“Our lab conducts clinical trials to generate generalizable knowledge about treating children’s speech disorders,” Preston says. “We explore innovative technologies like ultrasound, acoustic biofeedback, teletherapy and AI to augment speech therapy, with students and staff collaboratively developing creative solutions.”

A quick glance at the statistics underscores the significance of Preston’s research. One in 12 children between 3 and 17 years old in the United States experiences a voice, speech, language or swallowing disorder. Unfortunately, nearly half of these children have not received intervention services within the past year, .

Preston’s honor follows  awarded to him and a team of researchers at ���ϲ�����, New York University and Montclair State University for a project exploring biofeedback technologies that provide children with real-time visual representations of their speech patterns—information they typically cannot perceive on their own. That research will compare the effectiveness of various therapeutic approaches using these technologies while also evaluating AI-based tools that could enable home practice with human oversight.