Oyer Lecture

The Herbert J. and E. Jane Oyer Annual Lecture on Communication Disorders and Human Development is an endowed lectureship established in 1990 for Dr. Herbert J. and Dr. E. Jane Oyer. Herbert J. Oyer came to MSU in 1960 as associate professor and the director of the Speech and Hearing Clinic.

In 1965, he was named Chairperson of the Department of Speech. He set out to improve and upgrade the program by recruiting new faculty and graduate students, and by locating and developing funding sources to support the department's educational, clinical and research activities. Through his efforts, funds were made available to aid in the 1969 construction of the speech-language-hearing clinic now bearing his name.

Dr. Oyer served as the Dean of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences from 1971-75 and Dean of the Graduate School from 1975-82. The Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders hosts this annual lecture, which highlights topics in speech, language, and hearing. Beginning in 2013, the lecture began to be planned and organized by the CSD GSAC which is a student-run organization within the Master's program. This provides students with leadership experiences and opportunities to interact with nationally recognized researchers in the field of communication sciences and disorders.

This Year's Oyer Lecture

On March 8, from 2:00 - 4:00PM Dr. Spangler’s presentation will address the interprofessional collaboration between the audiologist, speech language pathologist (SLP), educators, and family to ensure access to the educational curriculum for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Topics addressed include individual and collaborative roles of the audiologist and SLP, school acoustic environments and technology, and peer self-advocacy.

View the full details and register here

Past Oyer Lectures

2022

Alice K. Silbergleit, Ph.D., CCC-SLP from the Henry Ford Health System & Wayne State University School of Medicine, Jessica E. Shill, M.D. from the Henry Ford Health System & Wayne State University School of Medicine, and Laura Garcia-Rodriquez, M.D. from the Henry Ford Health System were our guest speakers for the 32nd Annual Oyer Lecture.

The session "Voice Therapy in the Transgender Population: Current Trends and Collaboration with Medical and Surgical Specialists" focused upon the collaborative treatment approach of speech-language pathologists, endocrinologists and ENT/plastic surgeons in the care of individuals who are transgender. The continuum of care from gender affirming hormone therapy to voice evaluation and voice treatment options to laryngeal surgery for pitch adjustment will be reviewed. Video recordings of therapy techniques with clients will be used to enhance the presentation.

2020

Dr. Ryan Tierney, Ph.D., ATC was our special guest speaker for the 30th Annual Oyer Lecture, with "Use of a Head Impact Model to Improve Concussion Management." 

He discussed his research examining individual responses to head impacts including genetic and subconcussion models, as well as his research on emerging concussion assessments. He also covered how research could be used to improve clinical practice. 

Dr. Ryan Tierney, Ph.D., ATC serves as an Associate Professor and the Graduate Program Director in Kinesiology at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His current research focuses on traumatic brain injury (TBI) assessments and examining the mechanisms underlying individual responses to head impacts. He has multiple publications and presentations related to vestibular and ocular motor performance associated with concussion management.

Dr. Ryan Tierney, Temple University

2019

Dr. Nancy Brady, Ph.D. was our special guest speaker for the 29th Annual Oyer Lecture, with "Assessment & Intervention Strategies for Children with Autism & Low Verbal Skill."

She reviewed the typical developmental milestones for prelinguistic communication and how to assess these milestones were discussed, along with case studies that demonstrated different milestones. 

Dr. Nancy Brady, Ph.D., a professor and the Chair of Speech-Language-Hearing at the University of Kansas, is a leading expert in preverbal and early verbal communication in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism. her work on developing assessments and interventions informs clinical practice, particularly for individuals with severe autism, Down Syndrome, fragile X syndrome, rare disorders associated with intellectual disabilities, and children with sensory impairments such as deaf-blindness. 

Dr. Nancy Brady, University of Kansas

2018

Dr. Ingo Titze was the 2018 Oyer Lecture presenter.

Dr. Titze is one of the world’s leading vocal scientists and is considered the founding father of Vocology, a term he defines as “the study and practice of voice habilitation.”  He is a University of Iowa Foundation Distinguished Professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology and the School of Music. He is also the Director of Research at The National Center for Voice and Speech (NCVS) at The University of Utah.  Dr. Titze has degrees in electrical engineering (B.S.E.E., M.S.) and physics (Ph.D.).  His research in clinical voice and vocal music have led to multiple contributions to a wide array of fields related to the vocal process.  He has published multiple books and journal articles and provided lectures worldwide. As Director and Professor of the Summer Vocology Institute at NCVS, Dr. Titze leads an intensive program for individuals interested in learning about Vocology, including speech-language pathologists, musicians, and professional voice users.

Dr. Titze lectured on Vocology in the 21st Century, and reviewed recent advances in the science of voice production, and how to apply it to clinical voice, speech, and singing. 

To see more of that Dr. Titze does, visit the National Center for Voice & Speech website.

Dr. Titze, NCVS

2017

Dr. Scott Dailey presented at the 2017 Oyer Lecture on the topic of areas of research in cleft speech, with emphasis on how this relates to clinical work, as well as additional discussion of cleft/craniofacial feeding and swallow research with clinical application.

Dr. Dailey has been a practicing clinician at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery for the past 16 years. He primarily works in pediatrics, with specialization in the areas of speech, swallowing, and feeding disorders related to cleft lip and palate, as well as craniofacial anomalies. Dr. Dailey holds an appointment as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa and he has presented at invited lectures and workshops on pediatric feeding and cleft speech and swallowing disorders both nationally and internationally. He is also currently serving as Assistant Coordinator for ASHA Special Interest Group 5, Speech Science and Orofacial Disorders. In addition, he is an active member of the American Cleft Palate - Craniofacial Association as well as the Iowa Speech-Language-Hearing Association.


Dr. Scott Dailey received a B.S. in Psychology from Iowa State University, a M.A. in Communication Disorders from University of Northern Iowa and a Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Iowa. He is a Speech-Language Pathologist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa.


2016

John Rosenbek, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Florida and adjunct professor at Michigan State University.


Swallowing in Neurogenerative Disease

Dr. Rosenbek is a Fellow in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and has received honors in the Kleffner Career Clinic Award, the Kwana Lifetime Achievement in Publications, and the Honors of the Academy of Neurogenic Communication Disorders and Sciences.

Dr. Rosenbek has retired from the University of Florida and is still practicing in the field of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences. He recently completed his 45th year of practice, and is currently a clinical consultant. He also serves on a variety of Advisory Boards, and is a continuing education provider in the United States and abroad.

His current research focuses on early identification of disease based on speech and language performance with his colleagues.


2015

Kenn Apel, Ph.D., University of South Carolina and Cynthia Puranik, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh

Looking at Literacy through the Lens of Speech-Language Pathology


2014

Nidhi Mehendra, Ph.D. California State University East Bay


Lecture 1: Access to Speech-Language Pathology Services: Experiences and Barriers Reported by Minority Clients


Lecture 2: Evidence-Based Assessment and Intervention for Persons with Dementia: Let's Do This SLPs!


2013

Gregory Lof, Ph.D. MGH Institute of Health Professions


Lecture 1: Science and Psuedoscience in CSD


Lecture 2: Logic, Theory, and Evidence Against the Use of Non-Speech Oral Motor Exercises


2012

Julius Fridriksson, Ph.D., University of South Carolina


Relying on Old "Tricks" to Treat Aphasia