Lab Director
Kristina DeRoy Milvae is the director of the Listening Experience Lab. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences at the University at Buffalo. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Maryland College Park. She previously earned Au.D. and Ph.D. degrees in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at Purdue University, and she earned a B.S. degree in Communication Disorders at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
She has a passion for hearing research and is focused on answering questions that will have a positive impact on audiologic care. She shares this passion with her students and is committed to providing mentorship and research opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds in an environment of support and encouragement.
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Lab Manager
Samantha Recine is a Doctor of Audiology student at SUNY University at Buffalo (Class of 2028). She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from SUNY New Paltz. Passionate about research and patient care, Samantha is dedicated to expanding her expertise and becoming a well-rounded clinical audiologist specializing in audiologic rehabilitation. She is committed to advocating for her patients and enhancing their quality of life through personalized care.
Graduate Student Researchers
Seb Barnes is a Doctor of Audiology student at SUNY University at Buffalo (Class of 2029). They have been a cochlear implant recipient from a young age and that helped them make the decision to go into audiology. Seb hopes to blend the personal experience of being a patient with the skills and knowledge of an audiologist. They are incredibly excited to be part of the Listening Experience Lab and hope to continue to develop research skills while progressing through the audiology program here at UB.
Leanna Hair is a Doctor of Audiology student at SUNY University at Buffalo (Class of 2027). She received her undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders at SUNY New Paltz. She is excited to begin research in the Listening Experience Lab in order to learn more about how different listening environments can affect our cognition and gain invaluable research experience. Leanna hopes to work with adult patients and specialize in audiologic rehabilitation.
Hailee Kerins is a third-year Doctor of Audiology student at SUNY University at Buffalo. She recently completed her capstone research project focusing on cochlear implant listening effort and spatial awareness through vocoded speech. She now works as a lab assistant in the Listening Experience Lab. She also loves to hike, garden, and read. Hailee has two cats — Simba and Shelly — who are her world! Hailee loves to help others and is very excited for her journey here at UB.
Claire Kitts is a third-year Doctor of Audiology at SUNY Buffalo. She received her undergraduate degree in health and human services, with a concentration in early childhood and counseling at SUNY Buffalo. She has been working on a project comparing the relationship between audiologists’ counseling confidence and emotional intelligence. Claire is preparing to present her research at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference this November. Her primary specialty interests in audiology are pediatrics and tinnitus.
Undergraduate Student Researchers
Julia DiPasquale is an undergraduate junior at the University at Buffalo studying Speech & Hearing Science and minoring in Health & Human Services. After shadowing an audiologist, Julia was fascinated by cochlear implants and patient-centered care. The harmony between technology and counseling aspects continually sparks new interests for her. Julia intends to pursue a career as an audiologist specializing in cochlear implants and audiologic rehabilitation. She is excited to explore new listening effort research as she prepares for her graduate school journey.