card slowly changed everything, putting him on the road to self-acceptance.Anderson joins the podcast to discuss his life and his book, including his experience with avoidance-reduction therapy, and what he wants to share with SLPs.This is the second conversation with an author who has written about their life as a person who stutters. Both conversations feature special guest co-host and SLP Chaya Goldstein-Schuff of the Sisskin Stuttering Center and the StutterTalk podcast.

Ten years after “Paperboy,” the story of a boy who stutters, resonated with audiences and won the Newbery Medal, its author Vince Vawter joins the podcast to discuss it.In the novel, protagonist "Little Man" takes over a paper route and finds empowerment, gaining confidence in himself and in his ability to communicate. Vawter talks about his own experiences as a person who stutters, and how people have reacted to his book over the years.This is the first of two conversations with authors about the lives of people who stutter, as narrated on the printed page. Both conversations feature special guest co-host and SLP Chaya Goldstein-Schuff of the Sisskin Stuttering Center and the StutterTalk podcast.

You may have seen a sometimes contentious element of contracts--the non-compete agreement--in the news lately. Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission recommended eliminating these clauses, claiming they decrease competition.Non-compete agreements are used to prohibit employees from leaving one workplace to join or create a competitor. Some employees believe the agreements limit their career advancement, but many employers feel they are necessary to protect their businesses and intellectual property.On this episode of ASHA Voices, hear a discussion on what may, or may not, be changing with non-compete agreements, and learn what employees and employers can do to protect their interests. Plus, ASHA members voice their perspectives.

SLP Kia Noelle Johnson speaks about cultural responsiveness in work with people who stutter and the role of culture in the presentation, assessment, and treatment related to this speech disfluency. It’s a matter Johnson notes is particularly relevant for school-based SLPs.Later in the episode, hear from a future SLP who is creating a space for vulnerable conversations about the experience of being a person who stutters.