People
LAb Director
Allison Schaser, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Purdue University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Miami University in Ohio and a master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned her PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2015 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Neurology department at Oregon Health & Science University in 2020, focused on understanding the pathophysiology of age-related synucleinopathies like Parkinson disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB).
Allison was president of the Portland-based non-profit Women in Science Portland while she completed her postdoctoral fellowship and is passionate about continuing her work building supportive networks to promote retention and career development opportunities for women in the sciences
Lab Personnel
Blas Hernandez is the Administrator of Research Operations for the Schaser Research Group and a graduate of the College of Agriculture at Purdue University. Being part of the Schaser Research Group allows Blas to expand his understanding of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and develop skills to explore the research field.
Blas is an advisor for several clubs as well as a fraternity on campus, focusing on fostering the future leaders of the world. His free time is usually spent training with canines, playing with his puppy, Kaspian, and appreciating the arts
Kaitlyn Dwenger, PhD is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She earned her PhD and master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Utah. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from Purdue University. Kaitlyn’s research has primarily focused on developing novel assessment methods for distinguishing neurogenic voice disorders. She merges her clinical research experience with new experiences studying animal voice and swallowing behavior as part of the Schaser Research Group. Outside of research, Kaitlyn enjoys walking with her dog, Wiley, and indulging in jars of pickles!
Brooke Rodgers is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the SLHS department. Brooke is interested in the motor function and acoustics of vocalization. They graduated with a BA in Physics and Music from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida in Spring 2021. Brooke loves cuddling and chasing their orange cat, Calvin, and going to Taco Tuesdays with friends!
Loxea Hipsky is a third year undergraduate student majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in ASL and Deaf Studies. Originally from a small town in Indiana, she is very excited to be somewhere with civilization. In her free time, she enjoys going on walks, thrifting, and playing the viola.
Lab Alumni
Want to Join the Team?
If you are a graduate student or a prospective doctoral student and you have an interest in joining our team, please send an email and your CV directly to Dr. Schaser at aschaser@purdue.edu.
If you are an undergraduate student and are interested in learning more about research and how to participate in our lab, please complete this application (google doc). If we have a vacancy in the lab and you qualify, we will contact you! Thank you for your interest.