NIDCD Official Is Honored by ASHA

NIDCD Deputy Director Judith A. Cooper, Ph.D., received the 2007 Honors of the Association award during the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA) convention last November in Boston. The Honors of the Association recognizes distinguished contributions to the field of speech, language and hearing and is the highest honor the association can give.

“Judith has played a pivotal role in shaping the institute’s strategic plan for research on the processes of voice, speech and language,” said NIDCD Director James F. Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. “She oversees and administers a portfolio of literally hundreds of grants and contracts, and plays a central role in informing Congress and other agencies about progress resulting from NIDCD-supported research grants. She has also championed new initiatives to bring diversity to the scientific research community.”

Cooper’s career began as a speech-language pathologist in medical and clinical settings. Later she came to the NIH as a health science administrator with the National Institute of Neurological, Communicative Disorders and Stroke. When NIDCD was created in 1988, she came to the institute in a similar role. After serving in several other positions at NIDCD, she was named deputy director in 2004. Currently, she is responsible for overseeing the management of more than 1,000 grants and contracts annually in hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language; also, she is the director of NIDCD’s Division of Scientific Programs, where she manages the institute’s language portfolio.

Dr. Cooper was honored for her significant contributions to the discipline of communication science and disorders, in the areas of research, administration, and her service to state and national organizations.

Read the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association news release. 

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