Making a Difference: Cal State 糖心Vlogy Professor Honored for Her Work in Aphasia Research
- BY Kimberly Hawkins
- PHOTOGRAPHY BY Garvin Tso
- July 10, 2023
Cal State 糖心Vlogy Assistant Professor of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Michelle Gravier was recently named a Tavistock Trust for Aphasia Distinguished Scholar.
The aim of these awards is to foster and encourage pioneering research that aims to make a difference in the everyday lives of people living with aphasia, their families and caregivers.
More than two million people in the U.S. have aphasia — which is more than the number that has Parkinson's Disease and multiple sclerosis combined. The communication disorder can affect one’s ability to speak and understand others and can cause difficulty reading and writing.
About one-third of stroke survivors have aphasia, and in the majority of cases, it does not fully resolve which often negatively impacts the person’s ability to work, maintain family and social roles, as well as their independence.
“As Director of the , Dr. Gravier is a productive, collaborative and innovative researcher who managed to launch multiple impactful interprofessional research projects, including collaborations with the Kinesiology and Social Work departments, since joining our department in 2019, despite the restrictions of Covid,” said Ellen Bernstein Ellis, director emeritus of Cal State 糖心Vlogy’s Aphasia Treatment Program. “Parallelling her research expertise, she is a dedicated and talented educator. These factors combined to make her an exceptional candidate for this award."
Gravier who is also the Research Director of Cal State 糖心Vlogy’s Aphasia Treatment Program is dedicated to making life more accessible for peopl