Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences - UT Austin

06/15/2026

05/28/2026

As National Speech-Language-Hearing Month wraps up, we want to take a moment to celebrate our SLHS community!

From our students, staff, faculty, lab volunteers and more, we appreciate all you do to make a difference on campus, in the clinic, and beyond the Forty Acres. Hook ‘em! 🤘🧡

05/21/2026

Third-year doctor of audiology student Tyler Scott has spent the past year exploring the relationship between cochlear implants and certain hair types through her capstone project. Drawing on experiences from cochlear implant users, Scott aims for her research to raise awareness and guide change.

"I noticed a lack of information about hair and cochlear implants in the professional space,” Scott said. “I thought this was a big gap in patient care, especially for patients who have thicker and curlier hair types.”

“I wanted to find a hair-based solution for a hair-based problem.”

Read More: https://moody.utexas.edu/news/loud-and-clear2026

05/20/2026

Imagine if your access to sound depended on whether a braid could hold a piece of technology in place.

Worldwide, one million people rely on cochlear implants, yet for many, hair texture is an overlooked obstacle to consistent hearing.

Third-year audiology student, Tyler Scott, set out to research “a hair-based solution to a hair-based problem.” For her capstone project, she researched the relationship between cochlear implants and curly hair, centering the lived experiences of users and parents to resolve this gap in patient care. 🦻

Learn more about Tyler’s research here: https://moody.utexas.edu/news/loud-and-clear

05/20/2026

Raj Koul, department chair and professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, received a Fulbright Specialist Award to complete a project at Stellenbosch University in South Africa!

The project will involve research mentorship and presentations, academic program evaluation, and strategic planning. The award recognizes his professional achievements, leadership, and potential to build lasting international collaboration between U.S. and global institutions.

05/15/2026

This past weekend, Moody College of Communication students crossed the graduation stage, turning the page on their undergraduate journey at the University of Texas at Austin and stepping into the next chapter of their story.

"Today, you are graduating with a four-year degree from one of the best public universities in the country," Interim Dean of the Moody College of Communication Anita Vangelisti emphasized. "No matter your desired career path after graduation, the world needs strong communicators... As you begin writing your next chapters, I hope you never forget that you have a community like no other here at Moody College."

, this important milestone reflects your dedication, perseverance and passion you bring to your work and the creativity you hold as professionals. We can't wait to see how you'll lead, innovate and change the world.

Read all about the 2026 graduation ceremony and all the memories that we made: https://moody.utexas.edu/news/turning-their-tassels-2026
🖊️: Megan Radke

Check out some highlights from the ceremony: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCTEQH
📸: Miranda Larralde and Mariana Medina

05/13/2026

Congratulations to all our SLHS students! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see you go out and change the world. Hook ‘em forever and ever! 🤘🧡

04/27/2026

Special thanks to Dr. Audra Sterling for presenting her talk "Divergent Pathways: Language and Cognitive Profiles in autism, fragile X, and Down Syndrome" at our annual Woolfolk Lecture!

Dr. Sterling is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where SLHS professor Laura Friedman got her master's and Ph.D.! Dr. Sterling was actually Dr. Friedman's Ph.D. mentor!

They shared an old photo them from Dr. Friedman's master's graduation. Thank you Dr. Sterling! 🤘

04/21/2026

Our next student feature is San Antonio native Gianna Guerrero! She’s a freshman SLHS major who hopes to use her degree to help others develop and strengthen their communication abilities. 

“I believe everyone deserves access to effective communication, regardless of how it is acquired.” 

So far, her favorite class has been “Phonetic Description of Speech” by Dr. Czimskey because it taught her many new things, such as IPA and sound and speech acoustics. In terms of student orgs, she plans on joining orgs like NSSLHA in the future! 

Three words to describe her UT experience? Unpredictable, transformative, and exciting! In the future, she hopes to become an NICU SLP, where she can evaluate and treat feeding difficulties in premature infants. 

Outside of the WCP on a sunny day is what Gianna considers the most underrated study spot on campus. When asked her favorite place to eat near campus, she chose none other than Canes! 

For incoming SLHS students, she highly suggests building connections! “Talking to classmates and professors can provide you with so many great opportunities, such as friendships or internship opportunities.” 

We cannot wait to see what you do in the future, Gianna! Hook ‘em! 🤘