Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Faculty
Alexander Francis
Associate Professor
Office: G34A
Phone: 43815
email: afrancis@purdue.edu
Alex Francis’ research explores the effects of cognitive limitations on understanding speech in difficult listening situations such as in the presence of competing speech (the “cocktail party problem”). This research explores both the effects of cognitive impairment on speech perception (i.e. due to aging, dementia and brain injury) and the effects that various kinds of interventions have on such impairment (i.e. cognitive training, hearing aid use, auditory rehabilitation). Professor Francis’ research takes a cognitive neuroscientific approach, exploring relationships among psychoacoustic, psychological and neuroimaging variables in human participants, including both younger and older adults with and without cognitive deficits or hearing impairment.
You can read more about my work on my personal home page or my lab page at the website for the Cognition, Hearing and Training (CHAT) Lab.