Kate Bunton

Kate Bunton, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies/PhD in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona's College of Science. Her research focuses on kinematic, aerodynamic, and acoustic characteristics of speech, speech motor control, and speech intelligibility. She directs the Speech Acoustics and Physiology Lab and teaches courses such as SLHS 471/571 (Speech Sound Disorders) and SLHS 570 (Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Disorders).

Dr. Bunton has been recognized with the U of A College of Science Distinguished Career Teaching Award. Her work combines clinical expertise with computational modeling, addressing topics like velopharyngeal insufficiency, vocal tract dynamics, and speech synthesis. She holds certifications including the Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA and is licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Her research output spans speech acoustics, phonetics, and clinical applications, with recent studies analyzing surgical outcomes for speech disorders, vowel space density, and computational models of speech production. Her articles highlight interdisciplinary approaches to understanding speech production and perception mechanisms.