Misericordia Students and Faculty Attend Austria Estill Symposium

Misericordia Students and Faculty Attend Austria Estill Symposium

This past August two members of faculty and three Speech-Language Pathology students from Misericordia University attended the prestigious Estill World Voice Symposium in Vienna, Austria. The Symposium is hosted once every two years with presentations and workshops from teachers and invited guests.

Misericordia faculty Cari Tellis, Ph.D., and Erin Roberts traveled to give a presentation at the symposium. Their presentation was co-authored by students Jacob Thomas, Stephanie Maines, and Ally Long. Thomas and Maines are graduate students, while Long is still completing her undergraduate studies.

“Conducting research and presenting at a conference like this is a once in a lifetime kind of experience,” Tellis said.

At the conference, Misericordia students and faculty gave two presentations. One was titled “Current Motor Learning Principles Applied to Speech-Language Pathology.” That presentation was given to “detail an objective drive, integrated implicit-explicit approach to voice therapy based on current motor learning theory,” Long said.

The second study, titled “Acoustic and Aerodynamic Comparisons of TVFBC Options After Estill Voice Training,” discussed the characteristics of true vocal fold vibration.

The trip was funded by a student research grant from Misericordia University. Long submitted a detailed proposal of the study and its need within the Speech-Language Pathology field, in addition to budget justification for the trip. Shortly after applying, Long received the grant, helping fund the research and travel required for the Symposium.

“The Estill Voice community is made up of some of the most brilliant and kind people from all around the world. You can feel the joy and excitement in the room when everyone is reunited after years apart,” Long said.

Nicholas Barone, Ph.D., former Misericordia Speech-Language Pathology student and current assistant professor at Central Michigan University, was also a presenter at the symposium. He presented research he began during his graduate studies at Misericordia University that he finished during his Ph.D. studies.

That study is titled “Breath Cycle and Airflow Rate Management.” Tellis is a co-author of the story, which was published in the “Journal of Voice.”

For more information on the Speech-Language Pathology program at Misericordia University, click here.