Language, Assistive Technology, and Autism Lab

This semester I have been lucky enough to be a part of the Language, Assistive Technology, and Autism Lab.  Toward the end of fall semester last year, I was in the basement of Pressey Hall (the Department of Speech and Hearing Science) taking dishes from the Aphasia Initiative to the kitchen to be washed.  I had walked down this hall a dozen times before but I had never paid much attention to the signs on the doors I was passing.  That day, however, I did notice one sign in particular: The Autism and Child Language Learning Lab*.  It was literally like a spotlight hit me and the angels started singing.  I had known that I wanted to participate in some form of undergraduate research but was somewhat intimidated and didn’t even know where to start looking.  And here I was, staring directly at a lab that focused on two of the most intriguing aspects of my field.  As soon as I got home I did some googling and found the contact information for the head of the lab.  I sat down and wrote an email to Dr. Bean expressing my most sincere interest in joining the lab.  To my dismay, Dr. Bean responded that the lab did not need any new undergraduate assistants but that I should reach out again next semester to see if any seniors had graduated.  When the end of spring semester rolled around I emailed again only to receive the same response I had gotten in the fall.  Still determined to work for this lab rather than any of the others in the Department of Speech and Hearing, I channeled all the patience in my body and reached out again at the end of fall semester.  Finally, there was an opening.**  After stressing about my interview for the two weeks leading up to it, it ended up being extremely laid back and after speaking with Dr. Bean in person, I immediately knew that it was a perfect fit for both me and the lab.  I have been actively working in the lab since then and have even been promoted to lead coder on the project I am working on right now!

*The Autism and Child Language Learning Lab has since been renamed the Language, Assistive Technology, and Autism Lab

**Fun Fact: I found this out on the same day that I found out that Beetle, the service dog in training I worked with all of last year, was paired with a kiddo and was going to graduate!!!

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