Eric Hunter, Ph.d., took on a new role as Director of Trifecta on August 16.
Also known as Technology and Research Innovation for Health, Trifecta is an initiative which brings together Intellectual Leaders from the Michigan State University Colleges of Communications Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Nursing. With his experience and expertise as a researcher and leader, Hunter is well suited to lead Trifecta by fostering interdisciplinary collaborations among the three colleges.
"I'm looking forward to working with faculty to address crucial research questions in health that can be addressed by assembling multidisciplinary research teams and providing new pathways for grant funding," said Hunter.
Hunter currently serves as Associate Chair in the Communicative Sciences and Disorders Department and is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America. He came to MSU from the National Center for Voice and Speech, where he served as Deputy Executive Director for six years. Eric has a background in applied physics and acoustics and he has held appointments in the Department of Surgery and Bioengineering. His research interests include biomechanics of speech articulators, occupational voice use, biomechanical models of the vocal system, muscle mechanics and muscle models, and signal processing.
Hunter will take the reins from Shelia Cotten, Ph.D. whose leadership over the last three years has placed Trifecta on a firm footing. Under Cotten's leadership, Trifecta has had a number of accomplishments in research, grants and outreach.