This application seeks support for a series of five, one and one-half day, topically oriented annual research conferences designed to stimulate and guide research relevant to communication sciences and disorders. These conferences, held in connection with the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), will present information and representative clinical applications of research pertinent to topics that currently have or are likely to have important implications for the communication sciences and disorders.
Aims for these conferences include providing forums that facilitate discussions among scientists and clinicians regarding research developments; fostering continuity of interactions among scientists and clinicians in communication sciences and disorders and related fields; and contributing to the development of new investigators, especially Ph.D./M.D. students and post-doctoral fellows who are members of traditionally underrepresented minority groups. Funds are being requested for 10 minority student travel fellowships. Additional support is also being requested to allow conferences, produced by ASHA in 1991 and cosponsored by ASHA with considerable support from NIDCD in 1992 and organized similarly, were highly successful. A third conference, supported by ASHA, will be held in 1993 to maintain continuity of this conference series. Plans for conference organization, conference formats to be used, mechanisms for supporting attendance by Ph. D./M.D. student and postdoctoral fellows who are members of underrepresented minority groups, and conference evaluation and materials dissemination are listed. The Year 1 conference is described specifically. Mechanisms and criteria selecting topics for conferences in years 2-5 as well as topics and speakers under consideration are included. Five years of support is requested to allow for advance planning by conference participants and to facilitate the recruitment of the best speakers. Future research directions, including possible clinical research projects, will also be a prominent feature of each conference.
