Joining the Lab
We invite UNH graduate and undergraduate students from both Neuroscience and Behavior (Dept. of Biological Sciences) and the Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders to join our lab.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact :
Dr. Robin at don.robin@unh.edu, Ariana White at ariana.white@unh.edu, or Alyssa Walker at alyssa.t.walker@unh.edu.
DONALD A. ROBIN, PhD, CCC-SLP
IMPROV LAB DIRECTOR
PROFESSOR, DEPTS. OF CSD AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM IN NEUROSCIENCE AND BEHAVIOR
email: don.robin@unh.edu
COLLEAN COMBS, EdD Candidate, MS, CCC-SLP
IMPROV LAB ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, CLINICAL SUPERVISOR, DEPT. OF CSD
email: collean.combs@unh.edu
Research Collaborator and Co-Investigators
KITTY VERDOLINI ABBOTT, PHD
THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE, COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
KIRRIE BALLARD, PHD
THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
HO MING CHOW, PHD
THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE, COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
FRANK GUENTHER, PHD
BOSTON UNIVERSITY, SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING SCIENCES
LAUREN KEITH, M.S.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS & STROKE (NINDS)
MADISON MAY, M.S.
COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
HILARY MILLER, PHD Candidate
BOSTON UNIVERSITY, COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
PANCY PANG, PHD
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE, COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
KIMBERLY RAY, PHD
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, PSYCHOLOGY
JASON TOURVILLE, PHD
BOSTON UNIVERSITY, SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING SCIENCES
LAB MEMBERS
SEMRA A. AYTUR, PHD
HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND POLICY
KERI MILORO, MS
COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
RAE SONNENMEIER, PHD
COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
GRADUATE RESEARCHERS
KATE SJOSTEDT, B.S. (CSD)
Kate is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Accelerated Master’s program. She is currently working on her Master’s thesis, which focuses on an app-delivered speech therapy treatment that utilizes the principles of motor learning. This pilot treatment will be investigated in a wide range of populations and communication disorders. In the future, she is interested in working with the pediatric population as a speech-language pathologist.
ARIANA WHITE, B.S. (CSD)
Ariana is a second-year graduate research assistant in the Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) Accelerated Master's program. She has a minor in Psychology and hopes to integrate her interest in psychology with CSD populations. Some of her interests include neural plasticity, pragmatics, and using psychological therapy (such as ACT) to better facilitate rehabilitation. She completed her Honors thesis on tele-ACT intervention for individuals with chronic pain. She is working on a project on the use of ACT for stroke-related communication disorders, as well as a Master's thesis. Her thesis will be a meta-analytic connectivity model (MACM) on mindfulness.
IZZY SIMBARI, B.S. (CSD)
Izzy Simbari is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) program. Izzy has a love for music, voice, and theater. She is a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and individuals with disabilities and is proud to serve those communities in future professional work. She is currently working on her Master's thesis titled 'FUSION', which aims to teach school-age children neuroscience through musical improvisation.
ALYSSA WALKER, B.S. (CSD)
Alyssa Walker is a first-year graduate student and graduate research assistant in the Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program. She has a passion for running and will be joining the cross country and track and field teams at UNH. Her interests include advocacy for individuals with disabilities, specifically children, and the use of neuroimaging in intervention programs.
CHLOE MCCAULEY, B.A. (CSD & PSY)
Chloe McCauley is a first-year graduate student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program with a background in both CSD and Psychology. She is currently interested in neural plasticity, motor speech, and voice. Chloe is in the process of completing a Master's thesis on the external focus of attention in voice and speech.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS
AISLYN O'CONNELL - SENIOR (CSD)
Aislyn is a senior Communication Sciences & Disorders major. Her interests are primarily in motor speech disorders and the brain. She is fascinated by the brain and how stroke and TBIs affect speech, language, and cognition. She has many interests in communication disorders, but overall, she is feeling out what populations she wants to work with and in what setting.
ALANA DAIL - SENIOR (CSD)
Alana is a senior in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) with a concentration in psychology. She is currently interested in the impact of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on neurodevelopment, pragmatic language, and neuroplasticity. In the future, she is interested in working with a young adult population as a speech-language pathologist as well as continuing her research career.
KATIE LENNOX - SENIOR (CSD)
Katie is a junior in the Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program. She has interest in the neurological aspects of speech and language, as well as swallowing, and will be completing her honor’s thesis on the use of ACT for individuals with stroke-related communication disorders. Katie is also on the cross country and track and field teams at UNH.
LILAH READ - JUNIOR (NSB)
Lilah is a junior Neuroscience & Behavior major. Her area of interest is empathy and she is currently conducting a meta-analytic connectivity model (MACM) on empathy responses in psychopaths for her Honor's Thesis.
TIERNEY HAAS - JUNIOR (NSB)
Tierney is a junior Neuroscience & Behavior major. Her area of interest is within forensics, with a specific focus on forensic neuroscience.
HAYDEN WINK - JUNIOR (NSB)
Hayden is a junior Neuroscience & Behavior major. They are interested in understanding altered brain states and the implications on neuroplasticity. They will be conducting a meta-analysis on whole-brain functional connectivity on participants in meditation.
ALEXANDER WHITE - SOPHOMORE (DS)
Alexander is a sophomore Data Science major and is minoring in computer science. He enjoys the use of Java, C, and Python, and is specifically interested in forensics and using coding to assist with research. He is currently using Java to program and assist in a research study about attention.
SOPHIA ROSENTHAL - SOPHOMORE (NSB)
Sophia Rosenthal is a sophomore Neuroscience and Behavior major, minoring in disabilities studies. She is originally from New Jersey and enjoys snowboarding, weightlifting, and watching baseball in her free time. She also is currently interested in apraxia of speech and will be collaborating on the Saybananas project.
ZOE CATRAMBONE - SOPHOMORE (NSB)
Zoe is an upcoming Sophomore majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Nutrition. She is on the track and field team at UNH, and is considering a career in medicine, but is keeping her options open.
Previous IMPROV Lab Members
Zoe Weston Julia Bushell Chris Tilton
Courtney Allard Sara Willis Allison Easterbrook
Francesca Volante Ashley Woodbury Elizabeth Henry
Emily Tatarczuk Olivia Dempsey Morgan James
Madison Smith Gabrielle Gagnon Hilary Miller
Kelly Marinick Savannah Salvage Sarah Meier
Lauren Keith Laura Ireland Avery Van De Water
Grace Roy Juliana Mastan Noah Waller
John Madigan