CHLLD Lab

04/18/2026

More exciting news from the CHLLD lab 🎉

A huge congratulations to Camilla Buchanan (UG ’24) for winning the Harris College Student Research Symposium Undergraduate Poster Award !

Camilla’s project tackled a really important question: How do language demands interact with math skills in children who are deaf and hard of hearing and learning spoken language? Her work is a great reminder that skills like math aren’t “language-free" and that understanding the role of language is important for how we support learning across domains.

We can’t wait to see all the great things she’ll do in her master’s program 👏

And a shoutout to Daniel Ibarra, the PhD student who co-mentored this honors project. This kind of collaboration is what makes undergraduate research such a powerful experience. At TCU and in the CHLLD lab, cross-level opportunities for connection and mentorship make our program stand out.

TCU Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences

04/18/2026

Another thesis defense to celebrate 🎉

Huge congratulations to Isabel Van Vleet (UG ’24, MS ’26) on successfully defending her thesis!

Isabel asked an important question: Do children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) approach word learning differently than their peers without IDD? Her work pushes us to think more carefully about how children learn language and reminds us that differences in learning aren’t deficits to overlook, but processes to understand.

This is the kind of research that sits right at the forefront of what we know about language development and disability 👏

And for students thinking about getting involved in research: this is what it can look like: asking meaningful questions, contributing to the field, and building knowledge that actually impacts practice.

04/02/2026

ASHA staff joined educators and leaders from across the country at the 2026 CEC Convention in Salt Lake City, presenting a hot topics session and made meaningful connections during the SLP meet up.

“What a gift to have had the opportunity to spend time with other SLPs from across the country. These moments remind me of the critical role SLPs play in our schools — not just in the services they provide, but in their commitment to passionate, engaged advocacy. I am heading home reconnected with my 'why' and the comfort of being in community with other professionals who believe in the power of elevating the voices, words, signs, and symbols of students with disabilities.” - Lauren Melone

04/02/2026

It’s our favorite time of year 🎉 because CHLLD lab students are sharing their undergraduate and master’s thesis projects!

One of the best parts of being in a research lab? You don’t just learn about research…you have an opportunity to lead a project built around a question that matters to you.

Take Ella Amis (UG ’24, MS ’26), who asked an important clinical question: How do language skills in children with developmental trauma show up on assessments—and could they sometimes look like DLD? Her findings highlight just how critical thorough evaluation is and open the door for even more research in this area.

Huge congratulations to Ella on a successful defense 👏

If you’re an undergrad or master’s student wondering whether to get involved in a lab: this is your sign! It’s hands-on, meaningful, and you might just discover a question you’re passionate about answering.

03/30/2026

Check out a research opportunity from our friends in Bloomington!

03/26/2026

03/11/2026

Where in the world is the CHLLD lab this week? Project INTERSECT students are at the CEC convention! If you're here, track us down!

03/07/2026

Big congratulations to three CHLLD Lab members who presented their thesis and pre-dissertation projects at Friday’s Three Minute Thesis competition! 🎤

The Three Minute Thesis challenges graduate students to present their research clearly and compellingly in just three minutes to a broad audience — no easy task!

We’re especially proud to share that our lab took the top two spots, as rated by judges from across the TCU community. 🎉

It’s exciting to see our students sharing their work, translating research beyond the lab, and contributing to conversations about communication, language, and development.

Great job to our brave students who participated: we’re proud of the work you’re doing and the way you represent the CHLLD Lab! 💜

03/04/2026

January and February have been full in the CHLLD Lab! ✨

From community partnerships to international scholarship, here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been up to:

💜 Volunteering in our community
📚 Hosting a PhD research retreat
🎤 Leading PEARLS professional development for SLPs
🧸 Providing professional development for childcare providers
✈️ And Dr. Lund serving as a dissertation opponent in Sweden

We’re proud to be a lab where research, mentorship, and community engagement all intersect. Our students — undergraduate, master’s, and PhD — are part of work that supports families locally while contributing to the science of communication globally.

Grateful for a strong start to 2026! 💫



TCU Davies School of COSD

02/19/2026

TCU Davies School of COSD graduate and undergraduate students partnered with faculty-led research labs to deliver a series of free professional development seminars for more than 150 child care professionals serving the Tarrant County area. Dr. Lund's COSD 60463 graduate class plus CHLLD and Bilingual Education and Research Laboratory lab members gave a series of evidence-based presentations!

Brooke Johnson, UG '24, 2nd year MS student says "This experience was one of the most impactful learning opportunities I have had in my time at TCU. It not only gave me perspective on professional development, but it also encouraged my confidence in the knowledge I have acquired throughout my education. Sharpening my presentation skills inspired me to continue investing in opportunities like this in my clinical career."

Read more on TCU COSD stories!
https://harriscollege.tcu.edu/stories/2026/cosd-researchers-bring-language-literacy-expertise.php

02/06/2026

Last Friday, the CHLLD lab helped host the Promoting Excellence in Access, Research, Language, and Speech (P.E.A.R.L.S) Symposium! In one action-packed day, our DFW area SLPs who work in schools had the chance to learn about intervention, assessment, and issues related to supervision and practice.

Attending school-based clinicians also collaborated with our PhD student researchers to identify issues in schools that need to be addressed. We are proud of the PhD students and all of the CHLLD lab members that helped make this day possible!

Shoutout to the for providing free CEUS for all our learners!

01/21/2026

IT’S WRAP TIME!
It's spring semester and we’re wrapping up thesis projects with our second-year graduate students and getting them defense-ready for later this semester. Manuscripts are in the works and heading toward publication. Exciting times ahead!

Flashback to Fall 2025 when Dr. Courtney Trevino, (2nd year postdoc) and Liza Gonzalez (2nd year grad student) were in the field collecting data for Liza’s thesis on word learning in children with Autism who use AAC to communicate. Excited to cheer Liza on as she defends her thesis in April!!