Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Erik Hunter, Ph.D.

Faculty Position

Instructor

Contact Information

erik.hunter@utah.edu

Educational History

  • 2001 Ph.D University of Iowa - Speech and Hearing Science, Dissertation, Three-Dimensional Biomechanical Model of Vocal Fold Posturing,

  • 1997 M.S. Brigham Young University - Physics (acoustics emphasis)

  • 1995 B.S Brigham Young University - Physics (major), Mathematics (minor)

Current Projects

  • Influence of subglottic anatomy on voice production,

  • Biomechanical characterization of vocal fold tissues

  • Hybrid Model of Vocal Fold Inflammation & Tissue Mobilization

  • A Simulator for Sound Production in Airways

  • Research toward Occupational Safety in Vocalization

Additional Seminars & Training

  • February 2009 COMSOL Multiphysics Workshop, COMSOL, Inc.
  • July 2008 High Frequency Options of Malvern Instruments PRV Rheometer, Malvern Instruments
  • August 2007 Musculoskeletal Modeling and Simulation of Movement, American Society of Biomechanics
  • July/Aug 2007 ANSYS Workbench and Structural Nonlinearities, JLR Engineering Solutions; Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO
  • November 2003 Forensic Acoustic Seminar, Acoustical Society of America

Professional & Academic Positions

  • 2008 - present Editorial Board The Open Acoustics Journal, Bentham Science Publishers

  • 2008 - present Assoc Research Scientist National Center for Voice & Speech, DCPA

  • 2007 - present Deputy Exec Director National Center for Voice & Speech, DCPA

  • 2005 - present Lecturer Department of Physics, Department of Music, University of Colorado at Denver

  • 2004 - present Editorial Board International Journal of Research in Choral Singing

  • 2003 - present Instructor Summer Vocology Institute, National Center for Voice and Speech at the DCPA

  • 2003 - 2008 Asst Research Scientist National Center for Voice & Speech, DCPA

  • 2001 - 2003 Asst Research Scientist National Center for Voice & Speech, Univ. of Iowa

  • 1997 - 2001 Doctoral Fellow National Center for Voice & Speech, Univ. of Iowa

  • 1997 - 2001 Ph.D. Candidate Dept of Speech Path & Aud, Univ. of Iowa

Other Experiences and Professional Societies

  • 2009 Grant Reviewer, Special Emphasis Panel (SEP), Vascular Cell and Molecular Biology Study Section (VCMB), National Institutes of Health
  • 2008 Grant Reviewer, ASHFoundation & ASHA's Research & Scientific Affairs Committee
  • 2008 Expert Witness, American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, et al. v. City and County of Denver, et al.; Case No. 08-cv-910-MKS-KMT
  • 2008 - present Member, American Physical Society, division of Biological Physics (DBP)
  • 2006 Grant Reviewer (Ad Hoc), National Institutes of Health
  • 2005 Grant Reviewer, Canada Foundation for Initiative (CFI) New Initiatives Fund
  • 2002 - 2003, 2004 - present Member, American Society of Biomechanics
  • 2002 - present Journal Reviewer, (e.g., Annals of Otology, Rhinology, & Laryngology; Computers in Biology & Medicine; Journal of the Acoustical Society of America; Journal of Biomechanics; Journal of Logopedics, Phoniatrics, Vocology; Journal of Sound & Vibration; Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research; Journal of Voice; Speech Communication)
  • 1996 - present Member, Acoustical Society of America

Honors & Awards

  • March 2008 Lessons for Success: Developing the Emerging Scientist, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
  • November 2003 Young Investigators Travel Grant, Acoustical Society of America (Austin, TX)
  • 1998 - 2001 National Research Service Award Doctoral Fellow
  • 1995 Office of Research and Creative Work Recognition Award. Brigham Young University

Refereed or Peer-Reviewed Publicatioins (Most Recent 2 Years)

