IU

 

People

Principal Investigator  

Gavin M. Bidelman, PhD (CV) (PubMed) (Google Scholar) (Research Gate) is an auditory cognitive neuroscientist who uses neuroimaging and data science tools (EEG/ERPs, psychophysics, computational modeling, machine learning) to investigate foundational properties of auditory perception and cognition. The work includes elements of both basic research and clinically motivated inquiry. Lab studies proceed on three main fronts: (1) understanding the neurocomputations involved in the perception-cognition and novel learning of speech and musical sounds—with current emphasis on auditory categorization; (2) a neuroethological approach characterizing the upper bounds of brain plasticity via study of listeners with extraordinary auditory expertise (e.g., musicians, bilinguals); and translational work (3) examining changes in neurophysiological coding across the lifespan in both normal and clinical populations (hard of hearing, mild cognitive impairment). The lab is funded by the NIH/NIDCD.  

 

PhD students   

 

 

Jessica MacLean,MM, MT-BC, joined the lab in Fall 2022 as a dual PhD student in SLHS and Neuroscience at Indiana University. She holds a Master of Music in Music Therapy with Undergraduate Equivalency (University of Miami) and a Bachelor of Science in Music (violin) with an Outside Field in Neuroscience (Indiana University). Most recently, Jessica served as core project manager for a multi-site R01 trial out of the IU School of Nursing in Indianapolis investigating biologic mechanisms of active music engagement in pediatric oncology (PI: Sheri Robb, PhD, MT-BC). She also worked as a research assistant in the Brainvolts Auditory Neuroscience Lab at Northwestern University (PI: Nina Kraus, PhD). Jessica’s research interests include clinical applications of music for speech and language outcomes with a focus on gaining deeper understanding of the associated neural mechanisms.

 

Rose Rizzi is a dual PhD student in SLHS and Neuroscience at Indiana University. She earned her BS in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience at Virginia Tech in 2020. Her research interests include neuroplasticity, neurostimulation, and auditory attention.

AuD students 

Alexandria Sisson, B.S., joined the lab in Fall 2022 as a first year AuD student at Indiana University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders and Sciences and Minor in Neuroscience from Eastern Illinois University. Most recently, Alexandria served as a research assistant in the Hearing Aid Laboratory at Northwestern University (PI: Pam Souza, PhD), as well as the Auditory Research Laboratory at Northwestern University (PI: Sumitrajit Dhar, PhD., Mary Meskan, PhD.). Alexandria’s research interests include cognitive decline and language perception, neural processing of speech and language, and auditory psychophysics.

 

Undergraduate students

Jack Stirn joined the lab in Fall 2022 as an undergraduate student studying Neuroscience and Linguistics. Jack is in the Cox Research Scholars program at IU. His research interests include psycholinguistics, pragmatics, and speech perception. 

Elizabeth Drobny joined the lab in Spring 2023 as an undergraduate student studying Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. Elizabeth is in the SLHS Honors Program at IU. Her research interests include the speech perception and the neural processing of speech.

 

Serenity Seigel joined the lab in Spring 2024 as an undergraduate student studying Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. Serenity is in the SLHS Honors Program at IU.

 

Camille Mendoza joined the lab in Fall 2023. She graduate from IU with a degree in Biology and is currently taking a gap year before pursuing graduate work.

 

Lab Alumni