The following university professors have agreed to serve as panels to answer appropriately-posed questions about stuttering. This year they have been divided into two groups: "professors" and "researchers." Both are included on this page. The professors provide a good opportunity for parents of children who stutter, and for children, teens, and for adults who stutter to ask questions of highly qualified specialists in the area of stuttering. The researchers have been asked to make research understandable, not to evaluate it. It is a good opportunity for students, as well as parents of children who stutter, and for children, teens, and for adults who stutter to ask questions about research of several highly qualified researchers in the area of stuttering.

	Barbara J. Amster, PhD, CCC/SLP is the founding Director of La Salle University�s graduate and undergraduate programs in Speech-Language-Hearing Science. She has more than 30 years of clinical experience and holds Specialty Board Recognition in Fluency Disorders. Her master's degree is from the University of Pittsburgh and her doctorate from Temple University. She has published on speech rate and fluency as well as speech-language development of young children in foster care.
	Doug Cross, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor at Ithaca College. He received his Ph.D. in Speech Science/Speech Pathology from the University of Tennessee in 1978. His primary professional interests are in fluency and fluency disorders with emphasis on the neuropsychology of human performance and treatment of stuttering. Dr. Cross' stuttering treatment program, A Systems Approach to Stuttering Treatment (SAST) integrates fluid movement, emotion, thought, and the psychology of performance in shaping effective communication. Present activities include (1) continuum-based scaling methods for assessing communication fluidity and communication naturalness, and (2) developing computer generated animation programs that facilitate understanding and shaping of fluid movement and communication pace.
	Dobrinka Georgieva, Ph.D. is a lecturer in logopedics at Southwestern University in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. She is Vice-Dean of the faculty of Philosophy and Director of the University Stuttering Research Center. Dobrinka is a published author in Bularian, English, Finnish and French and is also fluent in Russian and has presented internationally. She is a member of the International Fluency Association, the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics, the Bulgarian National Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics and the Greek Association in Neurolinguistics.
	Brian Humphrey, a board-recognized specialist in fluency disorders, is a program instructor and clinical supervisor in speech-language pathology at Nova Southeastern University, in Fort Lauderdale, FL. At the NSU Clinics for Speech, Language, and Communication, he provides clinical supervision and treatment for a variety of speech and language disorders, and serves as ombudsperson for clinical technology. His research, publications, and presentations focus on stuttering and other fluency disorders, especially bilingual stuttering and atypical fluency disorders. .
	Judith Kuster, M.S., CCC-SLP, has an M.S. in speech-language pathology and M.S. in counseling. She is a professor in Communication Disorders at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is the webmaster for Net Connections for Communication Disorders and Sciences and the Stuttering Home Page as well as the coordinator of this online conference. She holds Specialty Certification in fluency disorders from the Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders, is an ASHA Fellow and recent recipient of the "Distinguished Contributor" award from the International Fluency Association. .
	Lisa R. LaSalle, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Board-recognized specialist in Fluency Disorders, is a professor of communication sciences and disorders at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) and a clinical supervisor at the UWEC Center for Communication Disorders. Dr. LaSalle has presented and published on the topic of stuttering, and she has extensive experience working with children and adults who stutter. She has particular interest and expertise in counseling people who stutter and their family members, and in assessing children 2- to 6-years of age so as to help prevent chronic stuttering. Dr. LaSalle's research interests focus on childhood stuttering, especially psycholinguistic aspects, treatment efficacy, and special clinical considerations for children who both stutter and present with phonological and/or language disorders. .
	Richard Mallard is Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. His bachelor's and master's degrees are from the University of North Texas and his Ph.D. is from Purdue University. Dr. Mallard is a Fellow of ASHA and holds Specialty Recognition in Fluency Disorders from the Clinical Specialty Board of ASHA. Dr. Mallard has conducted intensive stuttering programs for children and adults since 1976 and currently works with families of children who stutter in intensive, non-intensive, and email/Internet formats in both university and private practice settings.
