Gallaudet University's
Vestibular & Balance Lab
ABOUT
At the Vestibular and Balance Lab, a number of projects are on-going to investigate various assessments for vestibular and balance systems, with special interest in portability and accessibility for diverse populations.
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The lab shares its facilities with the Gallaudet University's Clinic, Dizziness and Balance Center, for basic clinical equipment such as videonystagmography, electronystagmography, video head-impulse test, auditory evoked potentials (ABR, VEMP, ECochG), and Balance Master. In addition, we have space and equipment dedicated for research, including the data analysis room adjacent to a large shared research meeting area, and a test room with an Oculus Rift virtual reality system.
PEOPLE
Chizuko Tamaki, Au.D, Ph.D.
Lab Director
Professor
Education
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Ph.D., Gallaudet University; Audiology; 2006
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Au.D., Gallaudet University; Clinical Doctorate in Audiology; 2004
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B.S., Plattsburgh State University of New York; Communication Sciences and Disorders; 2000
Dr. Chizuko (Chiz) Tamaki joined the HSLS faculty in 2007. She received both of her Au.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Gallaudet University. Dr. Tamaki has worked in a private practice setting (Professional Hearing Services - Dizziness and Balance Center) as well as in a hospital (Mayo Clinic Scottsdale). Although she has a wide range of clinical skills, she specializes in vestibular diagnosis and electrophysiology, which is where her research interests lie. She is especially interested in the balance function assessement and fall prevention in Deaf adults.
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Specializations
vestibular assessment; electrophysiology; diagnostic audiology
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Licensure/Certification
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A)
District of Columbia, Audiologist
Commonwealth of Virginia, Audiologist
Commonwealth of Virginia, Hearing Aid Specialist
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Professional Affiliation
American Balance Society, Member
American Academy of Audiology, Member, Board of Directors - Member-At-Large
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Certified Member
Collaborators
Janis Cole-Patterson, PhD, CDI
Co-Researcher
Adjunct Professor
Education
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Ph.D, Gallaudet University, Translation & Interpreting, 2019
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M.ED, Boston University, Deaf/ASL Studies, 1991
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B.S.W., Rochester Institute of Technology, Social Work, 1980
Dr. Janis Cole-Patterson, Feminist, Adjunct Professor, ASL/English Interpreter/Translator; Educator/Consultant, Researcher and Facilitator. Currently, Janis is semi-retired from university teaching for over 40 years, combined Boston and Gallaudet Universities. She continues doing both, interpreting / translation work in private practice throughout the country, and as a practitioner and scholarly research and publication. As CEO of LesDeux2, she does consultation work on bilingual literacy and translation projects. At the present time, she is co-researcher with Dr. Tamaki on Vestibule Balance for Deaf Senior Citizens.
Specializations
Translation; Deaf/ASL/Cultural Studies; Signed Language Assessment; Sociolinguistic in Sign Language Communities; Gestures and International Signs
Certification
CDI
Professional Affiliations
American Translation Association, Member
Registry of Interpreting of the Deaf, Certified Member
Lab Members
Jacquelin Kutz
Au.D. Student
Research Assistant
Jacquelin Kutz is a 2nd-year Doctor of Audiology student. She is originally from Houston, TX, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Sciences and Disorders from Baylor University in Waco, TX. She currently serves as the President of the Gallaudet University chapter of the Student Academy of Audiology. In addition to this role, Jacquelin is an Au.D. student tutor for numerous graduate-level courses and works alongside Dr. Chizuko Tamaki, Au.D., Ph.D. as a research assistant in the Gallaudet University Vestibular and Balance Lab. She is the principal investigator in the research project “Balance Functions Among Older Adults Who Are Deaf,” where she collected and analyzed data relating to the vestibular and balance functions of older deaf adults who use American Sign Language.
David López
Undergraduate Student
Research Assistant
David López is a 4th-year student at Gallaudet University in The School of Science, Technology, Accessibility, Mathematics, and Public Health (STAMP), where he is pursuing a degree in Biology with a minor in Public Health. He has received recognition from his department as the highest achieving General Chemistry student for the 2022-2023 academic school year and most recently received the Hurwitz Scholarship for undergraduate STEM majors at Gallaudet University. David is a new member to the research team at Gallaudet University's Vestibular and Balance Lab and he is excited to be working alongside Dr. Chizuko Tamaki and fellow research assistant Jacquelin Kutz. Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, he intends to apply to Medical School to further his knowledge of health science and progress towards a career as a surgeon.
Former Lab Members
Morgan Zupkus (2021-2023)
Emily Nusbickel (2021-2022)
Emily Parks (2021-2022)
Brandie Mack (2021-2022)
Johnathon O'Neal (2019-2021)
Ashley Zaleski King (2014-2020)
Shelby Matthews (2018-2020)
L. Noelle Allemang (2017-2020)
Emalee Danner (2017-2020)
Grace Scott (2018-2019)
J. Eugenio Ravelo-Mendoza (2016-2017)
Torri Ann Woodruff (2015-2017)
Sean Smith (2014-2016)
Jonathan Suen (2013-2016)
Krystyna Graham (2013-2016)
Ashley Espinosa (2013-2015)