AAMU Students to Present Their Research to a National Audience

Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program students are poised to make an impact at the upcoming National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) Conference, set for April 11-13 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

NBASLH, recognized as the premier association addressing the communication interests of Black professionals, students, and consumers, selected two AAMU students to present sessions based on their proposals. "It's the first time students have been invited and this achievement underscores our program's commitment to excellence," says Dr. Diana Billings, the CSD Program Coordinator.

One of the highlights of the conference will be the presentation by senior Mi-Tresa Billingsley from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Her case study, titled “Hearing Loss Due to Stroke,” delves into deeply personal territory. Billingsley reveals, “My dad suffered from a stroke and passed away, so it’s about his whole treatment.”

Meanwhile, graduate student Mahagony Johnson, hailing from College Park, Georgia, will co-present with Dr. Billings on the intricate subject of jugular paragangliomas. “It’s a vascular tumor that is very rare,” explains Johnson. “Dr. Billings is presenting an audiological case study on someone who has a paraganglioma.”

Senior Anna Williams from Union Grove, Alabama, will showcase her extensive research on noise-induced hearing loss in band students. Williams, who has been conducting research on high school students in her hometown since 2020, notes, “With students that have been in the band most of junior high and high school, they have shown signs of hearing loss, especially those who sit in front of the brass section where trumpets are blaring towards them.”

Joining Williams is graduate student Erika Dalton of Madison, Alabama. “I play the clarinet so it doesn’t surprise me at all," says Williams. "My dad plays the trumpet and it is quite loud, so I can only imagine the hearing loss that it causes.”

In addition to these presentations, juniors Zia George of Springville, Alabama, and Eryn E. Johnson of Phenix City, Alabama, will be representing AAMU’s Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Task Force at the conference. AAC devices, ranging from simple picture boards to sophisticated computer programs, assist individuals with communication disorders in expressing themselves.

“We are designing an interactive lab with AI and ACC and we will be learning more about AAC devices and how we can implement them in our virtual lab,” says George. Johnson adds, “I’m most excited learning more about AI and ACC devices that can help people because there are so many different versions of speech disorders and the non-verbal community is so underrepresented.”

Dr. Billings concludes on a note of anticipation, remarking, “This marks a significant milestone for our CSD program. We eagerly anticipate the knowledge and experiences our students will bring back to our community.”