	Walter Manning, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a professor and Associate Dean in the School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology at The University of Memphis. He teaches courses in fluency disorders and research methods. He has published more than 60 articles in a variety of professional journals and has presented on many occasions to regional, national, and international meetings. He is the author of a text titled "Clinical decision making in the diagnosis and treatment of fluency disorders." He is a fellow of ASHA and has received the honors of Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists. He holds Specialty Certification in fluency disorders from the Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders.
	Larry Molt is chair of the Department of Communication Disorders and the director of the Neuroprocesses Research Laboratory at Auburn University. He holds a dual masters degree in speech-language pathology and audiology from the University of South Florida and Ph.D. in speech and hearing science from the University of Tennessee. Larry is an ASHA Board-Recognized Fluency Specialist. Larry was named 2003 Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year by the National Stuttering Association. His current research involves EEG topographic mapping of brain activity in a variety of speech, language and auditory disorders, with a prominent interest in stuttering.
	Charlie Osborneis a clinical assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point, Wisconsin where he teaches the fluency disorders course and other courses, supervises in clinic, and provides clinical services at St. Michael's Hospital in Stevens Point. He is a member of ASHA's Fluency and Fluency Disorders Special Interest Division and of the International Fluency Association. He has worked with children and adults who stutter for over twenty years.
	Bob Quesal Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a professor at Western Illinois University. He was a member of the Steering Committee for ASHA's Special Interest Division 4 (Fluency and Fluency Disorders) from 2001-2004. He is recognized as a Fluency Specialist by the Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders. His research, in collaboration with Dr. Scott Yaruss from the University of Pittsburgh, focuses on assessment multiple outcomes of stuttering treatment, and assessment of stuttering outcomes from the perspective of the speaker.
	Nan Bernstein Ratner, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is Professor and Chairman, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park. She holds degrees in Child Development, Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Psycholinguistics and is the editor of six volumes, and the author of more than 30 articles and 20 chapters addressing stuttering and language acquisition in children. She currently serves as Co-editor of Seminars in Speech and Language. Dr. Ratner is an ASHA Fellow and a Board-recognized Fluency Specialist.
	Peter Ramig,, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is Professor and Associate Chair at the University of Colorado. He is also engaged in private practice with people who stutter in the Boulder, Denver and Fort Collins area. His primary research interest area is on issues pertaining to children and adults who stutter. He also regularly conducts treatment with children and adults who stutter, supervises therapy in the CU Speech, Language and Hearing Center, and teaches, among other things, graduate-level courses in stuttering. Peter has participated in the development of the SFA videotapes on child, teenage, and adult stuttering, and he and Darrell Dodge have written a comprehensive book on stuttering for clinicians. Peter is an ASHA Fellow and board recognized fluency specialist.
	Gary Rentschler, Ph.D. CCC.SLP is Clinic Director in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he directs the Adult and Adolescent Stuttering Program. A board-recognized Fluency Specialist, Gary also was recognized as Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year 2002 by the National Stuttering Association.
	Howard D. Schwartz Ph.D. CCC-SLP is the Coordinator of Speech-Language Pathology and full time Associate Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois. Dr. Schwartz is the author of the video and book, A Primer for Stuttering Therapy (Allyn and Bacon, 1999). In addition to his duties at the university, Dr. Schwartz is the Director of the Institute for Communicative Disorders, Naperville, IL a private practice specializing in stuttering. Within the university setting, Dr. Schwartz is responsible for teaching and the clinical program in stuttering. .
	Lynne Shields, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is currently a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Communication Disorders Dept. at Fontbonne University, St. Louis, MO. where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and supervises in on-campus clinic. She teaches in the areas of fluency, language disorders, and assessment. She holds Specialty Certification in fluency disorders from the Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders.
