Alyssa Sachs's Conference Summary
Alyssa Sachs
Ph.D. Student
Cognitive Science GIDP
Conference Summary
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention
Boston, MA
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) hosts an annual convention for professionals in the field of communication sciences and disorders to learn about advances in research and clinical practice. This year, the convention was held in Boston, MA and included a variety of presentations and networking events. I had the opportunity to present my research on long-term recovery of language abilities in individuals with aphasia, an acquired language disorder typically caused by a stroke affecting the left side of the brain. My poster was selected for a new electronic poster (ePoster) format, which combined a traditional poster layout with multimedia capabilities. The ePoster was a novel way to interact with clinicians and researchers who attended the convention, and I appreciated the opportunity to share my findings with a variety of students and professionals. I am currently preparing a manuscript related to my poster, and several of the people I met in the context of my presentation provided valuable feedback.
In addition to presenting an ePoster, I attended other presentations, including a talk on cognitive skills in people with traumatic brain injury and a poster session on behavioral treatment approaches for people with aphasia. I also attended a day-long research symposium on language recovery in aphasia with my mentor, Dr. Pélagie Beeson. This symposium consisted of several presentations on current advances in research related to brain-based changes that support language recovery in people with aphasia. One of my primary research interests is the neural correlates of language impairment and recovery, and throughout the symposium, I was able to meet and interact with well-known researchers who are exploring topics related to my research interests. Additionally, my mentor and I participated in a Mentor/Mentee program supported by the National Institutes of Health that facilitated our active participation in the symposium and discussion of the topics with the presenters.
Overall, my experiences at the ASHA convention validated my interest in pursuing a clinical research career. I sincerely appreciate being selected as a recipient of the Herbert E. Carter Travel Award, which significantly supported my ability to attend the ASHA Convention and participate in multiple academic and professional networking opportunities.