  • Halpern AE, Spielman J, Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (in review). The inability to produce soft phonation (IPSV): A tool to detect vocal change in school teachers. Log. Phon. Voc.
  • Hunter EJ, Spielman JL, and Halpern AE. (in review). Tracking of a child's fundamental frequencies during daily activities: A case study. J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
  • Hunter EJ, and Little MA. (in review). A tutorial for using pitch, period and entropy as an assessment of dysphonia. J. of Voice.
  • Hunter EJ, and Smith M. (in review). Review of gender differences which may affect the vocal health of occupational voice users. J. Occup. Environ. Med.
  • Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (in review). Occupational versus non-occupational voice use in teachers. J. Sp. Lang. Hear. Res.
  • Popolo PP, Titze IR, Hunter EJ. (in review). Acoustic quantification of inability to produce soft voice. J. Sp. Lang. Hear. Res.
  • Riede T, Lingle S, Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (in review). Cervids with different vocal behavior demonstrate different visco-elastic properties of their vocal folds. J. Zoology.
  • Spielman JL, Hunter EJ, Halpern AE, and Titze IR. (in review). Measuring voice improvement in non-dysphonic teachers using the Inability to Produce Soft Voice rating (IPSV): Preliminary data. Am. J. Sp. Lang. Path.
  • Titze IR, and Hunter EJ. (in review). Vocal vibration doses in school teachers. J. Sp. Lang. Hear. Res.
  • Hunter EJ. (in press). A comparison of a child's fundamental frequencies in structured elicited vocalizations versus unstructured natural vocalizations: A case study. Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2008.12.005.
  • Hunter EJ, and Titze, IR. (in press). Quantifying Vocal Fatigue Recovery: Dynamic vocal dermal recovery trajectories after a vocal loading exercise. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol.
  • Little MA, McSharry PE, Hunter EJ, Spielman J, and Ramig LO. (2008). Suitability of dysphonia measurements for telemonitoring of Parkinson's disease. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng.
  • Hunter EJ, Alipour F., and Titze IR, (2007). Sensitivity of elastic properties to measurement uncertainties in laryngeal muscles with implications for voice fundamental frequency prediction. J. Voice. 21(6):641-50.
  • Titze IR, and Hunter EJ. (2007) A two-dimensional biomechanical model of vocal fold posturing. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 121(4):2254-60.
  • Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (2007) Refinements in Modeling the Passive Properties of Laryngeal Soft Tissue. J. Appl. Physiol. 103(1):206-19.
  • Titze IR, Hunter EJ, and Svec JG. (2007). Voicing and silence periods in daily and weekly vocalizations of teachers. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 121(1):469-78.

Conference Proceedings or Published Abstracts (Most Recent 2 Years)

  • Hunter EJ. (Nov. 2008). "An acoustical comparison of a child's fundamental frequencies during structured tasks and unstructured daily activities: A case study." 156th Meeting of Acoustical Society of America: Miami, FL.
  • Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (Oct. 2008). "Vocal fatigue dynamic recovery trajectories as measured by 3 vocal fatigue measures" UCSF Voice Conference: San Francisco, CA.
  • Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (Oct. 2008). "Refinements in modeling the mechanical properties of laryngeal soft tissue" USCF Voice Conference: San Francisco, CA.
  • Austin S, and Hunter EJ. (May 2008). "Vocal dose in vocal performance majors." Voice Foundation: Philadelphia, PA.
  • Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (Aug. 2007) "Refinements in modeling the mechanical properties of laryngeal soft tissue." American Society of Biomechanics: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
  • Hunter EJ, and Titze IR. (June 2007). "The Voice Use Profile: Illustrating Actual Voice Use from Long Term Monitoring Using the NCVS Dosimeter." Acoustical Society of America Meeting: Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Titze IR, Hunter EJ, and Švec JG. (June 2007). "Voicing and Silence Periods in Daily and Weekly Vocalizations of Teachers." Acoustical Society of America Meeting: Salt Lake City, UT.

Invited Lectures and Presentations (Most Recent 2 Years)

  • "Measuring and Modeling Vocal Vibration Dose." (October 2008). Acoustics Colloquium: Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
  • "Acoustics of Voice and Speech." (June 2008). National Performing Arts Convention: Denver, CO.
  • "Acoustics of Voice and Speech." (Aug. 2007). Voice and Speech Trainers Association Meeting: Denver, CO.
  • "Sound Technology and Voice." (Aug. 2007). Voice and Speech Trainers Association Meeting: Denver, CO.
  • "The Dosimeter: A Tool Used to Record and Quantify Long-term Voice Use." (2007). Computational Mathematics Colloquium. University of Colorado-Denver, Denver, CO.

References in Secondary Publications

  • Avril, T. (12 Aug. 2008). "Teachers more likely to suffer voice-related problems." The Oklahoman
  • Avril, T. (23 Jun. 2008). "Classroom woe: Working hoarse" Philadelphia Inquirer. (Also in The Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL; The Oklahoman; and Oman Tribune, Oman)
  • Meyer, JP. (15 Nov. 2007). "Teachers fail to get vocal rest" The Denver Post.
  • Hollenhorst, J. (7 June 2007). "New Study Shows Teachers Talk Too Much." KSL-TV (NBC affiliate). Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Mosher, D. (30 May 2007). "Blah, Blah, Blah: Teachers Top Talking Tests." LiveScience. http://www.livescience.com/health/070530_teacher_voices.html
  • "Dinosaur hearing, listening to muscle noise, quieter cubicles" (15 May 2007). EurekaAlert,Biology News
  • Fallik, D. (8 Jul. 2006). "Striking a Cord" Philadelphia Inquirer. (Also in San Jose Mercury, Miami Herald, and Akron Beacon Journal)
  • "Meet our new faculty: Powers, Hunter, Geyer, and Carlson as well as the new chair Tagg" (2006). Physics Chronicles. University of Colorado-Denver.
  • Bergin, M. (31 Oct. 2005). "Therapist Helps Get Vocal Cords in Shape for Power Yelling" The Capital Times
  • "New computer tools aim to fix poor voices" (29 Apr. 2003). United Press International.