Dr. Laura Chapman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
How long have you been at App State? I joined the App family in Fall of 2018.
What is your role in this department? My role consists of integrating three areas: teaching, research, and service. I’m an Assistant Professor of Speech Language Pathology. I teach Communication Disorders, Cultural Diversity and Communication Disorders, and Adult Language Disorders at the undergraduate level, and Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders at the graduate level. I have two lines of research. One centers around gaining an understanding of how cognitive constructs (like attention) support and interact with language. I use pupillometry (measurement of the pupil diameter using an eye tracking machine) to gauge how people are applying processing resources to language tasks. My dissertation work focused on the clinical population of aphasia. Since coming to App, I have worked with Dr. McCullough to examine these factors in individuals at risk for cognitive decline related to Mild Cognitive Impairment. My other line of research came about as a result of the global pandemic, when I was unable to do any data collection. During that time, I became really interested in the use of contemplative practices (including mindfulness and self-compassion) in teaching and other interactions with students. I believe that we can integrate strategies and techniques into teaching both academically and clinically in order to help students cope with the high-stress that they’re facing, while also increasing their competence in areas related to studying and clinical practice.
What do you find to be the most rewarding, and most challenging, aspects of your job? I think they both go hand-in-hand. Working with students in the classroom can be very rewarding, yet also very challenging. I find it rewarding because I like to use the skills that I’ve learned as a student. I like to apply what I know about how the brain works in order to help students develop good study habits. Working with students is also challenging. I’m constantly trying to step back and think about what I’m prioritizing and what I’m expecting of students. We never know what other people are facing, especially during this pandemic. In acknowledging this, I have had to learn to be really flexible in terms of my teaching goals and techniques, and that can be hard.
What prompted you to go into this field? I initially started my undergraduate journey as a Violin Performance Major and made it all the way to my senior year when I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I had a lot of friends that I grew up with who went into fields such as Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy who suggested I go into Speech Pathology. I met with the CSD Advisor and my previous courses fit together well with the new requirements for the Communication Sciences and Disorders degree. I remember sitting in class on the first day of Introduction to Communication Disorders and there was a video of an individual with Aphasia and knew I wanted to go into this field.
What are your specialty areas within the field? Aging and Communication, Aphasia, Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders, and Multicultural Diversity and Inclusion.
What is one thing you’d like to tell your younger self, in high school or college? Be kind to yourself!
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? I love to read, and do yoga. I’m trying to learn how to sew, and also enjoy playing board games with my husband and kids.
Laura Chapman
Laura Chapman