Bridget Petitti (left) and Jamie Braden (right) are first-year graduate students pursuing their Masters in Speech-Language Pathology at CWRU. They have both played crucial roles in the BiSC Lab through their diligent work with trialing the lab equipment and conducting literature searches.

What sparked your interest within the field of Communication Sciences?

Bridget: In my previous career, I was a professional musician and it was after being diagnosed with vocal nodules that I realized that speech-pathology was the intersection of many of my interests!

Jamie: Working in a daycare and having a general interest in the medical field.

Why did you join the BiSC Lab?

Bridget: One of my interests is in voice disorders, so I wanted to join a lab that focuses on the anatomy and physiology of this very specific region of the human body. I also think that the use of technology is very cool!

Jamie: I have an interest in swallowing and swallowing disorders and hope to work with individuals with dysphagia in the future.

What is your favorite part of the BiSC Lab?

Bridget: Trying out the equipment! Being able to work with such amazing technology is an excellent experience.

Jamie: Collaboration and learning research from the ground up. It is exciting to be a part of the beginning stages of a lab!

Why do you think being a part of a research lab is important?

Bridget: Being involved in research at any level is so important in the field of speech-language pathology. There is so much research to be done, and getting involved in a lab is a great place to learn about the process.

Jamie: Contributing to new research and learning new things about our field is crucial to the development of the field itself.

Do you have a fun fact about yourself that you would like to share?

Bridget: Two of my songs were featured in a major motion picture!

Jamie: I grew up on a goat farm!