Hillary Ganek

Dr. Hillary Ganek is an Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics at Brock University's Faculty of Social Sciences. She holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Toronto (2017), an MA in Speech-Language Pathology from Northwestern University (2006), and a BA in Linguistics from McGill University (2004). Her postdoctoral work at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto focused on cochlear implants and global child health. She has clinical experience as a speech-language pathologist and auditory-verbal therapist, working internationally in Australia, the U.S., and countries like Vietnam and Ethiopia.

Her research explores social determinants of language acquisition for children with hearing loss, emphasizing global health contexts. She employs automated vocal analysis and population-based methodologies, collaborating in low-resource regions such as Pakistan and Kenya. Dr. Ganek is actively involved in service roles, including chairing the Department of Applied Linguistics Naming Subcommittee and representing Brock at Ontario university recruitment events. She co-founded DARCLE, an international network using daylong recordings to study early language learning, and serves on the VOICE Directory Committee advocating for families of children with hearing loss.

Teaching responsibilities include courses on communication disorders, audiology, and speech-language evaluation. Her work bridges clinical practice, technology, and global health equity, with a focus on culturally sensitive interventions.