Researcher-Academic Town Meeting
The Researcher-Academic Town Meeting (RATM) is an invitation-only event at the ASHA Convention. The purpose of the event is to:
- Bring together senior researchers and PhD-level academics (including international PhD-level faculty/researcher affiliates in attendance at Convention), new PhD-level faculty, PhD students, and student awardees for a presentation and discussion on a timely topic related to science and research or academic issues.
- Provide the opportunity for networking and socializing among all event attendees.
2025 Meeting
ASHA Annual Convention
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Washington, DC
Reflections and Revelations: A Century of Discovery in Communication Sciences and Disorders Research
This RATM event will explore a century of transformative discoveries and innovations in the field of communication disorders and sciences. Join us as we celebrate key milestones that have shaped the understanding and treatment of speech, language, hearing, and swallowing disorders. Attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of the evolution of theoretical frameworks, research methodologies, and clinical practices that have led to the current state of the field. In addition to historical insights, we will collectively evaluate the impact of contemporary trends on the field, including workforce challenges such as personnel and researcher shortages, technological advancements, and the expanding role of telehealth and artificial intelligence in the assessment and treatment of communication disorders. These topics will be examined within the context of their potential to enhance and disrupt traditional practices. Finally, participants will engage in forward-thinking discussions, assessing the challenges and opportunities that the next century of research in communication disorders will face. Topics such as equity in access to care, funding disparities, and the need for inclusive, culturally responsive practices will be explored as pivotal issues for future research and practice. Participating in this session will allow attendees to gain a deeper understanding of the past, present, and future trajectories of communication disorders research, and the role they can play in shaping its evolution.
Panelists:
- Julie Barkmeier-Kraemer, PhD, The University of Utah
- Sumit Dhar, PhD, Northwestern University
- Judy R. Dubno, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina
- Ray Kent, PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Julie A. Washington, PhD, University of California, Irvine
This is an invitation-only session, and a reservation is required. Scheduling this event DOES NOT grant you entry. Contact academicaffairs@asha.org for more information.
Past Meeting Presentations
2024 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Academia at a Crossroads: Pathways to Renewal & Innovation, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Michael Yudell and 2024 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting Program Booklet [PDF].
2023 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Getting Ahead of the AI Curve in Health Professions Education, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Sumit Dhar and 2023 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting Program Booklet [PDF].
2022 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on The Importance of Community-Based Participatory Research, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Christina Nicolaidis and 2022 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting Program Booklet [PDF].
2021 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Let's Talk About Competency-Based Education, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Sue McAllister
2020 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Behavioral Machine Intelligence for Health Applications (The 2020 RATM and ASHA Convention was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
2019 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on It's Critical! The Assessment and Development of Critical Thinking, presentation [PDF] by Drs. Robert M. Augustine, Patrick Finn, and Ou Lydia Liu
2018 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Using Reporting Guidelines to Improve the Reliability and Value of Clinical Research, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Jason Roberts
2017 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in Clinical Education and Supervision, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Mindi Anderson
2016 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Responding to Changes in Scholarly Publishing, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Ray Kent
2015 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Advancing the Science and Use of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS), presentation [PDF] by Dr. Alan M. Jette
2014 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Systems Level Change: The Role of Implementation Science, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Donald Kincaid
2013 Joint Research Academic Town Meeting/ASHA Approved CE Provider Workshop on Interprofessional Education: Moving Toward a Collaborative Era through Preprofessional Education and Lifelong Learning, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Barbara Brandt
2012 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Preparing Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists to Provide Value-Based Services in the New Economic Climate, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Alex Johnson and Dr. Robert Burkard
2011 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Training the Next Generation of Clinical Researchers, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Melissa Duff and Dr. Mary Pat Moeller
2010 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Building Capacity for the Research Doctorate
- Presentation [PDF] by Dr. Brenda Ryals and Dr. Laurence Leonard.
- PhD Slideshow [PDF] featuring select PhD data
2009 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Clinical Practice Research in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology: The Final Frontier, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Laura Justice and Dr. Nancy Tye-Murray.
2008 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Perspectives on Teaching and Technology: Micro and Macro Applications, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Sarah Ginsberg, Dr. Lissa Power-de Fur, Dr. Carol Dudding, and Dr. Doug Martin.
2007 Researcher-Academic Town Meeting on Team Science: Reframing a Familiar Concept for Contemporary Research Issues in Communication Sciences and Disorders, presentation [PDF] by Dr. Dennis Matthews and comments [PDF] by Dr. Thomas Helfer, Dr. Ray Kent, Dr. Elena Plante, Dr. Bruce Tomblin.
