Monica Wagner

Monica Wagner is a Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. John's University, with a joint appointment in Psychology. Her research focuses on neural mechanisms of speech and language processing using electrophysiological methods.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, CUNY Graduate Center
• M. Phil. in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, CUNY Graduate Center
• M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology, Queens College, CUNY

Dr. Wagner's research examines neural oscillations in theta, beta, and gamma frequency bands during speech processing, with emphasis on how native-language experience shapes cortical responses. Her work demonstrates that acoustic speech characteristics are processed similarly across languages at early cortical stages, while language-specific processing occurs in theta/low-gamma bands. Current NIH-funded research (2023-2027) investigates neural processing in adolescents with dyslexia and developmental language disorder.

Research Highlights:

• Neuropsychologia (2023) findings on alpha/beta band interactions between memory-based feedback and sensory processing
• Scientific Reports (2022) discovery of language-specific neural processing in theta/low-gamma bands
• Longitudinal NIH grant examining neural mechanisms in atypical language learners

Awards & Recognition:

• National Institutes of Health Federal Funding (2023-2027)
• ASHA Certification and New York State Licensure as Speech-Language Pathologist

Dr. Wagner actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students in her Electrophysiology Research Lab, where participants from multiple departments conduct EEG studies on speech neurobiology. Her lab's work bridges clinical applications with fundamental neuroscience, particularly regarding developmental language disorders. The research has significant implications for educational interventions targeting language comprehension deficits.