Lab News
May 2025
The Duckie Lab celebrated the graduation of three seniors this year. Gavin Fowler (who also gave a graduation speech at the CNHS ceremony!), Camryn Fortunato, and Anna Madden. Congratulations, graduates! We wish you all the best!
Lab members Isabella DeNault, Mia Dulchinos, and Melissa Kas presented their scientific posters to the CSD Department. They did a wonderful job presenting their research!
Lab members Gavin Fowler and Megan Moriarty received CSD Department Honors for their excellent contributions to the department and academic success. Gavin was awarded the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Award for Excellence, and Megan was awarded the Communication Sciences and Disorders Promise Award. Congratulations Gavin and Megan!
April 2025
Honors Thesis student Isabella DeNault was awarded a SURF summer research award. She will be measuring speech and language skill in late-talking toddlers over the summer. Congratulations, Izzy!
Honors Thesis student Camryn Fortunato successfully defended her undergraduate thesis entitled, “The temporal and phonological characteristics of vocalizations within the context of object handling in late-talking toddlers,” co-mentored by Drs. Benham & Velleman. Way to go, Camryn!
December 2024
Lab members Megan Moriarty, Gavin Fowler, and Anna Madden showcased their research projects to the CSD Department. They did a wonderful job presenting their research!
November 2024
Dr. Benham was awarded an Office of the Vice President for Research EXPRESS grant to fund her research on toddler head-camera modifications. She will work with a team of engineers to adapt existing models for egocentric data collection in toddlers!
October 2024
Members of the Duckie Lab participated in two outreach events with UVM’s Speech and Hearing Club: DLD Awareness Day and Apraxia Kids’ Walk for Apraxia.
August 2024
Dr. Benham attended a week-long NIH-funded Data Management for Data Sharing Workshop at Vanderbilt University. This short course provided an excellent opportunity to implement best practices for NIH-compliant data sharing and data management techniques, especially for the field of learning and child development.
July 2024
Check out some of our work on infant vocalizations with collaborator Jeremy Borjon and Parsa Taheri at the International Congress of Infant Studies
Body movements can shape the acoustic features of infant vocalizations (Parsa Taheri, Sara Benham, Chen Yu, Linda B. Smith, and Jeremy I. Borjon)
Find us in Prague at the International Congress for the Study of Child Language:
Tuesday, July 16 4-6PM How do naming moments emerge in natural infant-parent interactions? (Sara Benham, Hadar Karmazyn-Raz, Linda B. Smith)
Friday, July 19 8:30-10:30 AM Phonological and semantic interactions in typical and atypical language development. (Sara Benham & Lisa Goffman)
