CLINICIAN CORNER

By Amy Peterson, Assistant Professor

The Division of Communication Disorders at UW has a lot to celebrate this year as Ms. Hannah Young, a Wyoming native, joined the clinical faculty! After earning her bachelor’s degree from UW in 2015, Hannah went to Penn State University for her master’s degree. She trained with wellknown researchers in COMD and specifically worked on a Communicative Competence grant to improve assessment and treatment for those with complex communication needs who use alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). Ms. Young worked for 5 years in school-based settings in Colorado and Wyoming before joining the COMD clinical faculty this year.

Ms. Young exemplifies good instruction, both in the clinic and in the classroom. Ms. Young won the Promoting Intellectual Engagement in the First Year (PIE) award for her Introduction to Communication Disorders course. The prestigious PIE award is a studentnominated award for instructors that inspire students intellectually in firstyear courses, typically freshman and sophomore students. Ms. Young’s students shared how she engaged them in material, promoted a successful transition to college expectations, and fostered their investment in learning. Some highlights from her student comments include:

“Ms. Young is an amazing teacher. She is very kind and supportive. Her classes were so interesting that I enjoyed every minute of the class.”

“Professor Young was amazing. I never would have guessed that she was a first-year teacher if she did not tell us. She encouraged her students to work hard and was easy to follow in her lectures. She listened to recommendations when she asked for feedback on how class was going and on what the class did and didn’t like. She was genuinely happy to see her students succeed and I would recommend her to every student!”

“Ms. Young was an absolutely amazing instructor; she was incredibly engaging and informative while making the class a fun experience in the process. I actually liked exams in this class because I was so interested in the topics, and it felt like trivia not a test. This class has solidified my want to be an SLP and a huge part of that is due to Ms. Young.”

Hannah has always had interest in teaching at the college level and sought teaching opportunities while working in Cheyenne at LCCC. She knew after teaching AAC for the SLPA program that she needed to pursue higher-education instruction “sooner than later” and shares a bit of her teaching philosophy for the college level. Hannah says “I think that it is extremely important to listen to your students and to let them be advocates of their own learning … creating a welcoming environment in which you are accessible and approachable to students allows for frequent student feedback. As a first-year instructor, this was my priority.”

Ms. Young’s teaching does not stop in the classroom. She uses her clinical knowledge to provide teaching and guidance for graduate students that is reflective of the real-world demands on practicing SLPs. Through her mentorship, she wants students to learn to adjust to new clients and prepare for managing full caseloads once they are out in practice. Helping students to develop evidencebased practices in the clinic that they will use later in their career is integral to Ms. Young’s clinical teaching philosophy. Ms. Young shares “I am extremely grateful for the support I’ve received from students, staff, and faculty as I embark on this new career journey!”

Katelyn Kotlarek Honored with Outstanding Scholar Award

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Katelyn Kotlarek has been honored with the 2023 College of Health Sciences

Outstanding Scholar Award. As an assistant professor in the Division of Communication Disorders, Dr. Kotlarek has demonstrated remarkable achievements in scholarship. Her research has made a significant impact on the field, particularly in the areas of craniofacial disorders and the pedagogy of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her primary research focus revolves around the utilization of MRI to compare surgical interventions for primary palatoplasty. Throughout her four years in academia, she has amassed an impressive publication record, with 20 peer-reviewed articles published in highly regarded journals such as the Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal, the Journal of Speech, Language, Hearing Research and Language and Speech and Hearing Services in Schools. Furthermore, her scholarly work has been shared at 56 national and international conferences, earning her nine meritorious poster awards at the American-Speech-Language Hearing Conventions. Dr. Kotlarek’ s groundbreaking research has been supported by the Wyoming IDeA Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) grant, among other funding sources, highlighting the significance and potential impact of her work.

In addition to her exceptional research, Dr. Kotlarek has displayed a profound commitment to mentoring students, leading to exceptional outcomes. Under her guidance, students from the Division of Communication Disorders and WWAMI have excelled. Several students have received national competitive awards. Dr. Kotlarek’s mentorship has resulted in 10 peer-reviewed student authored publications and 13 published conference abstracts. Notably, her students have delivered 19 national presentations, showcasing their research on a broader platform. The invaluable guidance she provides has garnered recognition, with Dr. Kotlarek herself being honored with the 2023 Emerging Leader Award from the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association. Moreover, one of her graduate thesis students has received the prestigious 2023 Karlind T. Moller Cleft/Craniofacial Scholarship for Speech Pathology/Audiology Students, as well as the 2022 Research Mentoring-Pair Travel Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Since joining the University of Wyoming in August 2019, Dr. Kotlarek has established herself as a highly productive and independent investigator, emerging as a national leader in cleft-palate research. Her exceptional scholarly work, including her numerous publications and outstanding mentorship of students, serves as a testament to her unwavering dedication and remarkable abilities as a scholar. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Katelyn Kotlarek on receiving the 2023 College of Health Sciences Outstanding Scholar Award.