A research study about speech, language, and cochlear implants at the Learning to Talk Lab at University of Maryland, College Park
Meet Our Specialists
Dr. Jan Edwards joined the University of Maryland in the Fall of 2016 as a faculty member in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences and an Associate Director of the Language Science Center. Her research focuses on children from a wide range of language experiences, including children who speak non-mainstream dialects of English or different first languages as well as children with cochlear implants or autism spectrum disorders. She is particularly interested in how children learn the sounds and words of their language and how this relates to language skills, literacy, and school success.
Dr. Meg Cychosz is a National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders postdoctoral researcher at the University of Maryland working with Dr. Rochelle Newman and Dr. Jan Edwards in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences. She studies how children with and without cochlear implants develop speech and learn to produce sounds and words. To understand this, Meg has worked with children from all over the world (Mexico, Bolivia, the United States, etc.). She received her PhD in linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020 and is an incoming assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Christina Blomquist is a PhD student in Speech-Language Pathology in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland. She is working under the supervision of Dr. Jan Edwards and Dr. Rochelle Newman. Her research focuses on language and literacy development, specifically the relationship between language processing and reading acquisition. Her current research is investigating how children with cochlear implants process language, including their ability to predict upcoming words in spoken language. Christina earned her B.A. in Speech and Hearing Science and Psychology from the University of Iowa.
Dr. Rochelle Newman is Chair of the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences and Associate Director of the Language Science Center at the University of Maryland. She helped found the Maryland Cochlear Implant Center for Excellence as well as the University of Maryland’s Infant and Child Studies Consortium and Autism Research Consortium. Her research focuses on speech perception and language acquisition. Dr. Newman is interested in how the brain recognizes words from fluent speech, especially in the context of noise, and how this ability changes as children develop.
Dr. Nicole Nguyen is an Associate Clinical Professor and the Director of Clinical Education in Audiology in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland. She is a board certified specialist in cochlear implants. Dr. Nguyen received bachelor degrees in Hearing and Speech Sciences and Psychology, as well as her clinical doctorate in Audiology from the University of Maryland. She completed her clinical residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in 2009. Dr. Nguyen served as Director of Audiology and Cochlear Implant Program Coordinator at UMMC while also serving as an adjunct instructor for UMD before joining the faculty in 2016. Her clinical background includes diagnostic audiometric testing, amplification for pediatric and adult patients, cochlear implants, vestibular assessment, and tinnitus/hyperacusis evaluation and management. She has taught graduate level courses in Implantable Devices and Hearing Aids.
Julianna Gross is an undergraduate research assistant in the Learning to Talk Lab at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a senior Hearing and Speech Sciences major and is interested in pursuing a career in pediatric speech-language pathology. When she’s not helping with the Learning to Listen Project, she works part-time as a newborn hearing screener at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Germantown, Maryland.
Claire Bowler is an undergraduate research assistant in the Learning to Talk Lab at University of Maryland, College Park. She is a junior Hearing and Speech Science major who is on a Speech Pathology track! Claire also runs the Learning to Listen Project’s official Instagram account! @learningtolistenproject
Sydney Condron is an undergraduate research assistent in the Learing to Talk Lab at University of Maryland, College Park. She is a senior Hearing and Speech Science major and Disability minor and is interested in pursuing a career as a medical speech language pathologist! Outside of the lab, Sydney works at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children in the summers. She also is involved in Sigma Delta Tau sorority on campus.
Catie Valentino is an undergraduate research assistant in the Learning to Talk lab in College Park, MD. She is a Human Development major who plans to pursue a career in pediatric medicine. Outside of the lab, Catie is a children’s sailing instructor and a member of Maryland’s collaborative student health advisory board.
Dr. Jan Edwards joined the University of Maryland in the Fall of 2016 as a faculty member in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences and an Associate Director of the Language Science Center. Her research focuses on children from a wide range of language experiences, including children who speak non-mainstream dialects of English or different first languages as well as children with cochlear implants or autism spectrum disorders. She is particularly interested in how children learn the sounds and words of their language and how this relates to language skills, literacy, and school success.
Dr. Meg Cychosz is a National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders postdoctoral researcher at the University of Maryland working with Dr. Rochelle Newman and Dr. Jan Edwards in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences. She studies how children with and without cochlear implants develop speech and learn to produce sounds and words. To understand this, Meg has worked with children from all over the world (Mexico, Bolivia, the United States, etc.). She received her PhD in linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020 and is an incoming assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. 
Christina Blomquist is a PhD student in Speech-Language Pathology in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland. She is working under the supervision of Dr. Jan Edwards and Dr. Rochelle Newman. Her research focuses on language and literacy development, specifically the relationship between language processing and reading acquisition. Her current research is investigating how children with cochlear implants process language, including their ability to predict upcoming words in spoken language. Christina earned her B.A. in Speech and Hearing Science and Psychology from the University of Iowa. 
Dr. Rochelle Newman is Chair of the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences and Associate Director of the Language Science Center at the University of Maryland. She helped found the Maryland Cochlear Implant Center for Excellence as well as the University of Maryland’s Infant and Child Studies Consortium and Autism Research Consortium. Her research focuses on speech perception and language acquisition. Dr. Newman is interested in how the brain recognizes words from fluent speech, especially in the context of noise, and how this ability changes as children develop.
Dr. Nicole Nguyen is an Associate Clinical Professor and the Director of Clinical Education in Audiology in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland. She is a board certified specialist in cochlear implants. Dr. Nguyen received bachelor degrees in Hearing and Speech Sciences and Psychology, as well as her clinical doctorate in Audiology from the University of Maryland. She completed her clinical residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in 2009. Dr. Nguyen served as Director of Audiology and Cochlear Implant Program Coordinator at UMMC while also serving as an adjunct instructor for UMD before joining the faculty in 2016. Her clinical background includes diagnostic audiometric testing, amplification for pediatric and adult patients, cochlear implants, vestibular assessment, and tinnitus/hyperacusis evaluation and management. She has taught graduate level courses in Implantable Devices and Hearing Aids.
Julianna Gross is an undergraduate research assistant in the Learning to Talk Lab at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a senior Hearing and Speech Sciences major and is interested in pursuing a career in pediatric speech-language pathology. When she’s not helping with the Learning to Listen Project, she works part-time as a newborn hearing screener at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Germantown, Maryland.
Claire Bowler is an undergraduate research assistant in the Learning to Talk Lab at University of Maryland, College Park. She is a junior Hearing and Speech Science major who is on a Speech Pathology track! Claire also runs the Learning to Listen Project’s official Instagram account! @learningtolistenproject
Sydney Condron is an undergraduate research assistent in the Learing to Talk Lab at University of Maryland, College Park. She is a senior Hearing and Speech Science major and Disability minor and is interested in pursuing a career as a medical speech language pathologist! Outside of the lab, Sydney works at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children in the summers. She also is involved in Sigma Delta Tau sorority on campus.
Catie Valentino is an undergraduate research assistant in the Learning to Talk lab in College Park, MD. She is a Human Development major who plans to pursue a career in pediatric medicine. Outside of the lab, Catie is a children’s sailing instructor and a member of Maryland’s collaborative student health advisory board.