	Glen Tellis, is an Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is an ASHA Board-Recognized Fluency Specialty and Mentor. He received his Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University. His interests in fluency disorders include treatment efficacy research, advanced digital technology for assessment and treatment, multicultural research, and clinical outcomes. He teaches courses in fluency disorders, supervises fluency clinics, has presented papers at numerous national and international conferences, and has published articles that pertain to stuttering and other fluency disorders. .
	John A. Tetnowski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor and the Ben Blanco Memorial Endowed Professor in Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is a "Fluency Specialist" approved by ASHA's specialty commission on fluency disorders. He has treated people who stutter for over 15 years. .
	Dale F. Williams, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders at Florida Atlantic University, where he serves as Director of the Fluency Clinic. He is also a consultant with Language Learning Intervention and Professional Speech Services, Inc. A person who stutters, Dr. Williams co-founded the Boca Raton chapter of the National Stuttering Association. He holds Specialty Recognition from the Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders and was recently named as a Fluency Specialist Mentor.

	Klaas Bakker, associated with Missouri State University since 1990; specializes in fluency disorders; research focus on fluency disorders (assessment and diagnostic evaluation of cluttering and stuttering); develops new technologies for the assessment and measurement of clinical aspects of speech (dys)fluency; Associate Editor for the Journal of Fluency Disorders; Chair of the Taskforce on Technology of Special Interest Division 4 (Fluency and Fluency Disorders).
	Hans-Georg Bosshardt, Ph.D.is a professor of psychology and vice-dean of the Department of Psychology at the Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany). He is a past president of the International Fluency Association and has the status of an ASHA international affiliate. He has published and presented several papers on stuttering and presently investigates how speech planning and short-term memory load affect speech fluency, laryngeal activity and the timing of speech movements. He dreams of bird watching and hiking in Arizona and California.
	Doug Cross, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor at Ithaca College. He received his Ph.D. in Speech Science/Speech Pathology from the University of Tennessee in 1978. His primary professional interests are in fluency and fluency disorders with emphasis on the neuropsychology of human performance and treatment of stuttering. Dr. Cross' stuttering treatment program, A Systems Approach to Stuttering Treatment (SAST) integrates fluid movement, emotion, thought, and the psychology of performance in shaping effective communication. Present activities include (1) continuum-based scaling methods for assessing communication fluidity and communication naturalness, and (2) developing computer generated animation programs that facilitate understanding and shaping of fluid movement and communication pace.
	Vikram N. Dayalu, Ph.D. recently received his doctoral degree from East Carolina University. He is on the faculty at the Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Seton Hall University. His current research is focused on studying the role of sensory motor integration during speech production in people who stutter and other neurological populations.
	Dennis Drayna, serves as Acting Section Chief at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, at the National Institutes of Health. He received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin and his PhD from Harvard University, and he served a postdoctoral fellowship at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Utah. His research focuses on the genetics of human communication disorders, including stuttering.
	Peter Howell, is Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University College London, England. He has a long-standing interest in research into diagnosis and treatment of stuttering. He has recently established the journal 'Stammering Research'. This is an on-line publication that offers access to various forms of data, software and other facilities for research into stuttering. You can access the journal free through the pages of Stammering Research (visit http://www.speech.psychol.ucl.ac.uk). His recent research interests involve phonological analyses of children's speech to establish how early nonfluency arises."
	Nathan E, Lavid, M.D. is psychiatrist in private practice in Southern California. He received his bachelor of arts in microbiology and subsequently his medical degree from the University of Kansas. He completed his internship and psychiatric residency at the University of California, Irvine. He is a former faculty member at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, where he completed a forensic psychiatry fellowship at the Institute of Psychiatry and Law. He has been involved in a wide range of neuroscience research, including the first clinical trial of olanzapine for stuttering.
