Speech and Neurodevelopment Lab

Alaina is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the Human Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences program under the supervision of Dr. Zimmerman. Prior to this, Alaina was the lab manager for the SNL for 2 years. She graduated in 2018 with her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and completed her B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology at Texas Christian University. During her dissertation work, Alaina plans to examine sucking and feeding development in special populations of infants with a focus on Down syndrome. She is passionate about improving developmental outcomes for infants with feeding disorders. Outside of the lab, Alaina continues to work clinically as an SLP at a private practice.

Alex is an engineering graduate of Northeastern University. He graduated in January of 2016 with a major in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Technological Entrepreneurship. Alex hopes to combine his engineering skills with his entrepreneurial passions to start his own company someday. He has enjoyed designing for a variety of different projects including industrial capital equipment, research testing, and jet engine components. He embraces innovation and someday hopes his work will contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. Outside of work, Alex enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, bicycling, traveling, and taking photos.

Taylor is a current 4th-year student at Northeastern University studying Marine Biology and plans on applying to medical school upon graduation. She is currently the ROUTES co-op student for the fall 2021 semester. Her interests in maternal and infant health care and her passion for environmental studies  drew her towards this co-op position. Through this position she hopes to analyze and address maternal & infant healthcare disparities through an enviromental perspetive. Outside of the lab, Taylor is on the Executive Board for both the Caribbean Student Organization and the College of Science Student Advisory Council at Northeastern University and enjoys volunteering with these organizations.

My name is Alicia Iizuka and I am a 4th year Health Science major with a minor in Psychology. Through the ROUTES program, I will be working under Dr. Emily Zimmerman, studying the interaction between sucking, feeding, and vocal development in infants. In particular, I will be analyzing Non-Nutritive Suck data as a way to evaluate neurodevelopment in early infancy, and therefore be investigating the association between environmental exposures and neurodevelopment. I am most interested in the field of public health; specifically, the effects of environmental contaminants on underserved communities. I would like to use the knowledge that I gain during my time at Northeastern and on my ROUTES co-op to advocate for more emphasis on preventative measures against adverse health impacts on populations in order to reduce health disparities and inequalities. I am enthusiastic for all that I have to learn about environmental health research throughout this co-op experience and I hope to become a strong proponent for environmental justice in the future.