Current CSD PhD Students

Jordan Lins, PhD Candidate

Adult Speech & Language Lab, Principal Investigator: Dr. Kimberly G. Smith

Education: 

B.S., Psychology, 2013, University of Alabama- Birmingham 
B.S., Speech & Hearing Sciences, 2015, University of South Alabama
M.S., Speech-Language Pathology, 2017, University of South Alabama

Research Description: 

Jordan’s current research interests focus on investigation of the use of acoustical and eye movement measures for measurement of implicit and explicit reading prosody, as well as the role of reading prosody on comprehension in neurotypical adults and individuals with aphasia and concomitant alexia. Additional interests include: person-centered assessment and interventions for aphasia, alexia, and apraxia of speech; as well as student perceptions and observed impacts of the use of alternative teaching methods (i.e., team based learning, standards based grading, interprofessional collaboration) in the classroom. 

Dissertation title:

Influence of Oral Reading Prosody & Prosodic Processing on Reading Comprehension in Persons with Aphasia & Alexia

Awards: 

Graduate Student Activities Enhancement Award, University of South Alabama (2023)

Publications: 

Smith, K. G., & Lins, J. (2024). Oral reading fluency and comprehension in persons with alexia and aphasia. Aphasiology, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2024.2314323

Lins, J., & Smith, K.G. (2024). Oral reading prosody in persons with aphasia: A preliminary investigation. [Manuscript in revision for publication].

Lins, J. S.*, Smith, K. G. (2024). Oral reading prosody and comprehension in persons with alexia: A preliminary investigation. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_AJSLP-23-00345. 2.1

Presentations: 

Lins, J., Smith, K. G., & Ford, K. (2017). Analysis of oral reading in individuals with aphasia. Poster presented at the annual convention of the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association, Los Angeles, CA. 

Smith, K.G., & Lins, J. (May 2023). Association between single-word reading and connected-text reading comprehension in persons with aphasia. Virtual poster presented at the annual Clinical Aphasiology Conference, Atlantic City, NJ. 

Lins, J. & Smith, K.G., (May 2023). Oral reading prosody in persons with aphasia. Poster presented at the annual Clinical Aphasiology Conference, Atlantic City, NJ. 

Lins, J., & Smith, K.G. (2023). Oral reading prosody in persons with aphasia: A pilot study. Poster presented at the annual convention of the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association, Boston, MA.

Lins, J. & Smith, K.G., (Spring 2023). Oral reading prosody and comprehension in persons with aphasia: A pilot study. Poster presented at the University of South Alabama Graduate Research Symposium, Mobile, AL.

Smith, K.G., & Lins, J. (Spring 2023). Treatment of acquired reading impairments in persons with aphasia. Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama annual conference, Birmingham, AL.

Lins, J. (2024). Evidence based and person-centered treatment methods for Apraxia of Speech. Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama Annual Conference, Birmingham, AL.

Michele Dacy, PhD Candidate

Dysphagia Research Lab, Principal Investigator: Dr. Kimberly Smith

Education: 

B.A., Communication Sciences & Disorders, 2015, University of Northern Iowa
M.A., Speech-Language Pathology, 2017, University of Northern Iowa

Research Description:

Michele is interested in studying speech and swallowing function in persons with neurological conditions, particularly in persons with Parkinson’s disease. She also has a special interest in studying the nutritional impact of dysphagia. Michele completed a pre-dissertation project focusing on the risk for dysphagia and malnutrition in persons with Parkinson’s disease. Her dissertation will expand on this project by also including a control group of healthy older adults and considering additional factors, such as dental status and saliva production. 

Dissertation Title: 

Comparing Persons with Parkinson Disease to Healthy Older Adults on Clinical Measures of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia and Malnutrition Risk

Awards:

University of South Alabama Graduate Student Activities Enhancement Award (Awarded 8/13/25). 

Publications: 

Dacy, M., & Smith, K. G. (in press). Effects of cross-curricular instruction on clinical education outcomes for speech-language pathology graduate students. Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.  

Presentations: 

Dacy, M., Broadfoot, C. K., Holden, S. L., & Smith, K. G. (2025, November 22). Clinical signs of dysphagia and malnutrition risk in Parkinson’s disease [Accepted for poster presentation]. American Speech-Language Hearing Association: Washington DC.

Dacy, M. (2024, February 9). Assessment and treatment of dysphagia in Parkinson’s disease [Oral presentation]. Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama Convention: Birmingham, AL.

Dacy, M., & Smith, K. G. (2023, November 17). Considering the whole patient: Interdisciplinary instruction and clinical education outcomes for SLP graduate students [Poster presentation]. American Speech-Language Hearing Association: Boston, MA

Dacy, M., Kouame, G., & Henbest, V. (2023, November 9). The linguistic awareness skills of
elementary-age children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A scoping review [Virtual poster presentation]. American Speech-Language Hearing Association: Boston, MA

Dacy, M., & Smith, K. G. (2023, March 15). Considering the whole patient: Effects of
interdisciplinary instruction on clinical education outcomes for speech-language pathology graduate students [Poster presentation]. Annual University of South Alabama Graduate Research Forum, Mobile, AL, United States.

Frances Lillie Ange, PhD Student

Vestibular and Balance Lab

Primary Advisor: Dr. Ashley G. Flagge

Education:

B.S., 2022, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL

Research Description 

Lillie’s area of research focuses on pediatric vestibular function and assessment in children with reading disorders. More broadly, her work explores the importance of early identification and intervention, the use of reading assessments, and the role of interprofessional collaboration in the identification, treatment, and management of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Awards

Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama Outstanding Graduate Student Award (2025)

Graduate Student Activities Enhancement Award, University of South Alabama (2023)

Presentations

Ange, F., Salchert, D., Perkins, A., Rudolph, S. (2023). The Importance of Audiology in Free Clinics: A Student-Run Free Clinic Hearing Screening Experience. Podium presentation. Society of Student-Run Free Clinics Conference 2022. Minneapolis, MN. 

Doran, C., Ange, F., Snavely, K., Rishiq, D. (2023). Patient Provider Communication in Audiology Care. Poster presentation. American Academy of Audiology Convention 2023. Seattle, WA. 

Ange, F., Snavely, K., Roberts, W., Rishiq, D. (2023). The Relationship between Audiologist-Patient Communication and Patient’s Satisfaction with Service Provision in Cochlear Implant Recipients: A Pilot Study. Poster presentation. American Cochlear Implant Alliance Convention 2023. Dallas, TX. 

Snavely, K., Roberts, W., Ange, F., Nichols, A., Rishiq, D. (2023). Comparing Speech Recognition Performance of Cochlear Implant Users with Two Different Speech Tests: Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) Word Test and AZBio Sentence Test. Poster presentation. American Cochlear Implant Alliance Convention 2023. Dallas, TX.