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The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences is pleased to announce they have been selected as the first university chapter for the Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA).

“Vocology is an emerging specialty that connects arts, science and medicine. In this case, music and theater, voice science and laryngology,” said Nandhakumar Radhakrishnan, associate professor for the department. “As a voting member of PAVA, I keep track of the developments in the field. I was excited to learn that the association is ready to develop local chapters. I applied for one instantly.”

The mission of PAVA is to advance the scientific study of vocalization across species toward improvement of professional and recreational voice use. PAVA fosters vocology in all countries of the western hemisphere through research, dissemination of knowledge, training and the creation and development of professional standards and credentials in voice habilitation, while promoting the enhancement of established credentials in rehabilitation across the country.

PAVA is a non-profit association made up of voice professionals from all voice related vocations including speech language pathologists, ENTs, professional singers, voice teachers, voice for the actor coaches, music directors, stage directors and others who work with human and animal vocalization.

“This chapter will cover Southeast Texas including Houston. This is the first chapter to be approved. This puts the vocology program at LU at the forefront,” said Radhakrishnan.

Other core faculty members that will be involved with the local PAVA chapter at LU are Abigail Dueppen from the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Debra Greschner and Serdar Ilban, both from the Department of Music, and Joel Grothe from the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Visit the speech and hearing department site to learn more.