Scholars in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders Secure Funding and National Recognition
In a significant development, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences has received new funding for its research initiatives, as reported on August 8, 2025[1]. This financial support underscores the active investment in the department’s research.
The funding was awarded to three of the department’s researchers, but specific details about the amounts or sources of funding were not provided in the search results.
One of the researchers, Yalian Pei, an assistant professor in the department, is focusing her research on the relationship among health communication discrimination, cognitive communication disorders, and healthcare use among individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Her work could advance our understanding of the healthcare access barriers faced by individuals with TBI and provide evidence that modifying health communication affects health quality.
Pei's research could also lead to external grant proposals and potentially help reduce access disparities and improve recovery outcomes for individuals with TBI. She has previously received funding from the University’s Lerner Center Faculty Fellows Grant Program.
Another notable recognition for the department came in the form of the Wayne J. Staab Award. This prestigious award recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions through service to the American Auditory Society. This year, the award was presented to Professor Beth Prieve, who is also the founder and director of the Pediatric Audiology Laboratory at Syracuse University.
The Pediatric Audiology Laboratory, established by Professor Prieve in 1990, focuses on identifying hearing loss in infants and children (birth to five years) with a particular emphasis on linking underlying auditory physiological processes to hearing impairment.
The Distinguished Achievement Award was also presented to Megan Leece, a member of the department. This award acknowledges her clinical, research, and academic achievements. The award recognizes contributions in student training, clinical presentations, publications, clinical research design, and execution of high-quality therapy in clinical trials.
The Lerner Center Faculty Fellows Grant Program, which supports science, policy, or practice in public health communications or population health, aims to advance these areas.
The article detailing these recognitions and funding was written by John H. Tibbetts.
[1] Tibbetts, J. H. (2025, August 8). Syracuse University's Communication Sciences and Disorders Department receives funding for research initiatives. The Daily Orange. Retrieved from https://thedailyorange.com/2025/08/08/syracuse-universitys-communication-sciences-and-disorders-department-receives-funding-for-research-initiatives/
- Researcher Yalian Pei is investigating the connection between health communication discrimination, cognitive communication disorders, and healthcare use among individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which could enhance our comprehension of the healthcare access barriers for these individuals and suggest methods to improve health quality.
- Pei's research could foster external grant proposals and potentially diminish access disparities, consequently improving recovery outcomes for individuals with TBI.
- Beyond Pei's project, the department's research in the field of medical-conditions and chronic-diseases like chronic-kidney-disease, cancer, respiratory-conditions, and neurological-disorders, such as Alzheimers-disease and multiple-sclerosis, is being funded.
- Mental-health is another crucial area of research for the department, with a focus on understanding and addressing therapies-and-treatments for various conditions like migraine and cardiovascular-health.
- In recognition of her service to the American Auditory Society, the Wayne J. Staab Award was bestowed upon Professor Beth Prieve, who is also the founder and director of the Pediatric Audiology Laboratory at Syracuse University.
- The Pediatric Audiology Laboratory, established by Professor Prieve in 1990, concentrates on identifying hearing loss in infants and children (birth to five years) and linking underlying auditory physiological processes to hearing impairment.
- Megan Leece, a member of the department, received the Distinguished Achievement Award, acknowledging her contributions in student training, clinical presentations, publications, clinical research design, and the execution of high-quality therapy in clinical trials within health-and-wellness.
- The department's research initiatives are supported by the Lerner Center Faculty Fellows Grant Program, an endeavor intended to advance science, policy, or practice in public health communications or population health through education-and-self-development and online-education.
- John H. Tibbetts wrote the article discussing these recognitions and funding for the department's research projects.
