Principal Investigator
Mishaela (Shae) DiNino, Ph.D.
Shae DiNino joined the University at Buffalo in the fall of 2022 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences. She is also a faculty member in the UB Neuroscience Program and the UB Center for Cognitive Science. Her research combines her background in neuroscience and her motivation to better understand auditory perceptual impairments by examining how changes in the auditory system that occur with normal aging influence the ability to hear, particularly in background noise. In her free time, Shae likes travelling to new places, attending concerts (with earplugs!), and spending time with her daughter.
Research Manager
Mythili Thamilchelvam
Mythili graduated from SUNY University at Buffalo with a BA in Psychology. For her Honor’s Project, she studied the association between Emotional Intelligence (EI), Auditory Emotion Recognition, and Pitch Imitation. This sparked her interest in doing research in the auditory domain. She plans to pursue a PhD in the future.
Lab Manager
Maria Tumminaro
Maria Tumminaro is a first-year year Doctor of Audiology (AuD) student at the University at Buffalo. She earned her BA in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. Maria has over 10+ years of experience in the field of traumatic brain injuries and is currently conducting research on aphasia and hearing loss. In her free time, Maria enjoys reading, crocheting, and traveling.
Jenna Crowell
Jenna is the former Lab Manager and is a third-year AuD student at the University at Buffalo. She received her Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing at SUNY Cortland. In the future, Jenna is interested in working in a fast-paced hospital setting with a multidisciplinary team as an audiologist, and working with the older population. In her free time, Jenna likes to read, take walks, and explore the city of Buffalo. Her favorite book of 2024 (so far) is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir!
Graduate Students
Jalaina Groncki
Jalaina received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Elmira College. She is currently a third-year AuD student. Post graduate school she would like to work in a children’s hospital as a pediatric audiologist. In her free time, she likes to read, spend time with friends and family, drink iced coffee and go shopping. A little fun fact about Jalaina is that she is on the University at Buffalo Cheerleading team!
Alexandra Stone
Alexandra is a third-year Audiology student hoping to work in pediatrics in a hospital or ENT office. She really enjoys research and hopes to continue to work on it post-grad as well. In her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with her cats. She also loves to travel and hopes to work in a different country someday!
Gizzy Kelso
Gizzy is a second-year AuD student at the University at Buffalo. She received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Ohio University. After graduating, she would like to work with pediatrics in a hospital setting. In her free time, she likes to be outside, travel and spoil her kitten Maui.
Victoria Critton
Victoria is a second year AuD student at the University of Buffalo. She received her Post-Bachelorette in Communication Disorders at SUNY New Paltz. As a future audiologist, Victoria is interested in working with a multidisciplinary medical team to assist veterans and older populations. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with loved ones, and mystery-solving activities. A fun fact about her is that she is the vice-president of the University at Buffalo’s GSA Audiology organization.
Bernadette Deremiah
Bernadette is a first-year AuD student at the University of Buffalo. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico. Post graduation, Bernadette will be on her career path in the US Army, hopefully as an Audiologist. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, going to the gym, and shopping. A fun fact about Bernadette is that she is a competitive powerlifter.
Than Than Tway
Than Than is a first-year Audiology student at the University at Buffalo. She holds a BA in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from D’Youville University. Than Than is still exploring areas she would like to specialize in, but is interested in working particularly with veterans and pediatric. A fun fact about her is that she speaks three languages and has been to four continents.
Hannah Corley
Hannah is a first-year Audiology student interested in medical audiology, and hoping to work in a hospital or an ENT office. She received her Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. In her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and hiking.
Jose Martinez
Jose is a masters student in neuroscience focusing on how anxiety and depression affect the selective attention of negatively vs. positively valenced stimuli. His broad interests include investigating how the neural mechanisms of sensation and perception differ across cultural and individual contexts, especially in people who have mood disorders.
Undergraduate Students
Elizabeth Fish
Elizabeth is a senior double major in Speech and Hearing Sciences and Psychology with a minor in Spanish. She wants to go to grad school to be an audiologist or to do a dual AuD/PhD, but is still undecided. She have a lot of different research interests but really enjoys the central auditory system and EEG. A fun fact about her is that she enjoys running!
Lana Myszka
Lana is a senior undergraduate student in the Speech and Hearing Science department with a minor in Communications at University of Buffalo. She hopes to get into the Audiology graduate program at UB and work with newborns/younger children in a hospital setting. In her freetime, Lana likes to shop and travel with her friends and family and especially enjoys taking naps with her dog.
Kennidy Dyer-DeCator
Kennidy is a double degree student in Neuroscience and Psychology in her senior year. She plans to pursue a career in the medical field, but is open minded. Kennidy enjoys learning and taking on new opportunities in research. She also takes part in UB Neuroscience Club as well as the Women’s Healthcare and Wellness Association. A fun fact is that Kennidy plays the saxophone!
Gemma Marie Barberio
Gemma is a senior at UB pursuing a Speech and Hearing Science major with a Psychology minor. In the future she plans on going to graduate school in either Speech Language Pathology or Audiology, working in pediatrics. Currently, she works as a newborn hearing screening technician in a hospital and is the treasurer of UB’s Student Association for Speech and Hearing (SASH). In her free time, she loves singing opera, playing tennis, and making her own jewelry.
Ilsa Kloiber
Ilsa is a senior at the University at Buffalo, where she is getting her degree in Neuroscience.
Victoria Wedgewood
Victoria is a student in the Psychology department at the University at Buffalo.
Julianne Pelcak
Julianne is a senior at the University of Buffalo, where she is pursuing her degree in Speech and Hearing Science. She wants to go to graduate school to become an Audiologist.
Caitlin Keenan
Caitlin is a senior at the University at Buffalo getting her degree in Speech and Hearing Science.
Deanna Sharpe
Deanna is an undergraduate at Emory University, where she is studying Human Health & Spanish and Linguistics. She hopes to go to graduate school and in her free time she enjoys learning languages.