	Richard Mallard is Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. His bachelor's and master's degrees are from the University of North Texas and his Ph.D. is from Purdue University. Dr. Mallard is a Fellow of ASHA and holds Specialty Recognition in Fluency Disorders from the Clinical Specialty Board of ASHA. Dr. Mallard has conducted intensive stuttering programs for children and adults since 1976 and currently works with families of children who stutter in intensive, non-intensive, and email/Internet formats in both university and private practice settings.
	Larry Molt is chair of the Department of Communication Disorders and the director of the Neuroprocesses Research Laboratory at Auburn University. He holds a dual masters degree in speech-language pathology and audiology from the University of South Florida and Ph.D. in speech and hearing science from the University of Tennessee. Larry is an ASHA Board-Recognized Fluency Specialist. Larry was named 2003 Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year by the National Stuttering Association. His current research involves EEG topographic mapping of brain activity in a variety of speech, language and auditory disorders, with a prominent interest in stuttering.
	Ann Packman is Senior Research Officer at the Australian Stuttering Research Centre, at The University of Sydney. Ann enjoys working with people who stutter, and she conducts research into all aspects of stuttering, including the development of new treatments. She has published over forty articles on stuttering in peer-reviewed journals and has presented widely at international conferences. Ann has edited two books on treatment for stuttering in young children and is co-author on a book on theories of stuttering which will be published later this year.
	Nan Bernstein Ratner, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, is Professor and Chairman, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park. She holds degrees in Child Development, Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Psycholinguistics and is the editor of six volumes, and the author of more than 30 articles and 20 chapters addressing stuttering and language acquisition in children. She currently serves as Co-editor of Seminars in Speech and Language. Dr. Ratner is an ASHA Fellow and a Board-recognized Specialist for Fluency and Child Language
	William S. Rosenthal, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus from the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Cal State East Bay, is "mostly retired from the University." He has a Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences and Psychology and is a member of the American Psychological Association, Division 29, Psychotherapy, and a member of the International Transactional Analysis Association. He has taught a graduate-level seminar in Counseling and Psychotherapy for Speech-Language Pathologists, as well as courses in fluency disorders..
	Glen Tellis, is an Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is an ASHA Board-Recognized Fluency Specialty and Mentor. He received his Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University. His interests in fluency disorders include treatment efficacy research, advanced digital technology for assessment and treatment, multicultural research, and clinical outcomes. He teaches courses in fluency disorders, supervises fluency clinics, has presented papers at numerous national and international conferences, and has published articles that pertain to stuttering and other fluency disorders. .
	John A. Tetnowski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor and the Ben Blanco Memorial Endowed Professor in Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is a "Fluency Specialist" approved by ASHA's specialty commission on fluency disorders. He has treated people who stutter for over 15 years. .
	John Van Borsel is a neurolinguist who obtained an MA in Philology from at the Catholic University of Leuven in 1981 and received a Ph.D. in neurolinguistics from the Free University of Brussels in 1993. He is currently professor of logopaedics and neurolinguistics at the Ghent University and scientific fellow at the Ghent University Hospital. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Fluency Disorders, and a member of the International Fluency Association, the International Association of Logopaedics and Phoniatrics, and the Society for the Study of Behavioral Phenotypes. He published in several professional journals and is also author of a number of books. His main research interests include acquired stuttering, neurogenic speech disorders, speech and language in genetic syndromes, and voice in transsexuals .
	Tom Weidig is Vice-Chair of the research committee of the British Stammering Association and was a trustee before. Tom is mostly interested in meta-analysis, but recently co-wrote two research articles on the long-term outcome of a fluency shaping therapy. He holds a Master's in Theoretical Physics from Imperial College London, and a PhD from the University of Durham. He was a researcher at the University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge. Leaving physics research behind, he since worked as a risk analyst at an investment bank in London. Tom has now his own consultancy, and recently wrote a book on private equity and venture capital fund investments. He has a blog (webdiary) on research into stuttering: http://thestutteringbrain.blogspot.com.