Facilities and Software

General-Access Student Rooms

A common area shared with the Ph.D. Program in Linguistics contains networked computers. There is a  dedicated Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences computer hub with laser printer. Two special equipment laboratories contain on-line computers with speech analysis/synthesis software and hardware, laser and/or inkjet printers, and scanner. A language analysis laboratory with networked computers offers software for the analysis of language samples. A dedicated audiological suite with clinical audiometer is available. Networked software can be accessed from any network computer, including those in the Library and student offices. The Executive Officer is responsible for assigning students to general-access rooms.
 

Specialty Laboratories
A number of specialty laboratories serve the multiple functions of supporting funded and unfunded faculty research, student research, and research training. Although these spaces are under the direction of a given faculty member (see below), they are available to all faculty and students through arrangement with the faculty member responsible for that laboratory. Students may request desk/office space in any of these spaces.


Neurolinguistics Laboratory (Distinguished Professor Loraine Obler)

In this laboratory we conduct work on bilingualism and bi-dialectalism in aphasia, morphological disorders in agrammatic aphasia across languages, processes involved in reading in normals and dyslexics, language changes associated with healthy aging and dementia (e.g. the ability to comprehend accented speech) . The Neurolinguistics Laboratory meetings are held Thursday mornings during the school year and are open to all. The laboratory currently sponsors two open study-groups as well, one on Reading in Bilinguals, and one on Bilingual Processing more generally.

Developmental Language Laboratory (Professor Richard G. Schwartz)

This laboratory consists of three areas: (1) Sentence Processing, (2) Developmental Speech Perception, and (3) Electrophysiology. The Sentence Processing Area includes on-line and off-line computers, digital tape recorders, scanners, and specialized software to allow the construction and administration of language processing tasks for pre-school and school-aged children. The Developmental Perception Area has hardware and software to conduct auditory and cross-modal (visual preference) studies of speech perception and production in infants, toddlers and young children. The Electrophysiology Area includes a 32-channel Neuroscan and associated software to conduct studies of the neurophysiological bases of auditory perception and processing underlying language acquisition.

Developmental Neurolinguistics Laboratory (Associate Professor Valerie Shafer)

The goal of this laboratory is to understand the relationship between language and brain development, and later brain organization. Research projects are in progress that use electrophysiological methods to examine brain processes. An understanding of the relationship between language and brain development and later brain organization will help explain the nature of developmental language disorders.

Speech Acoustics and Perception Laboratory (Professor Winifred Strange, Director, Center for Research in Speech and Hearing Sciences; Visiting Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus James J. Jenkins)

Research in this laboratory is concerned with understanding the nature of the acoustic structure of speech and how it is perceived by normal hearing adults. A central emphasis of this research is the investigation of speech materials that more closely resemble "real world" utterances, (i. e., continuous speech utterances in which phonetic segments are co-articulated within a prosodic structure). Another theme is the investigation of cross-language differences in speech production (as examined by acoustical analysis) and speech perception. A major project, funded by NIDCD, investigates the cross-language differences in production and perception of vowels of American English, Danish, German, French, and Japanese. Other projects examine perception and production patterns of adult second-language learners of English (native speakers of Haitian Kreyol, Russian, Spanish, and Hebrew). Finally, experiments are currently under way that examine similarities and differences in perception of speech and meaningful (environmental) non-speech acoustic signals.

In the event it becomes necessary to borrow equipment for off-campus research, the borrower assumes personal responsibility for its care, security, and return. If equipment is broken, lost or stolen, the individual under whose care it was is liable for whatever repair and/or replacement is necessary. The Graduate Center does not carry insurance to cover the foregoing contingencies.

Hearing Science Laboratory (Professor Glenis Long)

Research in this laboratory attempts to improve our understanding of the role of the cochlear (inner ear). Otoacoustic emissions (sounds generated by the cochlea) are used a noninvasive tool for investigation of cochlear mechanics. This research is combined with psychoacoustic research to better understand the perceptual consequences of cochlear nonlinearity and distortion. The laboratory is fully equipped to synthesize, record and analyze acoustic stimuli. The experimental research is conducted along with the development of computer simulations of cochlear mechanics.

Audiology & Auditory Evoked Potentials Laboratory (Associate Professor Brett Martin)

Research in this laboratory focuses on behavioral and neurophysiologic processing of auditory information, especially speech.

Computer Software Available for Use (via the Network and/or off-line):

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