Hearing and Speech Sciences

Cochlear Implant Research Lab, Principal Investigator: Dr. René H. Gifford

Education:

• B.A., Music Performance & Psychology, 2015, Saint Olaf College (Northfield, MN)
• Au.D., Audiology, 2019, Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)

Social Media:

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Research Description:

I work towards improving adult and pediatric cochlear implant outcomes in complex listening environments, like speech in noise and music. My research focuses on optimizing and individualizing programming parameters for cochlear implant recipients using image-guided techniques.

Funding: 

NIH NIDCD F32 DC020347-01 “Optimizing cochlear implants for music perception”

Awards:

• ASHFoundation New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship (2021)
• ASHFoundation Graduate Student Scholarship Award Recipient (2020)

Publications:

Berg, J., Chen, C., Noble, J., Dawant, B., Dwyer, R., Labadie, R., and Gifford, R. (Under Review). Effects of the number of active electrodes and channel stimulation rate on speech recognition and sound quality using precurved electrode arrays. Am. J. Audiol.

Berg, K., Noble, J., Dawant, B., Dwyer, R., Labadie, R., and Gifford, R. (Under Review). Speech recognition as a function of the number of channels for Mid-Scala electrode arrays. J. Acoust. Soc. Am.

Berg, K., Dietrich, M., Burchesky, M., Roberts, J., and Gifford, R. (Under Review). A longitudinal assessment of spectral modulation detection with adult cochlear implant users. Int. J. Audiol.

Berg K., Noble J., Dawant B., Dwyer R., Labadie R., and Gifford R. (2021). Effects of large inter-electrode distance on speech recognition as a function of the number of channels. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 149(4), 2752-2763. doi: 10.1121/10.0004244

Berg K., Noble J., Dawant B., Dwyer R., Labadie R., and Gifford R. (2020). Speech recognition as a function of the number of channels: Effects of scalar location and electrode type. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 147(5), 3646-3656. doi: 10.1121/10.0001316

Berg K., Noble, J., Dawant, B., Dwyer, R., Labadie, R., & Gifford, R. (2019). Speech recognition and music as a function of the number of channels in modern cochlear implant users. Frontiers in Neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00999

Berg K, Noble J, Dawant B, Dwyer R, Labadie R, and Gifford R. (2019). Speech recognition as a function of the number of channels in perimodiolar electrode recipients. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 145(3), 1556-1564. doi: 10.1121/1.5092350

Sladen, D. P., Nie, Y., & Berg, K. (2018). Investigating Speech Recognition and listening efforts with different device configurations in adult cochlear implant users. Cochlear Implants International, 19(3), 119-130. doi:10.1080/14670100.2018.1424513