Fantastic Philladelphia

I had a really enjoyable time in Philadelphia. Here are a few photos from my stay (see previous blogs for my collaborations and presentations while at the ASHA convention in Philly).

Independence Hall - where the Declaration of Independence was signed

ASHA convention update

The 2016 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association convention was the largest on record with over 16,000 attendees! Here are some more interesting statistics:

• 4000+ first time attendees
• 3268 proposals submitted from 5918 authors (30% of presenters were first timers)
• 37 short courses presented
• 147 invited sessions presented
• 1072 podium sessions (including technical sessions) presented
• 1740 poster sessions presented
• 32 topic chairs + 519 committee members

My students, colleagues and I presented 6 papers during the convention (1 panel, 1 2-hour seminar, 4 technical sessions) and learned a lot from the other presentations we attended. We also valued the networking opportunities with friends and colleagues from all over the world.

Closing party at the Philadelphia Museum of Art with friends from Turkey and NZ:
Sharynne, Seyhun and Oya Topbas, Kate, Gina Tillard, Brenda

Ellie Sugden, Elise Baker, John Bernthal, Sharynne McLeod, Steph, Kate Crowe

Joanne Cleland (Scotland), Elise Baker and Sharynne at the "meet the author" session at the Pearson booth

One small section of the expansive ASHA Exhibits hall!
The booths were numbered from 100-1400.

Topic chair Danai Fannin and some members of the 2017 ASHA
Cultural and linguistic diversity committee planning next year's convention

Meeting with colleagues in Philadelphia

Today I had meetings with colleagues in Philadelphia. I spent the morning with Dr. Carol Scheffner-Hammer who specialises in Spanish-English bilingual language acquisition and disorder and currently works at Teachers College Columbia University in New York.
Then I visited La Salle University, spending a short time with my co-author and colleague Dr. Brian Goldstein (who is the Provost), and the Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Dr. Barbara Amster. While I was there, I felt that La Salle's ethos resonates with Charles Sturt University's motto: For the public good.

Carol Scheffner-Hammer and Sharynne

Provost Brian Goldstein, La Salle University

St Benilde Tower, La Salle University