Pitt Language Rehab and Cognition Lab

09/08/2022

We are looking for individuals without aphasia to participate in a norming study to develop materials to be used in aphasia treatment research on naming therapy strategies. Please see below for details and contact information!

08/17/2022

A group of people came together to create three video games aimed ...

12/18/2021

We're looking to recruit a new PhD student for Fall 2022! Please share! Our current lab research is focused on rehabilitation in the areas of mindfulness-based counseling, adaptive computer-based treatment, aphasia games, and stakeholder engagement. More info about the Language Rehab and Cognition Lab (LRCL) here: https://www.lrcl.pitt.edu/

The LRCL is also part of the new Pittsburgh Translational Aphasia Research Initiative (PTARI). Therefore in addition to primary PhD mentorship from Will Evans (https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/people/william-s-evans), excellent collaboration and co-mentoring opportunities are available from the rest of the PTARI mentorship team: Michael Walsh Dickey (https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/people/michael-walsh-dickey), Will Hula (https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/people/william-d-hula), and Sarah Wallace (https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/people/sarah-wallace).

Additional training and support are also available through the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI): https://ctsi.pitt.edu/

Applications are *especially* encouraged from SLPs whose personal clinical experience in aphasia and adult neurogenics motivates them to help improve clinical practice in these areas through their own research. Come learn how to turn your clinical intuitions and experienced practice gaps into a high-quality research program!

Applications due January 15th: https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/phdcsd/admissions.

If you are interested or have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]

We welcome applicants of all abilities/disabilities, religions, marital statuses, familial statuses, sexes, ages, sexual orientations, veteran statuses, national origins, ancestries, races, colors, genetic information, and gender identities and expressions.

07/13/2021

We have a new aphasia treatment paper out in ASHA's !
"Playing With BEARS: Balancing Effort, Accuracy, and Response Speed in a Semantic Feature Verification Anomia Treatment Game." Thanks to VA Pittsburgh, VA RR&D, and Pitt CSD for supporting this research! https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2021_JSLHR-20-00543

07/12/2021

We are hiring! We are seeking applications for a BA-level Research Assistant position for a 2-year NIH-funded pilot study adapting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for stroke survivors with aphasia. The grant-funded position is half time (with full benefits), but full-time options possible with additional lab responsibilities. https://cfopitt.taleo.net/careersection/jobdetail.ftl?job=21004630&lang=en #.YOxPUzilLb8.twitter

04/11/2021

04/11/2021

Out Aphasia Games for Health team is happy to announce the release of three prototype games people with aphasia can play with each other and with family and friends. All 3 game prototypes available for download at https://aphasiagamesforhealth.com. Try them out and give us feedback. Free to print, play, and modify for non-commercial purposes.

Prototype 1: The minister's cat!
https://www.aphasiagamesforhealth.com/the-ministers-cat

Prototype 2: Audition!
https://www.aphasiagamesforhealth.com/audition

Prototype 3: Do you see what I see?
https://www.aphasiagamesforhealth.com/do-you-see-what-i-see

Our website also has free co-design resources for getting members of the aphasia community, speech-language pathologists, professional game designers working together to create games (https://www.aphasiagamesforhealth.com/design-resources).

And last but not least: people with aphasia are *already* playing and modifying games to have fun and fight social isolation. Check out these community recommendation videos from bro and community recommendations from Dee Brown, Trish Hambridge, and Jill Ventrice! (https://www.aphasiagamesforhealth.com/community-recs)
Aphasia Recovery Connection AphasiaAccess Thorny Games Will Evans

06/29/2020

We are happy to officially announce our Aphasia Games for Health Project, just in time for the end of Aphasia Awareness Month!

More info here: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1277708902847651842.html

And our website here! https://www.aphasiagamesforhealth.com/

05/22/2020

It is an absolute honor for my colleagues and I to receive this award from the Tavistock Trust and AphasiaAccess! They are two incredible organizations committed to advancing the science and real-world impact of research at the same time.

🎉Congratulations to Assistant Professor, Dr. Will Evans, on receiving an Aphasia Distinguished Scholar Award from The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia! This award recognizes scholarly excellence in all or some of the following areas:

- Research and Publications dedicated to improving life with aphasia
- Mentoring of research students to conduct research associated with quality of life, life participation, conversation or similar topics related to life with aphasia
- Training of future clinicians to address quality of life with aphasia
- Working to improve external grant funding that addresses the needs of people living with aphasia.

Well deserved, Dr. Evans!

05/05/2020

Congrats to recent MA-SLP grad Kayla Post for coming in 2nd place in the SHRS Art Contest! Drawings of people she encountered on bus rides around the city of Pittsburgh. :)

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