Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Faculty
Robert E. Novak, PhD, CCC
Professor and Department Head
Office: B-11
(756) 494-3788
novakr@purdue.edu
Dr. Novak received his Master's and Ph.D. in audiology at the University of Iowa, was on faculty at San Diego State University for 17 years, on faculty at the University of Virginia for 6 years, and joined the faculty at Purdue University in 2000 as their Director of Clinical Education in Audiology. He has been in a variety of administrative roles (department chair/clinic director) while always teaching in the classroom as well as in various clinical settings throughout his 31 years in university settings. His major teaching, clinical and research interests have been in various areas of hearing amplification, aural rehabilitation and educational audiology, including the creation, teaching and delivery of his family-centered adult aural rehabilitation program known as ReACT (Rehabilitative Auditory Communication Training) for adults with hearing loss and their families. He has also had an interest in linking the audiology profession with the nurse practitioner (Pediatric/family) professions in achieving more efficient and accessible delivery of hearing health care services to children.
He is an active member of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, previously served as chair of the Council for Clinical Certification in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (CFCC), a Council for Academic Accreditation (CAA) site visitor and currently serves as the first elected Indiana representative to the ASHA Audiology Advisory Council. He came to Purdue with the challenge of facilitating the development of the Au.D. program which is now offered jointly with the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery in Indianapolis and is ranked 9th in the 2008 U. S. News & World Report audiology graduate program rankings. He established the first Purdue SLHS Department Advisory Board, whose members are from across the United States and have become instrumental in facilitating the ongoing development of the Purdue Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Department. Dr. Novak was also instrumental in starting the acoustics consortium known as Purdue Hearing & Acoustics in Science & Engineering (PHASE) and the Purdue Autism Network (PAN). One of his greatest current challenges is the pursuit of funding to support the building of a new home for the Purdue Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences including all of its research and clinical programs.