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SPEECH NEUROPHYSIOLOGY LAB
at the University of Michigan
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A message from our director
Fall is a busy time for many, and our lab is no exception. I am thrilled to share updates with you about our recent publications, awards, and the new studies we're building.
I want to give a special thank you to those who attended the International Stuttering Awareness Day Celebration on October 22nd. It was a joyful evening and a wonderful opportunity to bring together members of our local stuttering community. If you missed it, take a look at the photos members of our lab captured during the event.
I am grateful, as ever, for your continued support of stuttering research. Whether you've participated in our studies, stay up-to-date with our newsletter, joined us at an event this fall, or have provided financial support for our research, thank you for all the ways you're helping us improve the lives of people who stutter.
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Soo-Eun Chang, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Principal Investigator and Director
Speech Neurophysiology Lab
Rosa Casco Solano-Lopez Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Michigan Medicine
University of Michigan
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New publication in Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
Soo-Eun Chang, Ph.D., is co-author of a new paper, A 'Basin of Attraction' Theory of Speech Initiation and Stuttering, published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. In this paper, the co-authors propose a new framework for understanding how fluent speech is initiated and how this process may be disrupted in stuttering. They ask the question: what neural conditions need to be established for fluent speech to begin? We recently interviewed Dr. Chang to learn more about this new research framework and what it can teach us about stuttering.
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Lab awarded NIH grant to pilot rhythm-based game for stuttering treatment
In collaboration with Devin McAuley, Ph.D., Professor of Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience at Michigan State University and Say-It Labs, a therapeutic gaming company, our lab received a new grant to create a digital game designed to strengthen intrinsic timing abilities that support fluent speech in children who stutter. The rhythm-based game will become more complex as players progress through different levels, building a strong foundation of rhythm and timing. By testing this game with children who stutter, this project will determine whether rhythm-based games are a viable treatment option that can improve stuttering symptoms and reduce them over time.
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Yookyung Kim, Ph.D., awarded an ASHFoundation 2026 New Investigators Research Grant
Dr. Kim was selected by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation as a winner of the 2026 New Investigators Research Grant. The grant awards $10,000 to an early career research investigator to support their work. Dr. Kim's study is called “The Genetic and Neurobiological Markers of Stuttering via Multiplex-Family SNP Profiling and Neuroimaging.”
Dr. Kim will attend the ASHA convention in Indianapolis, IN later this month to receive the award in person.
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Soo-Eun Chang, Ph.D., Named an ASHA 2026 Media Champion Award Recipient
Dr. Chang is a recipient of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) 2026 Media Champion Award. She was selected for her contributions to an interactive stuttering exhibit at Planet Word Museum in Washington, D.C. The exhibit featured MRI images from our lab's research as well as a video of Dr. Chang explaining how the brains of people who stutter differ from those who don't.
This award recognizes individuals and organizations who make a positive difference by promoting greater awareness and education about communication disorders.
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November 18, 2026 and December 16, 2026
6:00p.m.–7:30p.m.
Ann Arbor District Library Downtown, 3rd Floor Freespace (or virtual)
In partnership with the Ann Arbor Stuttering Awareness and Research Club (A2STAR ⭐) at UM, we co-host monthly support group meetings open to teens and adults who stutter. This is a supportive group for sharing experiences. Sometimes we invite special speakers or host social outings. If you'd like to be part of the group and connect with other people who stutter, please fill out our interest form, and we'll send you all the details. This is a hybrid group, so you can join in person or virtually as your schedule allows.
| | Research Participant Spotlight | | "I wish people knew that we just need a little extra time to say things. I don’t need someone else to finish my sentences. I know what I want to say but sometimes just need a second to get it out." — Research participant, age 13 |
Meet one of our research participants!
Have you ever wanted to meet a fellow research participant or just wondered what it's like to be a part of stuttering research?
We interviewed a research participant, age 13, who has joined our lab's studies and is helping to make a difference in the lives of people who stutter just like them. We asked them questions about their thoughts on research and what they wish others know about stuttering.
Keep reading to learn more about them and read their thoughts on stuttering research!
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Get to know Dr. Ci-Jun Gao!
We sat down with Dr. Ci-Jun Gao, a new Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the lab, to learn more about her work and her interests. Get to know Ci-Jun through our interview (and enjoy a few adorable cat pictures while you're there). 😺
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Thanks to everyone who attended the International Stuttering Awareness Day Celebration!
International Stuttering Awareness Day was on October 22nd, and to celebrate, we joined the U-M student organization A2STAR for a special event in honor of our local stuttering community. Guests learned about speech and stuttering, participated in games and activities, and shared their personal stories during a moving open mic session. Enjoy these photos from the evening!
| | Speech Neurophysiology Lab around the world | | Our lab members have been busy working locally and abroad to advance stuttering research. Here are a few photos from our recent adventures! | | Stuttering researchers Dr. Emily Garnett, Dr. Ci-Jun Gao, and Dr. Yanni Liu present posters at the Society of Neurobiology of Language Annual Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland | | Research assistant Catherine Lee greets table visitors at the ViewFest Mental Health Fair held at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak, MI | | Research assistants Janice Chong, Catherine Lee, and Sophia Hogan led our build a brain hat activity at Pop-Up Safety Town in Detroit, MI | | Research Area Specialist Marrian Tan leads a creative art activity for kids in the KidZone tent at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in Ann Arbor, MI | | Dr. Ci-Jun Gao presented a poster at the Association for Computational Linguistics Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA | | Research Area Specialist Jaeeun Kim presents a poster at the Society of Neurobiology of Language Annual Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland | | | |
Participate in our research
Are you or someone you know interested in participating in stuttering research? We are searching for participants of all ages to help us with our research studies and would love your help spreading the word! Our study procedures include surveys, speech and language screenings, and non-invasive brain activity recordings using electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our participants are compensated for their time and are helping to advance the field of stuttering research!
If you know someone who might be interested in research, please forward this email to them and encourage them to get in touch with us. We would love to meet them!
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Looking for more paid research opportunities?
The University of Michigan's Conceptual Development Lab studies how kids think, learn, and perceive the world. They are currently interested in how kids understand a variety of topics including illness, groups, trust, sports, gender, media, digital privacy, and more. Interested in participating in a study or want to learn more? Please fill out their study interest form. Questions? Contact conceptlab@umich.edu.
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