Russell Banks

Russell Banks, a Lecturer in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University (MSU), received his PhD in 2019. His research focuses on the effects of brain injury on motor control and the application of neuromodulation techniques like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to rehabilitate speech and language impairments, particularly in sports-related concussion cases.

• Education:
  • PhD, MSU (2019)
  • MS, MSU (2015)
  • BS, Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Utah

During his Master’s thesis at MSU, he investigated how classroom size, vocally demanding extracurricular activities, and personal habits affect teachers' voices across the U.S., with findings presented at multiple conferences and currently being written up for publication. At the University of Utah’s National Center for Voice and Speech, he contributed to voice therapy research for singers and occupational voice users, aging voice studies, and software development for voice disorder rehabilitation.

Scientific Awards

• ASHFoundation New Century Scholars Research Fellowship (2019)
• Strosacker Fellowship (2016, 2017, 2018)

Dr. Banks’ technical expertise includes voice and acoustical analysis software such as Praat, KayPentax programs, and Audacity, with collaborative work on software for quantifying voice recovery. His current projects aim to translate neuromodulation research into clinical speech and language rehabilitation strategies.