People

Principal Investigators

Caroline Niziolek

Position title: Principal Investigator

Email: cniziolek@wisc.edu

How does what we hear affect what we say? My research combines neuroimaging and acoustic measures in an attempt to characterize speech feedback processing and what purpose it serves in communication. The overarching hypothesis that frames my work is that communicative intent defines the brain’s motor plans for speech goals.

Ben Parrell

Position title: Principal Investigator

Email: bparrell@wisc.edu

Grad Students, Postdocs, and Staff

Minju Bae

Position title: PhD Student

Email: minju.bae@wisc.edu

I am a PhD student in the Neuroscience Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before joining the program, I studied Psychology at Chung-Ang University and Cognitive Science at Seoul National University. My research focuses on the neural mechanisms of speech, particularly how higher-level cognitive processes integrate with lower-level motor control in speech production. Outside of research, I enjoy discovering delicious and convenient meal prep recipes.
You can learn more about my work on my personal website: https://sites.google.com/view/minjubae.

Hung-Shao Cheng

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Email: hcheng223@wisc.edu

I am a postdoctoral researcher at Speech Motor Neuroscience Group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I received my PhD in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University. My research interests focus on understanding the (neural-)mechanisms that underlie speech motor learning. I use interdisciplinary approaches to examine this topic including linguistics, speech science, motor learning and non-invasive neuromodulation techniques (e.g., tDCS and TMS). When I am not working, I probably think about what my next meal is or my cats.

Tim Murphy

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Email: tmurphy37@wisc.edu

I am a postdoctoral researcher working in the Speech Motor Neuroscience Group. My research aims to characterize the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying cognitive control in speech. I am particularly interested in the roles perceptual processing and speech sound representation play in speech motor control. The research I conducted while pursuing a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University investigated statistical learning in speech perception and its effect on speech production. I am now investigating sensorimotor adaptation and the role speech sounds representations play in this process.

Chris Naber

Position title: Lab Manager

Email: cwnaber@wisc.edu

I studied Psychology, Linguistics, and Music Performance at Emory University. After a stint at Epic and UW-Madison’s CSD capstone program, I started working in SMAC Lab in Summer 2019. I programmed experiments related to timing in speech, assisted students on projects, and improved lab tools like Audapter. In Summer 2021 I became lab manager.

Yuyu Zeng

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Email: yuyu.zeng@wisc.edu

I am a postdoctoral researcher of the Speech Motor Neuroscience Group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I grew up in Chongqing, China’s 4th direct-controlled municipality besides Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. Although I can perceive and produce the /in/ and /iŋ/ contrast in Mandarin Chinese, I pretend to have an accent by merging them when speaking Mandarin.

The central theme of my research is Words in Communication (WiC). My vision for research on WiC is that it will integrate knowledge from linguistics, acoustics, psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, computer science, and network science, using behavioral experiments, brain recordings, and computational models. You can find more about me on my personal website.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Hannah Goldman

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: hrgoldman@wisc.edu

I am an undergraduate senior majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Psychology with a certificate in Disability Services and Rights. After receiving my undergraduate degree, I plan to go to graduate school for speech pathology.

Ella Graham

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: eagraham5@wisc.edu

I am a junior at UW-Madison majoring in Neurobiology with a certificate in Health Policy. After undergraduate school, I plan to attend graduate or PA school to pursue a career in medicine.

Isabella Kafka

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: ikafka@wisc.edu

I am a junior majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Psychology. After graduation, I plan to attend graduate school for audiology.

Cole Klapheke

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: cgklapheke@wisc.edu

I am an undergraduate junior studying Neurobiology and Psychology. I am interested in studying cognitive processes using modern neuroimaging. I plan to attend graduate school for cognitive neuroscience upon completion of my undergraduate studies.

Nithya Krishna

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: nkrishna5@wisc.edu

I’m a sophomore majoring in computer science. After getting my undergraduate degree, I plan to go to graduate school in computer science.

Kerry Lannon

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: klannon@wisc.edu

I am an undergraduate senior majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Spanish. I plan to attend graduate school to earn my doctorate of audiology.

Riva Moradia

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: rmoradia@wisc.edu

I am a senior majoring in Neurobiology. I plan on attending medical school after receiving my undergraduate degree.

Acacia Omdahl

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: aomdahl@wisc.edu

I am a sophomore studying Communication Sciences and Disorders with a certificate in Global Health. After undergrad, I plan to get my masters in speech-language pathology.

Rachael Schneck

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: rschneck2@wisc.edu

I am a third-year student pursuing a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I am also planning on graduating from the College of Letters and Science honors program. When I graduate, I am either going to apply for graduate school to become a speech and language pathologist, or PA school.

Elle Stussy

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: estussy@wisc.edu

I am a junior majoring in Communication Sciences & Disorders with a certificate in Disability Rights and Services. After my undergrad, I plan to work towards my masters degree in speechlanguage pathology. I am particularly interested in working with children. 

Kelly Vazquez

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: kgvazquez@wisc.edu

I am a sophomore majoring in Neurobiology and Psychology. I am interested in neurodegenerative diseases and health. After graduating, I plan to attend graduate school.

Gabby Weis

Position title: Research Assistant

Email: grweis@wisc.edu

I am a senior at UW-Madison majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a certificate in Disability Rights and Services. I plan to become a Speech-Language Pathologist and work with elementary aged kids.

Lab Alumni - Postdocs

Sarah Bakst

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Address:
curr. Senior Linguist, SRI International

Sara Beach

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Address:
curr. Technical Staff, MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Robin Karlin

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate (2019-2023)

Address:
curr. Asst. Prof., Univ. Missouri

Anneke Slis

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate (2022-2024)

Address:
curr. Senior Researcher, ISTC, Padua, Italy

Ding-lan Tang

Position title: Postdoctoral Research Associate (2021-2023)

Address:
curr. Asst. Prof., Univ. Hong Kong

Lab Alumni - Grad Students and Staff

. Akshat

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant/Programmer

Alexa Bushinski

Position title: Lab Manager (2018-2020)

Address:
curr. PhD student, Cog. Psych, Purdue U.

Nickolas Comeau

Position title: Research Specialist/Programmer

Carissa Ernat

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant

Elena Groves

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant

Lana Hantzsch

Position title: Lab Manager (2020-2021)

Address:
curr. Lab Manager, Cognition and Neurodevelopmental Studies Lab, U. Minn.

Sophie Johnson

Position title: Research Assistant

Anna Mah

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant

Matthew Meuler

Position title: Research Assistant

Elisa Ou

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant/Programmer

Danielle Revai

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant

Hannah Smith

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant

Erin Tippit

Position title: Graduate Research Assistant